Ministerial Pay Overhaul: Singapore’s political salaries are set to rise after a 15-year freeze, with PM Lawrence Wong’s pay benchmark jumping to about S$2.85m and ministers’ pay moving up by as much as 9%—a move that’s already triggered public debate over whether higher pay can attract and retain talent. DBS and 1MDB Fallout: DBS faces a new S$1.298b damages lawsuit tied to the 1MDB scandal, with liquidators alleging losses linked to 1MDB-linked firms; DBS says it will fight and has made no provision. Air India Governance Row: Singapore’s transport leadership is defending SIA’s Air India investment as commercial and not harming service, while also facing scrutiny over whether SIA should get tougher governance terms before any fresh funding. AI Payments Trust: Visa, Mastercard and Ant International have launched a Know-Your-Agent interoperability push to help networks recognise trusted AI agents across payment ecosystems, via BuildFin.ai. Food Inflation Watch: OCBC warns El Niño is more likely to drive inflation than growth shocks across ASEAN, with rice, wheat, maize and vegetable oils the key channels. Regional Connectivity: EgyptAir plans a new Cairo–Singapore–Sydney service from early 2027, pending approvals, positioning it as the first direct North Africa link for Singapore and Australia. Education Signals: OECD PISA 2025 data flags reading and maths declines, with Singapore highlighted in the broader regional comparison. Property Market Glint: A Pinnacle@Duxton 5-room resale deal is reported at $1.72m, just shy of the national resale record.