celebrates

KENDALL Jenner secretly celebrated her 30th birthday at designer Tommy Hilfiger’s luxury villa on a private Caribbean island, The U.S. Sun can reveal.

Supermodel Kendall began posting snaps on Monda after spending the weekend at the $125k-a-week property in Mustique.

Kendall was joined by dozens of family members and friends, including her mom, Kris Jenner, and sisters, Kim, Kylie, and Khloe, although Kourtney was notably absent from the festivities.

She also celebrated with longtime friends, including Hailey Bieber, Fai Khandra, Renell Medrano, and Lauren Perez.

There was no expense spared as the large group enjoyed a lavish spread, an 818-themed birthday cake, and $500 bottles of Chateau Haut-Brion red wine, bottled in 1995 – the year Kendall was born.

She was also spoiled with decorations, including huge silver balloons reading, ‘Happy Birthday Kendall’ and cups with baby photographs emblazoned on them.

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There appeared to be a theme for the bash with everyone dressed in brown, black, and pink beach outfits for the fashionista.

Kendall joined the Tommy Hilfiger family by fronting the brand’s Spring Campaign last year.

His private property in Mustique is known as the Palm Beach Villa, and boasts seven en-suite bedrooms and two pool cottages with room for up to 18 guests.

A website claims the vacation home is situated on six acres on the beachfront land and costs between $125,000 and $130,000 per week to rent.

‘BEACH SEATING’

“The Colonial design of the property is simple yet imposing, and the white facade gives a very welcoming feeling to guests,” the bio reads.

“The grand Palladian-style residence was built in 1999 and has undergone renovation works since.”

Kendall and the gang made the most of the private beach with a seating area set up on the sand, as photographs on Instagram showed pillows and tiki torches.

The bio online also explains, “The villa offers impressive views over the sea and the neighbouring islands from its balconies and terrace.

“Guests can enjoy the views from the large swimming pool, or soak up the rays from the surrounding sun loungers.

“The poolside gazebos are ideal for evening drinks, and there are plenty of spaces to relax throughout the perfectly manicured gardens.”

Services at the villa include a manager, chef, waiter, housekeeping, and laundry, according to the website.

Although food and beverage cost extra, along with grocery pre-stocking, spa and beauty treatments, and activities and excursions on the island.

Dee Hilfiger, Tommy’s wife, gave Marie Claire a tour of the house in 2024, with photographs showing her relaxing in the luxurious setting.

Although she admitted it was all about simplicity and guests being able to relax at the home, not worrying that they might damage antiques or expensive furnishings.

“We have a lot of furniture with slick covers,” she explained.

“We constantly change out all the lampshades in the house because it’s right on the ocean, so things rust.

BIRTHDAY TRIBUTES

“We don’t have anything too precious. It’s a family home and we also rent it a lot.

“I would describe it as a chic but user-friendly type of home where nothing’s too precious or expensive. It’s designed to walk through with sandy feet.”

The outlet explained that the villa sits on the shores of Mustique’s L’Ansecoy Bay and is named Palm Beach for the trees that surround it. 

Kim, 45, shared snaps from the getaway, writing, “Happy 30th Birthday @kendalljenner may this decade bring you the kind of love and joy you so freely give to everyone else. I love you more than you’ll ever understand! Here’s to 30 Kenny.”

Kim could also be seen joking around with a handful of tequila shots in one photograph as she threw her head back laughing.

Sister Khloe, 41, also wrote a lengthy tribute to Kendall, posting, “To my baby sister, my forever girl, happy 30th birthday. I can’t believe you’re thirty. It feels impossible and yet, here you are; more radiant, grounded, and beautifully you than ever before.

“Something I’ve always admired and respected about you is how deeply and unapologetically you live in your truth. In a world where so many try to fit in or please others, you’ve always just been yourself. […] You have this energy that can’t be replicated.

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“Gentle but strong, mysterious yet warm, and so full of love that it overflows into everyone lucky enough to know you.

“You make people feel seen, safe, and inspired just by being who you are. Kenny, I hope you know how endlessly proud I am of you. […] Happy birthday, my sweet angel. I love you with everything I am @kendalljenner.”

Argentina’s President Javier Milei sang to his supporters after early results showed he had won the country’s midterm elections, bolstering his push for radical economic reforms closely watched by the US.

Nepal beat the West Indies by 19 runs in the first of their three T20I matches in Sharjah, spurring wild celebrations.

Cricket fans in Nepal are celebrating their team’s historic win over the West Indies in a T20 international match, the country’s first-ever triumph over a Test-playing nation.

Nepal defeated the two-time former world champions by 19 runs in the first fixture of their three-match T20I series in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday.

Nepal’s fans cheered for their team wildly in the stands at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium well after the match had ended, and the celebrations continued overnight back in the South Asian nation.

After being asked to bat first, Nepal posted a competitive total of 148-8 in their 20 overs, with contributions from captain Rohit Paudel (38) and middle-order batter Kushal Malla (30).

The Rhinos then put on a spirited bowling and fielding performance to restrict the West Indies, who won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016, led by Kushal Bhurtel’s spell of 2-17 from his four overs.

