Children play at a fountain in Singapore (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Singapore (VNA) - Singapore's fertility rate declined to a record low in a decade last year, according to data in Q4 2020 of the Singapore Demographic Bulletins.
There were 38,705 children being born in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 1.5 percent. It was the lowest number of newborns since that of 37,967 recorded 10 years ago.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused some Singaporeans to postpone their marriage, resulting in about 6 percent fewer marriages in 2019 than the previous year.
In contrast, the death rate saw a record high in nearly 10 years. About 22,000 people passed away last year, up 2.6 percent against 2019.
The increase was not attributable to COVID-19 as Singapore recorded a death toll of 30 due to complications of the disease.
Residents of age 65 and above accounted for 9 percent of the Southeast Asian country’s population in 2010 and rose to 15.2 percent last year, making Singapore among countries with the fastest aging population in the world./.
Singapore's economy has been ranked the freest in the world this year in the Heritage Foundation's 2021 Index of Economic Freedom, the second year in a row it topped the list.
Singapore's economy will grow by 5.8 percent this year, higher than the 5.5 percent expansion predicted earlier, a quarterly survey by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has found.
Singapore and Australia are in talks on a possible travel bubble that will allow residents to travel between the two countries without having to quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Children play at a fountain in Singapore (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
