A Reddit user’s post captures the frustrations of many Singaporeans stuck in a never-ending cycle of work and travel, looking for suggestions to brighten up their daily routine without spending money.

A post on Reddit’s r/askSingapore has struck a chord with many locals, as a user expressed the frustration of seeing 30 years pass by in a monotonous cycle of work and little achievement. The individual lamented, “Thirty years of my life, gone in a blink—no remarkable accomplishments and earning a modest income. Any suggestions for activities that don’t cost money to make my life less dull?”

The post quickly became the focus of online discussions, with many Singaporeans sharing their own struggles with the demanding work culture. One user summed it up perfectly: “It feels like all we do is work, sleep, and repeat. The days blend together until you realise months, even years, have passed.”

Suggestions from Reddit users flooded in, offering free and simple ways to inject some excitement into life. One user recommended exploring local community centres, which often host free events and classes. Another suggested taking up a hobby, like painting, which has been a revelation for her. Others recommended reading, pointing out that books allow one to experience numerous lives, free of charge.

Taking walks in the park was another popular recommendation, with some encouraging joining neighbourhood clubs for social activities that don’t cost a dime. More ideas included visiting museums run by the National Heritage Board or joining free guided tours offered by National Parks.

While these activities were suggested as ways to break the routine, the broader discussion also turned into a reflection on what truly brings meaning to life. Many agreed that while work is essential, it should not overshadow personal happiness. The consensus was that small changes—whether it’s learning something new, reconnecting with past interests, or simply slowing down—could lead to a more fulfilling life.

British Steel’s Chinese owners, Jingye, dismiss UK government’s £500m offer to support transition to eco-friendly steel production, leaving workers facing uncertainty.

British Steel has announced that it may close two of its blast furnaces, placing more than 2,000 jobs at risk. The company, which is the second-largest steel producer in the UK, is consulting with its workforce about potential redundancies. The closure proposal, affecting over half of British Steel’s 3,500 employees, follows the rejection of a £500m subsidy offer from the UK government, aimed at supporting the transition to greener steel production.

Jingye, the Chinese parent company of British Steel, turned down the offer on March 26, 2025. The subsidy, presented by Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, was designed to assist in converting operations to produce low-carbon steel. However, talks between the government and Jingye have not yet led to an agreement, with the government offering no additional incentives at this stage.

The rejection comes amidst challenging market conditions, including the impact of tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump, which added a 25% cost on steel and aluminium imports, resulting in the cancellation of some orders. Despite this, British Steel, which contributed £2.3bn to the UK economy in 2023, is struggling with financial instability, with losses of around £700,000 per day.

Government representatives have expressed their commitment to securing a future for the steel industry in the UK, with Reynolds stating that they would continue to negotiate with Jingye. However, the closure of the Scunthorpe site would be a devastating blow for the local community, which relies heavily on the steel industry for jobs and economic stability.

Unions, including Community, GMB, and Unite, have labelled the situation as “devastating” and urged both the government and Jingye to resume talks. Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of Community Trade Union, described the news as a “dark day” for the industry and called for urgent action to prevent further job losses and safeguard the future of steel production in the region.

The New Zealand driver’s short stint at Red Bull comes to an end after disappointing results.

Liam Lawson is poised to be dropped by Red Bull after just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season, with Yuki Tsunoda set to take his place for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka next weekend. Despite securing the seat in December, Lawson’s start to the season has been rocky, including a crash at the Australian Grand Prix and poor performances in China, where he finished 12th following three post-race disqualifications.

Team principal Christian Horner had suggested earlier that Red Bull might consider a driver change, and now, it seems certain that Tsunoda will replace Lawson. This decision follows a crucial meeting held in Dubai on Tuesday between senior Red Bull officials, including major shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya.

While Red Bull has not made an official announcement, sources indicate it will come later this week. Tsunoda, 24, who has been racing for Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, since 2021, will be looking to impress at his home race.

Lawson, now expected to return to Racing Bulls alongside Isack Hadjar, had hoped to improve his form, but the pressure of the media and his poor performances have left little time for a turnaround. Horner, who expressed sympathy for Lawson’s struggles, mentioned that the driver still has potential, though Red Bull has yet to see it in action.

Red Bull’s decision marks a surprising move so early in the season, leaving Lawson to refocus as Tsunoda prepares to make his Red Bull debut at Suzuka.