🇳🇵A new chapter written in Nepal’s cricketing story! 📣

Rhinos 🇳🇵 defeats West Indies by 19 runs our first-ever triumph against a full member nation! pic.twitter.com/98cJlLMAwP

— CAN (@CricketNep) September 27, 2025

The win represents a major milestone for the rising cricketing nation.

“It is a historic win for us and helps improve our players’ standing in the cricketing world,” Chatur Bahadur Chand, president of the Cricket Association of Nepal, told the AFP news agency.

Nepali fans in replica team shirts cheered and waved the national flag as they watched the game in the stadium, TV images showed.

“It was not expected, but as the game progressed, we saw there was a chance we could win,” said Pujan Thapa, 27, who watched the game with family and friends on TV in Kathmandu.

“We were so happy, we stood up and danced.”

The win came as Nepal recovers from deadly anticorruption protests that killed at least 72 people and toppled the government.

Paudel dedicated the win to the protesters who lost their lives, saying it was for “the martyrs back home”, and that it would be great if they could give people “a little bit of happiness”.

Former chief selector Dipendra Chaudhary said the win was a result of the team’s hard work.

“It will motivate them to play well and inspire other young cricketers,” he said.

Social media platforms were also flooded with congratulatory messages for the players.

Cricket has been growing in popularity in the mountainous nation, with Nepal given one-day international status by the world governing body ICC in 2018.

Nepal made its ICC T20 World Cup debut in 2014 and returned to the tournament in 2024, when it came agonisingly close to defeating eventual finalists South Africa.

United States President Donald Trump appears to be relishing in the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after the late-night comedian’s popular talk show was taken off air over comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“He made a total FOOL of himself,” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday evening, reposting a clip from last year’s Academy Awards in which Kimmel spontaneously took aim at the US leader.

Earlier in the day, Trump said Kimmel was fired because he said a “horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk”.

Trump told reporters on his return from visiting the United Kingdom that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – which regulates all broadcasts in the US – should consider removing the licences of broadcasters who “hit Trump”.

“I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” Trump said, though federal law prohibits the FCC from revoking a broadcaster’s licence for negative coverage or speech disliked by the government.

“It will be up to [FCC Chair] Brendan Carr,” Trump added.

The Disney-owned ABC network removed the Jimmy Kimmel Live show from programming indefinitely on Wednesday after an opening monologue by Kimmel in which he said “the MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” from Kirk’s death.

Disney made the move after the FCC’s Carr – a Trump appointee – appeared to imply on a right-wing podcast that Kimmel’s remarks had put Disney’s licence in jeopardy.

“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said.

“They have a licence granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.”

Kimmel was due to meet with three Disney network executives to discuss the fate of his show, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

The comedian is the latest in a growing list of media figures, journalists and news organisations to face Trump’s wrath in the form of lawsuits and personal vendettas.

In July, CBS said The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would go off air in 2026, days after Colbert criticised CBS’s parent company Paramount for a $16m settlement in a case with Trump.

ABC News also agreed to pay $15m over inaccurate on-air comments made by an anchor that Trump had been found “liable for raping” writer E Jean Carroll. Trump had, in fact, been found liable for sexual abuse. More recently, Trump is bringing a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for their coverage of his relationship with high-flying financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In another Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump seemed to suggest further suspensions of late-night comedians, namely two popular NBC hosts.

“That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC,” the president said, referring to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.

“Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”

Democratic Party lawmakers are now pushing to pass a new bill, called the No Political Enemies Act, which they in part credited to Kimmel’s suspension.

The bill aims to deter officials from retaliating against free speech and provides tools for those targeted by the government, according to a legislative summary, though it is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Congress.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also called for Carr’s resignation from the FCC in a social media post on Thursday, before railing against the Trump administration in a news conference announcing the bill.

“First, let’s be very clear: Political violence has no place in America,” Schumer said.

“But let’s also be clear: The Trump administration campaign of threats against civil society and free speech … is an assault on everything this country has stood for since the Constitution was signed,” Schumer said.

“There’s an assault on democracy coming out of the White House and their allies, and we see more evidence of it every day,” he said.

Brendan Carr should resign immediately, or Trump should fire him. pic.twitter.com/bow6H1ZsFY

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 18, 2025

President Claudia Sheinbaum has made history as the first woman to lead Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations in 215 years, delivering a resolute message against foreign intervention amid ongoing diplomatic pressure from the United States.

From the National Palace balcony in Mexico City, Sheinbaum presided over the traditional “grito” ceremony on Monday night, ringing the bell that symbolises the call to arms during Mexico’s 1810-21 independence struggle against Spain. While Independence Day is officially marked on September 16, the “grito” has been performed the evening before for more than a century.

During Tuesday’s military parade, Sheinbaum firmly declared, “No foreign power makes decisions for us.” Speaking before her cabinet and thousands of soldiers, she emphasised that “no interference is possible in our homeland”. Though she named no specific nation, her statement comes as the US government increases pressure on Mexico to combat drug cartels and enhance border security.

The Trump administration has offered to deploy US troops against cartels — some of which his government has designated as “terrorist” organisations — but Sheinbaum has consistently rejected such proposals.

Her administration has taken stronger action against cartels than her predecessor, extraditing numerous cartel figures to US authorities and highlighting reduced fentanyl seizures at the Mexico-US border. However, Sheinbaum maintains these efforts serve Mexico’s interests rather than responding to US pressure.

Sheinbaum, who assumed office in October, is Mexico’s first female president.

It’s no secret that The Motley Fool admires, respects, esteems, and appreciates Warren Buffett and what he’s done for investors. Buffett started investing before he was a teenager and is now worth an estimated $150 billion. He’s generous with his investing advice — and his fortune — and it’s easy to see why Fools love him.

Buffett turns 95 today! That’s a birthday worth celebrating, and below we’ve done just that with Motley Fool contributing analysts and other employees chiming in. Happy Birthday, Mr. Buffett, and Fool on!

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Royston Yang: Buffett was an inspiration in changing how I thought about investing and its process. Previously I was running around the stock market like a headless chicken, not knowing why I was buying a certain stock. He taught me to view stocks as being part of a business and that its share price will increase in line with improvements in the business. It was like a light bulb turned on for me and I embraced value investing there and then, and I have not looked back. Happy Birthday to the Oracle of Omaha and thank you for being such an inspiration and for helping me to achieve success in my personal investments.

Adam Spatacco: One of my college professors quoted Buffett in class with the whole “be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy” mantra. That always stuck with me, totally changed how I viewed approaching stocks — especially when there’s a lot of hype behind certain names or themes. It’s definitely a tool I’ve used over the years when building high-conviction positions or trimming exposure to certain stocks, regardless of what everyone else is doing/whatever the consensus idea is.

Scott Levine: In a society that often celebrates excess, Warren Buffett’s lifestyle is a valuable lesson in the wisdom of living within our means. One of the most successful investors who has amassed a considerable fortune, Buffett lives in the same modest house that he’s occupied for decades and drives an unassuming car. Complement this with his dedication to philanthropy and it’s clear that Warren Buffett is someone people should admire for more than his investing prowess.

Stefon Walters: In the beginning of my investing journey, I looked for any “secrets” that could make me a good investor. Warren Buffett showed me that there’s no secret sauce to being a good investor, it takes patience and understanding the true power of compound interest. His timeless advice continues to guide my investing approach to the day.

Dan Caplinger: Berkshire Hathaway was one of the first stocks I bought in my portfolio, and it is now by far my largest position. It’s the only company whose annual shareholder meeting I have attended in person. It’s by far the company most aligned with my values as an investor. In an age when companies increasingly act against the best interests of ordinary shareholders, Warren Buffett has built a shining counterexample in Berkshire. That will be his biggest legacy long after he shuffles off this mortal coil.

Will Healy: Aside from Warren Buffett’s investing knowledge, his focus on integrity really stuck with me, particularly when I heard him speak about that at a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting. His lesson that reputations take 20 years to build and five minutes to ruin should be something we all keep in mind in investing and in life. Happy Birthday, Warren, and thank you for all you have done!

Anders Bylund: From his timeless investment principles to his incredible philanthropic commitments, Warren Buffett keeps proving that true wealth isn’t just about money — it’s about the positive impact you leave on the world. Much like his friend, the late John Bogle, Buffett’s greatest legacy might just be the way he empowered several generations of everyday investors. It’s a story of wisdom shared with integrity and patience. Time in the market is the surest road to success, and I learned that from Buffett. You can reach the very top of the financial world while always keeping the interests of the average person front and center. What an amazing concept!

Keith Speights: I remember reading Warren Buffett’s op-ed in The New York Times titled “Buy American. I Am.” during the market meltdown in 2008. Buffett’s take was spot-on, and it didn’t take long for him to be proven right. Buffett has been right about a lot of things during his legendary career and has inspired millions of investors — including me. Happy 95th birthday, Mr. Buffett! I hope you celebrate many more.

Kris Eddy: While Buffett is a super-talented stock picker, he also backs owning a low-cost fund tracking the S&P 500 as the best path for many investors. If I ever start to feel bad about not wading into the deep end of picking stocks, I pull myself back to optimism by remembering I am still on a Buffett-approved path of wealth-building action.

Adria Cimino: Warren Buffett not only is a great investor, but he’s also a great writer. His wonderful stories and quotes stick in my mind and guide me as I invest –and as I write about investing! I especially like his comparison of investors paying excessively high valuations to “Cinderella at the ball.”

Joel O’Leary: Buffett helped shape the way I donate my time, money and resources to help others in need. He’s a true leader in generosity, and modeling his attitude has made me richer not just financially, but more importantly, in life. Happy Birthday Mr. Buffett!

Patrick Sanders: Warren Buffett is my investing inspiration. I started off chasing hot, flashy stocks, moving in and out of positions and trying to time the market like a crazy person. Obviously it didn’t work! But then I started learning about Buffett and Berkshire and it resonated. I started looking for value in well-run companies and I gained a lot of appreciation for index funds. Now I’m a much better investor, in large part due to his example. Happy birthday, Mr. Buffett, and thank you!

Image source: Getty Images.

Christine Ferrara Dellamonaca: I love the way Warren Buffett makes investing seem like something that’s for everyone. And his longevity with Berkshire Hathaway and in the investing world at large is just an inspiration. Happy birthday, Mr. Buffett!

Reuben Gregg Brewer: I hate putting any investor on a pedestal, including the Oracle of Omaha. His biggest addition to the world of Wall Street, in my opinion, is probably his assertion that you don’t need anything more than average intelligence to be a good investor. It’s your temperament that will be the bigger determinant of your success. In other words, thank you Mr. Buffett for letting me and the world know that investing isn’t some esoteric science.