Amazon’s annual Spring Sale has kicked off, offering incredible deals across tech, home essentials, and more

Amazon has launched its highly anticipated Spring Deal Days, offering customers the chance to grab fantastic discounts on everything from household items to the latest tech. Running until March 31, this week-long event gives shoppers access to bargains without needing an Amazon Prime membership.

As one of the biggest sales of the year, Amazon’s Spring Deal Days offer a vast range of discounts, including everyday essentials like laundry pods and toilet paper, as well as larger items such as washing machines and televisions. This sale is a great opportunity to stock up or replace expensive items at a fraction of the price.

Since its debut in 2022, the Spring Sale has become a staple event for Amazon shoppers, alongside the well-known Amazon Prime Day. While the latter is exclusive to Prime members, the Spring Deal Days are open to all, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy substantial savings without any membership requirements.

The sale features incredible markdowns on a variety of products, including electronics, home appliances, health and beauty items, and much more. Whether you’re looking for a new smart ring, an air fryer, or a stylish pair of Levi’s jeans, there are deals available for everyone.

For those who prefer tech gadgets, items like Amazon’s Fire TV streaming sticks, Kindles, and Echo devices are heavily discounted. Additionally, you can expect excellent deals on Samsung smartwatches, robot vacuum cleaners, and espresso machines, all of which are currently marked down by significant percentages.

The Spring Deal Days run until March 31, so shoppers have ample time to grab these limited-time offers. Be sure to check out the full range of deals and start filling your basket before the sale ends.

London Mayor Declares Tickets as Part of “Stakeholder Engagement” While Scrutiny Over Free Gifts Intensifies

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has again attracted attention for accepting complimentary tickets to watch his beloved Liverpool at Wembley Stadium. The mayor was gifted two £275 tickets by the Football Association for the Carabao Cup final on March 16, 2025. Unfortunately for Khan, Liverpool was defeated 2-1 by Newcastle in the match.

Khan has declared the tickets in the City Hall register of gifts, explaining that he accepted them as part of “stakeholder engagement” efforts. However, this incident adds to ongoing scrutiny regarding politicians accepting free gifts.

Matthew Pennycook, the Housing and Planning Minister, publicly stated that accepting free tickets for events like concerts is “not appropriate.” He pointed out that he would personally pay for tickets to concerts at The O2, located in his constituency. Pennycook’s remarks come after Chancellor Rachel Reeves was criticised for accepting tickets to a concert by Sabrina Carpenter earlier this year.

While Pennycook emphasised transparency and proper declarations, Khan’s actions have been more controversial. As a lifelong Liverpool fan, Khan has now attended four matches this season using free tickets, including games against Bournemouth, Spurs, and Brentford, all of which ended in victories for Liverpool.

Aside from the football matches, Khan was given a £1,500 ticket for a match between Fulham and Aston Villa in October 2024. This attendance was justified as part of an “official engagement” to visit a sports and hospitality development at Fulham’s new Riverside stand.

The issue of Khan accepting free tickets gained prominence last summer after his attendance at a Taylor Swift concert at Wembley raised questions. In response, Khan stated that all gifts were declared and considered part of his responsibility to promote the capital’s entertainment sector.

City Hall’s watchdog is currently investigating whether Khan showed sufficient caution when accepting £3,000 worth of tickets to a Taylor Swift concert from a company with existing City Hall contracts.

Critics, including Emma Best, the deputy leader of the City Hall Conservatives, have raised concerns about Khan’s actions. Best pointed out that while Khan enjoys luxury perks, the people of London are facing higher council tax, cuts to police services, and crumbling infrastructure.

Despite the criticism, Khan’s supporters argue that the VIP tickets allow him to attend public events while ensuring his safety, given his need for round-the-clock police protection.

Jack Ma’s Firm Develops AI Models Using Domestic Semiconductors, Competing with Nvidia’s H800

Ant Group, the Chinese fintech giant backed by Jack Ma, has claimed a significant AI breakthrough by using domestically produced semiconductors, reportedly reducing training costs by 20%. The company’s AI models, trained with chips from Alibaba and Huawei, utilise the innovative mixture of experts (MoE) machine learning technique, yielding results comparable to Nvidia’s H800. These Nvidia chips are currently restricted from sale to China due to US export controls.

Although Ant Group still relies on Nvidia for some AI development, it has shifted more towards chips from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and local Chinese manufacturers for its latest models. According to sources, Ant’s AI models, Ling-Lite and Ling-Plus, have outperformed some of Meta’s models in certain Chinese-language benchmarks. The Ling-Lite model, with 16.8 billion parameters, even surpassed one of Meta’s Llama models.