Lou Whiteman: Warren Buffett is best known as an investor, and rightfully so. His leadership by example over the past half-century has made myself and countless others wealthier and wiser both by owning Berkshire stock and applying his teachings to our own portfolio. But I am as grateful for Warren Buffett the patriot, a leader who has not been afraid to step into the chaos when needed to support markets and key financial institutions as well as his long-running support of public health. Buffett’s legacy will endure long after the stocks he picked are gone from the Berkshire portfolio thanks to the generations he educated and the lasting reach of the Buffett Foundation. Happy birthday, Mr. Buffett! Here’s to many many more.

Adam Levy: What sets Warren Buffett apart isn’t just how often he’s been right, but how often he’s been wrong and happily told anyone willing to listen. He shares his mistakes in his own folksy manner, often injecting humor into the story. Then he sums up the lessons in a single sentence or two that’s practically impossible to forget. To be as successful as Buffett you need to be willing to make mistakes, but, more importantly, you need to recognize when you’ve made a mistake and why. It doesn’t hurt to start investing at 11 and live until 95 (and beyond) either.

Cory Renauer: In a world obsessed with quick gains, Warren Buffett displays an unwavering commitment to creating value for his shareholders by ignoring market noise and identifying terrific businesses. He could easily get away with claiming his success is due to a superior mind. Instead, he reminds us at every turn that patience and common sense are the only tools we need to generate unlimited wealth with stocks.

Brett Schafer: Warren Buffett will be a timeless member of the investing world not just because of his incredible track record, but due to his humble teaching methods. Simplifying investing and focusing on buying and holding good businesses for the long-term has brought immeasurable value to myself and millions of investors around the world. We can aim to live up to this Buffett mentality and pass on our knowledge to investors of the next generation. Happy birthday to Mr. Buffett!

Selena Maranjian: Warren Buffett has long been one of my heroes, and the more I’ve learned about him, the more I admire him. Having attended many of his annual meetings, I’ve always been impressed with the great respect with which he treats his shareholders — such as by answering dozens of questions for hours. It’s also evident in the care he takes each year to write a very lengthy letter to shareholders that explains all kinds of things — in very down-to-earth language. I recommend Roger Lowenstein’s Buffett, the Making of an American Capitalist to anyone who wants to learn more about Buffett. Long live Warren Buffett — here’s hoping he gets another 95 years!

John Bromels: What I love most about Buffett’s wisdom is its simplicity: Don’t buy an investment you don’t understand. Don’t let emotions rule your decision-making. Buy “wonderful companies at fair prices” rather than “fair companies at wonderful prices.” Very simple advice, but just because it’s simple doesn’t mean that it’s easy! Which is why, more and more each day, I appreciate his willingness to admit his mistakes and encourage others to learn from them. Happy 95th to a true living legend!

Bram Berkowitz: What makes Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway so interesting, in my opinion, is the stocks they buy. Often, they purchase stocks unloved by Wall Street that are truly beaten down. It helps investors like me truly understand what differentiates a value play from a value trap. Additionally, I am impressed by how Buffett is never afraid to buy a stock in a new burgeoning sector, regardless of how old he gets.

Neha Chamaria: Unknown to Warren Buffett, over 8,000 miles away from Omaha, a young girl learned some of her most valuable lessons in investing from the Oracle of Omaha. That girl is me. To pick businesses and not stocks, and invest in only what you understand, are two Buffett principles that have hugely resonated with me and influence every stock I put my money into. Beyond his investing wisdom, Buffett’s simplicity, humility, and modesty of thoughts and lifestyle have truly stayed with me as I believe a true legend’s legacy is shaped as much by modesty as by mastery. Thank you, and happy birthday, Mr. Buffett!

Beth McKenna: I remember hearing or reading about Warren Buffett saying he was a voracious reader. He attributed this attribute as one main element of his investing success. Such great advice — and anyone can increase their reading. Beyond contributing to investing success, being well-read can also enrich one’s life in general. Happy birthday, Mr. Buffett!

Lee Samaha: Warren Buffett doesn’t do position sizing; he doesn’t construct portfolios based on market weighting. He doesn’t employ complex hedging strategies, doesn’t place much value in the capital asset pricing model, and doesn’t invest in the market’s latest hot stock. In fact, he almost lives in a parallel universe to professional money managers, only that in his universe, he consistently outperforms all of them. He truly is the inspiration and a source of confidence for ordinary investors forging their own financial future, and for that, we should all be grateful. 

Singapore – As Singapore’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations draw to a close on Saturday night, a huge fireworks display will illuminate the city’s extraordinary skyline.

The numerous skyscrapers and futuristic buildings stand as a tribute to the country’s remarkable development after separating from Malaysia in 1965.

This tiny Southeast Asian state, with a population of just over six million people, has one of the highest rates of wealth per capita in the world. Its advanced economy also attracts workers from across the globe.

The financial hub is famed for its stability, high standard of living, forward-thinking approach and infamous for its centralised style of governance.

While Singapore will bask in some success this weekend, once the flags are taken down and the SG60 merchandise is removed from the shelves, the island-nation will get back to work and begin contemplating its future.

Plans are already in motion to continue Singapore’s growth, with its most famous landmark – Marina Bay Sands – set to house a new fourth tower of hotel rooms in 2029, while a 15,000-seat indoor arena will also be built at the site.

Changi international airport, which was ranked this year as the world’s best for the 13th time, will also gain a fifth terminal by the mid-2030s.

Residents of the “Lion City” clearly have plenty to look forward to, but the road ahead may also contain some potholes.

Al Jazeera has been taking a look at some of the challenges that Singapore could face in the next 60 years and how they might be tackled.

Climate change

As a low-lying island, sitting just north of the equator, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the threat of a changing climate. The country’s former prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, once described it as a matter of “life and death”.

Rising seas and increased rainfall could lead to flooding, with extreme weather events set to be a more common occurrence.

While the city-state has so far dodged the kind of weather disruption that plagues many of its neighbours, the government is preparing for the worst.

Rising sea levels are of particular concern, with alarming estimates that the waters around Singapore could rise by more than a metre (3.2ft) by 2100.

To counter the threat, plans are being considered to build three artificial islands off the country’s east coast. These areas of reclaimed land would be linked by tidal gates and sit higher than the mainland, acting as a barrier.

Benjamin Horton, former director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, said the country could come to a standstill if catastrophic rain were to combine with a high tide.

“If it flooded a lot of the infrastructure in Singapore, closing down MRTs [mass rapid transit], shutting down emergency routes, flooding a power station and the electricity went down – Singapore would be crippled,” Horton said.

The already-sweltering Southeast Asian financial hub will also have to cope with even hotter conditions.

A 2024 government study found that the daily average temperature could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.

Horton, who is now dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, said this could impact the country’s economic productivity.

“Singapore is always developing and is reliant on immigrant labour that works outside during the day. Climate change is going to impact that significantly,” he said.

Yet, Singapore, Horton said, has “the potential to be the lead in how you adapt to climate change and to be the leader in coastal protection”.

Demographic time bomb

Singapore’s population is ageing at a rapid rate.

By 2030, it’s estimated that almost one in four citizens will be aged 65 and above.

The life expectancy for a Singaporean born today is a little under 84 years, with residents benefitting from a high quality of life and a world-class healthcare system.

But this demographic shift is set to challenge the city-state over the next six decades.

An ageing population will inevitably require more investment in the medical sector, while the country’s workforce could face shortages of younger workers.

“The resulting strain will not only test the resilience of healthcare institutions but also place significant emotional, physical, and financial pressure on family caregivers,” said Chuan De Foo, a research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

While the authorities are looking to expand and strengthen healthcare facilities, they are also urging citizens to make better lifestyle choices in order to stay healthier for longer. New marketing campaigns encourage regular health check-ups, allowing for early intervention, while new technology is also being utilised.

“AI-driven tools are being developed to support mental wellbeing, detect early signs of clinical deterioration and assist in diagnosis and disease management,” Foo told Al Jazeera.

Fewer babies

Alongside living longer, Singaporeans – like many advanced Asian economies – are also having fewer babies, adding to the country’s demographic woes.

The fertility rate, which measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, fell below 1.0 for the first time in 2023 and shows little sign of increasing.

That figure is even lower than Japan’s fertility rate of 1.15. This week, Japan reported its 16th consecutive year of population decline, with nearly a million more deaths than births in 2024.

Kalpana Vignehsa, a senior research fellow at NUS’s Institute of Policy Studies think tank, said the Singapore government is “swimming against a cultural tide” in its efforts to reverse the decline in births.

“Now is the time for expansive action to make parenting less expensive, less stressful, and most importantly, a highly valued and communally supported activity,” said Vignehsa.

An unstable world

Singapore is renowned for its neutral approach to foreign policy, balancing strong ties with both China and the United States.

But as relations between the world’s two biggest superpowers become increasingly strained, the Lion City’s neutrality could be challenged.

Any pivot towards Washington or Beijing is likely to be subtle, said Alan Chong, senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

He said that this situation occurred during the COVID pandemic, when Washington was not forthcoming with assistance for Asian economies.

“Almost all of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, tilted towards Beijing for economic support without announcing it,” said Chong.

US President Donald Trump’s punitive tariff policy has also caused consternation in the Southeast Asian business hub, which relies heavily on global trade.

Despite the threat from Washington’s increasingly protectionist policies, Chong believes that Singapore is prepared to weather the storm after signing a trade pact in 2020.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was agreed between 15 mainly Southeast Asian countries, plus major North Asian economies including China, Japan and South Korea.

“It’s a huge insurance against any comprehensive global trade shutdown,” said Chong.

Stability at home

While the international outlook appears increasingly troubled, Singapore’s domestic political scene is set for more stability over the coming years.

The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has been in power since the country was formed and shows no signs of losing control.

In May’s election, the PAP, led by new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, won all but 10 seats in parliament with just over 65 percent of the vote.

While the country’s leaders are likely to stay the same in the near-term, Teo Kay Key, research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab, said younger Singaporeans will soon want a different style of politics, one that is more open and more participatory.

“They are more likely to favour discussions and exchange of views,” she said.

“There is also a growing trend where the preference is to conduct open discussions, with a more democratic exchange of ideas,” she added.

President Trump is celebrating the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” on CBS — and calling for even more late-night hosts to be axed.