The company has made these models open source, with Ling-Plus containing 290 billion parameters. For comparison, OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 has around 1.8 trillion parameters. Ant’s models are expected to be used in industrial AI applications, especially in sectors like healthcare and finance.

Training large language models (LLMs) traditionally requires expensive high-performance GPUs, often making it unaffordable for smaller firms. Ant’s approach, however, has reduced the costs involved in training AI models. The company claims it would typically cost around 6.35 million yuan (S$1.17 million) to train one trillion tokens using top-tier hardware, but with its optimised approach, this cost can be reduced to 5.1 million yuan, even with lower-spec hardware.

Ant also acknowledged the challenges encountered during training, where even minor changes to hardware or model structure could result in errors.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Robert Lea stated that Ant’s development highlights the rapid progress and growing innovation in China’s AI sector. If verified, these advancements could enable China to achieve self-sufficiency in AI, a significant milestone for the country.

Thomas Woldbye’s decision to leave the power station fire crisis to his deputy has raised questions about leadership accountability at Heathrow.

Heathrow’s CEO, Thomas Woldbye, is facing criticism after reports emerged that he delegated the decision to close the airport during a power station fire crisis to his deputy, while he reportedly went to bed in the early hours of Friday. The fire, which erupted at a nearby electrical substation, caused a massive power outage, severely disrupting operations at Europe’s busiest airport.

Despite the growing backlash, including questions from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Woldbye’s position has been defended by Heathrow’s spokesperson, who affirmed that company protocols had been followed. According to the spokesperson, Woldbye and his senior leadership team were where they needed to be to manage the crisis appropriately, ensuring they were well-rested to make critical decisions.

The incident, which occurred late on Thursday night, led to widespread flight cancellations and delays, affecting nearly 300,000 passengers. Although power was restored, the chaos left passengers stranded, and the London Fire Brigade continues to investigate the cause of the fire. Woldbye, who had been attending a London event when the power outage began, resumed his duties around 7:30am, although senior staff, including Chief Operating Officer Javier Echave, had already made the crucial decision to suspend operations.

The incident has sparked debate about leadership during crises, with airline executives like British Airways’ Sean Doyle and Virgin Atlantic’s Shai Weiss working through the night. Meanwhile, Woldbye apologised publicly, stating that the situation was unprecedented, and that the backup systems worked as expected but were not designed to handle the entire airport’s power needs.

The government has refrained from commenting directly on Woldbye’s leadership, with the Prime Minister’s office stating that it is not for politicians to weigh in on private company executives. However, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted that Heathrow’s board would be conducting an internal review of the event.

In the wake of the crisis, attention has turned to the ongoing debate over the resilience of Heathrow’s infrastructure and whether more could have been done to prevent such a large-scale disruption.

As the standard workday expands, experts question whether extra hours translate into increased output

The traditional eight-hour workday has evolved significantly over the years, with many workers now finding themselves on the receiving end of longer hours without corresponding increases in pay. While the classic 9-to-5 schedule used to be the norm, the creeping extension of working hours to 9-to-6 has become common in recent years, yet studies show that this shift may not be benefiting productivity as expected.

In fact, a 2018 YouGov poll revealed that just 6% of UK workers still follow the conventional 9-to-5 pattern. One reason for this is that many employees are now expected to work longer hours, with overtime becoming more common without extra compensation. For example, over half of UK employees regularly work beyond their contracted hours, with some clocking in an additional two hours a day.

At the same time, research has consistently shown that more working hours do not equate to higher productivity. A Stanford University study found that once employees worked beyond 50 hours per week, their productivity per hour sharply declined. Employees working 70 hours a week, for instance, accomplished the same amount as those who worked 55 hours, demonstrating that longer hours do not always lead to greater output.

Despite this evidence, a shift towards longer workdays is evident in many industries. For instance, Google co-founder Sergey Brin recently sparked controversy when he suggested that 60-hour weeks were the “sweet spot” for productivity. Meanwhile, various online forums and social media platforms are abuzz with questions about how the standard 9-to-5 has transformed into a 9-to-6 routine without much resistance.