“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings,” Trump wrote Friday morning on Truth Social. “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!”

He added that Greg Gutfeld, who has a late-night show and co-hosts “The Five” on Fox News, “is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show,” referring to Jimmy Fallon.

Although “Late Night” is the top-rated late-night broadcast show, “Gutfeld!” draws a bigger audience.

Colbert, 61, has hosted the show for a decade and shared the news of its cancellation Thursday night, noting that he was made aware of the decision only the night before. “The Late Show” will end in May.

“It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS,” Colbert said. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

CBS said the decision was “purely financial.” The cancellation comes after Colbert criticized the network’s parent company, Paramount Global, for settling a lawsuit filed by Trump last year over the editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. Colbert called the $16-million settlement a “big fat bribe” Monday night, noting that Paramount is awaiting federal approval for its $8-billion merger with Skydance Media.

Both branches of the Writers Guild called on New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James to investigate Paramount.

“Cancelations are part of the business, but a corporation terminating a show in bad faith due to explicit or implicit political pressure is dangerous and unacceptable in a democratic society,” read a statement released Friday by the union.

Fellow late-night hosts have since criticized the show’s cancellation.

“Love you Stephen. F— you and all your Sheldons CBS,” Kimmel wrote in an Instagram story, referencing the network hits “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon.”

“I’m just as shocked as everyone. Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I’d ride this out with him for years to come,” Jimmy Fallon posted in an Instagram story. “I’m sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30. But honestly, he’s really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years — going back to The Colbert Report, and I’m sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who called for an investigation into the Paramount settlement this month, suggested that the move was politically motivated.

“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump — a deal that looks like bribery,” she wrote Thursday night on X. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

“If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better,” said Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who was a guest on the show Thursday night.

Trump had called for Colbert’s termination in September.

“I briefly watched an interview of Stephen Colbert on highly government subsidized PBS, and found it fascinating for only one reason — Why would they be wasting time and the public’s money on this complete and total loser?” he wrote on Truth Social. “He is not funny, which he gets paid far too much to be, he is not wise, he is VERY BORING, and his show is dying from a complete lack of viewers.

“CBS should terminate his contract and pick almost anyone, right off the street, who would do better, and for FAR LESS MONEY,” he continued. “Or I could recommend someone, much more talented, and smarter, who would do it for FREE! The good news for Stephen is that the two DOPES on NBC & ABC are not much better than him!”

In a Variety interview published Wednesday, Kimmel shared his concerns about the Trump administration targeting him and his competitors.

“Well, you’d have to be naive not to worry a little bit. But that can’t change what you’re doing,” the ABC late-night host told the outlet. “And maybe it is naive, but I have the hope that if and when the day comes that he does start coming after comedians, that even my colleagues on the right will support my right to say what I like. Now, I could be kidding myself, and hopefully we’ll never find out. But if we do, I would hope that the outrage is significant.”

July 14 (UPI) — France on Monday celebrated Bastille Day with the nation’s biggest holiday in the air and on the ground.

The parade in Paris included 7,000 people on horseback and tanks, axe-carrying French Legion troops, 102 warplanes and helicopters.

French President Emmanual Macron reviewed the French Army, Navy and Air Force along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysses and re-lit the eternal flame beneath the Arc de Triomphe. For the first time, there was included a prison dog, a Belgian Malinois shepherd, Gun, who specializes in weapons and ammunition detection.

At night, fireworks were lit at the Eiffel Tower at an expense of $817,000.

On July 14, 1789, nationals stormed the Bastille fortress and prison, which ignited the French Revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy.

This year’s event returned to Champs-Elsees from Avenue Foch because of the Summer Olympics.

Gisele Pelicot, 72, was given France’s highest award of Bastille Day celebrations. Pelicot, who has fought against sexual violence, was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor. She was drugged and raped for nearly a decade by her husband, who was sentenced to prison in 2024 along with 50 other defendants.

Also, nearly 600 people were given a civic award, including musician Pharrell Williams.

The guest of honor was Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subitanto, who represents the world’s biggest Muslim country with more than 240 million, or 87% of the total population. Indonesia had 451 soldiers march in the parade, including a drum band of 189 musicians.

It marked 85 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Also, Finnish troops serving in the United Nations force in Lebanon, as well as those from Belgium and Luxembourg serving in the NATO force in Roman, participated.

Another special guest was Fousseynou Samba Cisse, who rescued six people, including two babies, from a burning apartment on the sixth floor earlier this month.

One day before Bastille Day, Macron announced $7.6 billion in additional military spending over two years amid new threats, including from Russia.

“Since 1945, our freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,” Macron said. “We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.”

President Donald Trump was so impressed with Bastille Day in 2017 that he decided to conduct his own military celebration in Washington, D.C., this year on June 14.

July 6 (UPI) — The 14th Dalai Lama, the head of Tibetan Buddhism, marked his 90th birthday Sunday with a celebration attended by thousands in the city of Dharamshala in India. The event included politically charged remarks subtly referencing China from U.S. and foreign officials.

The website for the Dalai Lama said in a statement that the celebration was organized by the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government-in-exile, formed after the Dalai Lama fled the 1959 failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama did not lead the uprising, but rumors of Chinese plans to kidnap him fueled the resistance, and he was forced to flee to India for his safety — where he established the CTA. Tibet remains tightly controlled by Beijing despite its classification as an “autonomous region,” as does the majority of the population following Tibetan Buddhism.