This change harkens back to a historical shift in working patterns. The idea of reducing working hours was first advocated in the early 19th century by Welsh reformer Robert Owen, who campaigned for a 10-hour workday. His efforts laid the foundation for the eight-hour workday, which gained traction throughout the Industrial Revolution. In the United States, Henry Ford popularised the 40-hour workweek in the 1920s, while other nations such as France have adhered to a legally mandated 35-hour week.

While the 8-8-8 model – eight hours of work, recreation, and rest – was a simple yet effective vision, its application has waned over time. The modern working world is increasingly characterised by an “always-on” culture, in which employees are expected to be available outside traditional office hours, particularly with the advent of digital communication tools. This shift, however, is not universally beneficial.

The rise of flexible working hours and the growing movement for reduced workdays are seen as potential solutions to combat burnout and improve overall productivity. Pilot schemes in countries like Iceland have shown promising results, with employees working fewer hours but maintaining or even improving productivity. Companies that have implemented shorter workdays, such as the Toyota plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, have reported significant gains in profits and employee well-being.

As experts continue to advocate for a better work-life balance, it’s clear that the 9-to-6 model may no longer be the ideal for a productive and healthy workforce. Whether it’s a shift to a four-day workweek or experimenting with six-hour days, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that working less may be the key to achieving more.

Residents of Walthamstow and surrounding areas are left shocked and fearful as homes are targeted with red paint.

A series of unsettling incidents involving red paint being splattered on homes in various parts of London has left residents perplexed and alarmed. The vandalism has primarily targeted properties in Walthamstow and Leyton, causing distress among locals who are now questioning the motive behind the attacks.

The first incident occurred on March 13, 2025, when cars, homes, and businesses in Chingford Road, Walthamstow, were marked with the bright red paint. A second attack followed on March 18, with some residents forced to clean their properties multiple times due to the recurring acts of vandalism.

A local resident, Hannah, expressed her shock upon discovering the paint, saying, “When I saw it, I just cried. We thought we were safe, but now it feels like anyone could be targeted.” Her neighbour’s child even mistook the paint for blood, further adding to the distress.

The red paint had also been seen in earlier incidents across the country, including a controversial act in Leyton where the word “brothel” was written on properties. Authorities are working to determine if there is any link between these events and the current spate of vandalism in Walthamstow and beyond.

In response to the incidents, Waltham Forest Council has cleaned some of the affected buildings, although traces of the paint remain on others. The local police, who have launched an investigation into the series of attacks, are working to uncover the reasons behind these unsettling acts.

Walthamstow MP, Stella Creasy, voiced her concern, highlighting the lack of a coordinated investigation into these incidents. “For the families affected, this is not just vandalism, it’s a terrifying experience. The community needs answers,” she said.

The Metropolitan Police have urged anyone with information about these incidents to come forward. The investigation is ongoing, with officials examining potential links to similar attacks in other locations across the UK, including Huddersfield, Bradford, and Reading.

Anyone with details is encouraged to contact the police via 101 or send a message to @MetCC on X, quoting CAD 1081/19FEB.

The activist’s attempt to challenge his prison isolation was denied, with concerns over his safety cited as the reason for his segregation.

Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist, has been denied permission to bring a High Court challenge against the Government regarding his solitary confinement in prison. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently serving an 18-month sentence for contempt of court at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes.

On Thursday, Robinson’s legal team argued that his mental health had significantly deteriorated due to his segregation from other inmates since November 2024. His barristers sought to challenge his solitary confinement, claiming it violated his rights.

However, the Ministry of Justice opposed Robinson’s appeal, stating that the isolation was necessary for his safety due to threats made by other prisoners. Lawyers representing the Ministry argued that there were legitimate concerns for Robinson’s life, including intelligence reports suggesting that he could be killed by other inmates if placed with the general prison population.

On Friday, Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled against Robinson’s legal bid, stating that the case was “not arguable”. Robinson, who was jailed in October 2024 after admitting to multiple breaches of a High Court order, is expected to be released in July 2025, halfway through his sentence.

The court heard that Robinson had been moved from HMP Belmarsh to HMP Woodhill after making threats about a potential conflict with Muslim prisoners. His current placement in a “closed wing” at HMP Woodhill is due to ongoing concerns for his safety, with reports indicating that other inmates were plotting to attack him.

Justice Chamberlain confirmed that Robinson’s placement was temporary, with plans to move him to another wing once repairs were completed. However, for now, his solitary confinement remains in place for his protection.

Robinson is also facing upcoming trials related to offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 and allegations of breaching a stalking order.