Since his exile in 1959, the Dalai Lama’s relationship with China has been marked by decades of tension as Beijing condemned him as a separatist while he advocates for Tibetan autonomy through nonviolence and dialogue.

Last week, the aging Dalai Lama signaled that China should refrain from interfering in the process for his succession, while China has increasingly begun to warn off what it views as interference by India and reinforce its position that the succession of the spiritual leader should be held in accordance with Chinese law.

Bethany Nelson, Deputy Secretary of State for India and Bhutan, read a statement on behalf of Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the birthday festivities.

“The United States remains firmly committed to promoting respect for the human rights and the fundamental freedoms of the Tibetan people,” Nelson said. “We respect efforts to preserve their distinct linguistic, cultural and religious heritage, including their ability to freely choose and venerate their religious leaders without interference.”

Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama also delivered video messages that were shown during the celebrations, praising the Nobel Laureate as a voice for peace. The CTA particularly noted that Lai Ching-te, the president of Taiwan, which China views as a wayward province, had extended birthday wishes to the Dalai Lama.

The birthday celebration also comes days after the administration of President Donald Trump decided to walk back cuts to aid for Tibetans in exile. Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or, political leader, of the CTA, addressed the cancellation of those cuts in a statement from the celebrations.

He mentioned that a “substantial delegation” from the U.S. State Department and staff from the U.S. Embassy in Delhi worked diligently with the CTA to restore some of the funds.

Cultural performances mark the occasion, while messages from global leaders are read out during the ceremony.

The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, has turned 90 to cap a week of celebrations by followers during which he riled China again and spoke about his hope to live beyond 130 and reincarnate after dying.

Dressed in his traditional yellow and burgundy robe, the Dalai Lama arrived at a Buddhist temple complex to smiles and claps from thousands of monks and followers who had gathered on a rainy Sunday morning in the north Indian hill town of Dharamshala, where he lives.

He waved and greeted them as he walked slowly to the stage with support from monks.

“As far as I am concerned, I have a human life, and as humans, it is quite natural for us to love and help one another. I live my life in the service of other sentient beings,” the Dalai Lama said, flanked on the stage by longtime supporters, including Western diplomats, Indian federal ministers, Hollywood actor Richard Gere, and a monk who is expected to lead the search for his successor.

Fleeing his native Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the 14th Dalai Lama, along with hundreds of thousands of Tibetans, took shelter in India and has since advocated for a peaceful “Middle Way” to seek autonomy and religious freedom for the Tibetan people.

A Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Dalai Lama is regarded as one of the world’s most influential religious leaders, with a following that extends well beyond Buddhism – but not by Beijing, which calls him a separatist and has sought to bring the faith under its control.

In a sign of solidarity, Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te, leaders of Indian states bordering Tibet, and three former United States presidents – Barack Obama, George W Bush, and Bill Clinton – sent video messages which were played during the event.

In the preceding week of celebrations, the Dalai Lama had said he would reincarnate as the leader of the faith upon his death and that his nonprofit institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, had the sole authority to recognise his successor.

China has said the succession will have to be approved by its leaders, and the US has called on Beijing to cease what it describes as interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas.

Show of solidarity

Guests gathered at the ceremony took turns to speak, including Indian Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, a practising Buddhist, who had earlier made a rare statement contradicting China by backing the Dalai Lama’s position on his successor.

He later clarified that the statement was made in his personal capacity as China warned New Delhi against interfering in its domestic affairs at the expense of bilateral relations.

On Sunday, Rijiju said the Dalai Lama was India’s “most honoured guest”. “We feel blessed for his presence here in our country,” he said.

Cultural performances were held throughout the morning, including from Bollywood playback singers, while messages from global leaders were read out.

“I join 1.4 billion Indians in extending our warmest wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday. He has been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.

SEOUL — The third and final season of Netflix’s “Squid Game” broke viewership records on the streaming platform following its release on June 27, marking a fitting close for what has arguably been the most successful South Korean TV series in history.

Although reviews have been mixed, Season 3 recorded more than 60 million views in the first three days and topped leaderboards in all 93 countries, making it Netflix’s biggest launch to date.

“Squid Game” has been transformative for South Korea, with much of the domestic reaction focused not on plot but on the prestige it has brought to the country. In Seoul, fans celebrated with a parade to commemorate the show’s end, shutting down major roads to make way for a marching band and parade floats of characters from the show.

In one section of the procession, a phalanx of the show’s masked guards, dressed in their trademark pink uniforms, carried neon-lit versions of the coffins that appear on the show to carry away the losers of the survival game. They were joined by actors playing the contestants, who lurched along wearing expressions of exaggerated horror, as though the cruel stakes of the game had just been revealed to them.

At the fan event that capped off the evening, series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk thanked the show’s viewers and shared the bittersweetness of it all being over.

“I gave my everything to this project, so the thought of it all ending does make me a bit sad,” he said. “But at the same time, I lived with such a heavy weight on my shoulders for so long that it feels freeing to put that all down.”

Despite the overnight global fame “Squid Game” brought him (it’s Netflix’s most-watched series of all time), Hwang has spoken extensively about the physical and mental toil of creating the show.

Visitors take photos near a model of the doll named “Younghee” that’s featured in Netflix’s series “Squid Game,” displayed at the Olympic park in Seoul in October 2021.

(Lee Jin-man / Associated Press)

He unsuccessfully shopped the show around for a decade until Netflix picked up the first season in 2019, paying the director just “enough to put food on the table” — while claiming all of the show’s intellectual property rights. During production for the first season, which was released in 2021, Hwang lost several teeth from stress.

A gateway into Korean content for many around the world, “Squid Game” show served to spotlight previously lesser-known aspects of South Korean culture, bringing inventions like dalgona coffee — made with a traditional Korean candy that was featured in the show — to places such as Los Angeles and New York.

The show also cleared a path for the global success of other South Korean series, accelerating a golden age of “Hallyu” (the Korean wave) that has boosted tourism and exports of food and cosmetics, as well as international interest in learning Korean.

But alongside its worldly successes, the show also provoked conversations about socioeconomic inequality in South Korean society, such as the prevalence of debt, which looms in the backstories of several characters.

A few years ago, President Lee Jae-myung, a longtime proponent of debt relief, said, “‘Squid Game’ reveals the grim realities of our society. A playground in which participants stake their lives in order to pay off their debt is more than competition — it is an arena in which you are fighting to survive.”

In 2022, the show made history as the first non-English-language TV series and the first Korean series to win a Screen Actors Guild Award, taking home three in total. It also won six Emmy Awards. That same year, the city of L.A. designated Sept. 17 — the series’ release date — as “Squid Game Day.“

Although Hwang has said in media interviews that he is done with the “Squid Game” franchise, the Season 3 finale — which features Cate Blanchett in a cameo as a recruiter for the games that are the show’s namesake — has revived rumors that filmmaker David Fincher may pick it up for an English-language spinoff in the future.

While saying he had initially written a more conventional happy ending, Hwang has described “Squid Game’s” final season as a sobering last stroke to its unsparing portrait of cutthroat capitalism.

“I wanted to focus in Season 3 on how in this world, where incessant greed is always fueled, it’s like a jungle — the strong eating the weak, where people climb higher by stepping on other people’s heads,” he told The Times’ Michael Ordoña last month.

“Coming into Season 3, because the economic system has failed us, politics have failed us, it seems like we have no hope,” he added. “What hope do we have as a human race when we can no longer control our own greed? I wanted to explore that. And in particular, I wanted to [pose] that question to myself.”

MOLLY-MAE Hague is celebrating turning 26 in serious style – by jetting off to Disneyland Paris in a private plane.

The former Love Island star is pulling out all the stops for her big day, whisking herself away for a magical trip full of fairy-tale fun and first-class luxury.

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Molly-Mae gave fans a glimpse into the lavish getaway – complete with champagne on board and a Mickey Mouse cake.

Wearing Minnie Mouse ears and a designer outfit, the star looked every inch the birthday princess as she soaked up the magic of Disney in VIP style.

The influencer shared snaps of the her and her daughter Bambi posing in the park, calling the trip “the most perfect birthday eve.”

It comes just days after she was rushed to hospital after returning from a Dubai holiday with Tommy Fury.

In a YouTube video, Molly-Mae described the ordeal as a “weird bad dream”  and how it was completely out of character for her to speak about it so candidly.

She also told how it came just hours after she’d been pictured rowing with fiancé Tommy, 26.

The former PrettyLittleThing creative director explained that after arriving back in the UK, she had very little movement for two days – first due to the long-haul flight, then sitting through a seven-hour hair appointment.

Along with dehydration and stress from travelling with her daughter Bambi, two, this led to severe pain in her left leg.

Molly-Mae said at the time: “Basically yesterday I thought I had a blood clot and half of today I thought I had a blood clot in my leg.

“Obviously flying home from Dubai I was on the plane for like nearly eight hours… I didn’t drink like hardly any water. You know when you’re in mum mode and you’re just not really thinking like you’re trying to tame your child.”

She began to panic after feeling excruciating pain in the back of her knee that moved into her calf and foot.

After turning to ChatGPT to query the symptoms only made her more anxious, she then phoned 111.

From there, Molly-Mae was then told by a doctor to go straight to A&E.

She continued: “I was in so much pain, like it was in the back of my knee, so so strong. Like it didn’t feel like a dead leg, it was like a sharp stabbing pain…

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“Then it’s moving down into my calf, into my ankle, into my foot, like my whole calf is just in so much pain.”

The reality star described the hospital as “absolutely packed” and “such a sad environment”, saying she waited four hours before being told it would be another hour for a blood test – and then three more hours to get results.

Despite being advised by staff to stay, Molly decided to leave, worried about getting home in time to look after Bambi.

She said: “I need to leave. Like I can’t stay here any longer… We had like nothing with us this morning.”

Molly-Mae admitted upon waking up the the next day, the pain had mostly subsided, and she tried to carry on as normal – until she was hit with a wave of dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath later that afternoon.

She described: “I had this awful awful like dizzy spell where the room was spinning. I thought I was going to vomit… I had this really really funny time where I was like I couldn’t breathe properly… almost like a bit of a panic attack but like it was just horrible.”

The star went back to hospital and underwent a full round of tests, where, thankfully, everything came back clear.

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