Singaporean singer Stefanie Sun, 47, released a new single on Friday (Feb 27). Titled Brace, Brace (also known as Falling Like A Waterfall), the track marks her first new release since Sunset, which came out in January 2025.

Running close to five minutes, the ballad deals with the longing of a lover.

In a statement on her social media pages, Sun said that the song reminded her "of what it feels like to sing on stage".

"The song’s own vitality seems to carry a sense of direction: In that instant when it connects us, it feels both impulsive and calm," wrote Sun. "All our what-ifs, maybes, the outcomes of diverging paths and the many unknowns are no clearer or brighter than the present moment."

Stefanie Sun is currently in the middle of her world tour, Aut Nihilo, which will see her performing in Hong Kong, China and Malaysia in the coming months.

According to Sun, she will be performing Brace, Brace at these stops, saying that she is "grateful to have a new song to share" in the second year of her tour.

Brace, Brace is now available for streaming on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.

SINGAPORE: The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will acquire three Gulfstream G550 maritime surveillance aircraft to provide better early warning of maritime threats, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Friday (Feb 27). 

“This supports the SAF’s mission in safeguarding Singapore’s sea lines of communication as part of Singapore’s maritime security surveillance network,” Mr Chan said in parliament as he laid out the defence ministry’s spending plans for the year.

The sea lines of communication are major maritime routes used for various purposes, including trade.

The G550 aircraft is equipped with radar systems, electro-optical and infrared cameras, as well as communication and identification systems.

These allow it to detect, identify and track a range of potential maritime threats, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a media release.

Each aircraft is 29.8m long with a wingspan of 28.5m, and can accommodate two pilots and up to six crew members.

The new Gulfstream 550s will complement the four Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft announced in September last year.

Mr Chan said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will also continue to use unmanned platforms for new concepts of operations and pair them with manned platforms.

He highlighted the Republic of Singapore Navy's multi-role combat vessel (MRCV) that is designed to function as a "mothership" for unmanned systems.

The first of six MRCVs was launched in October 2025 and christened Victory. 

The minister said that the second MRCV is on track to be launched in the third quarter of this year.

Mr Chan told parliament that MINDEF's first commitment was a "steady, consistent and disciplined way" of approaching defence expenditure. 

He added: “Going forward, I expect the growth in defence spending to keep pace with our GDP growth, barring major shocks. However, if the need arises, we will be prepared to do more.”

In his Budget statement on Feb 12, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the defence budget would remain at 3 per cent of the gross domestic product, although this could change if circumstances called for it.

SINGAPORE: Around 94.7 per cent of candidates scored at least three Higher 2 (H2) passes in last year's GCE A-Level examination, according to results released on Friday (Feb 27).

A total of 10,977 candidates sat for the 2025 GCE A-Level examination, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) said in a joint press release.

Of these, 10,393 students, or 94.7 per cent, got at least three H2 passes, with a pass in General Paper.

This is the first cohort to sit for the examination under the revised computation method of the University Admission Score (UAS). 

Under the revised system, the fourth content-based subject is included only if it improves the candidate’s final UAS. The Project Work subject is excluded from this computation because only a pass is needed.

With these changes, the maximum UAS will become 70 points instead of 90. Should the fourth content-based subject be included, it would be rebased to 70 points.

These changes were introduced to give students greater agency in calibrating their learning load for better holistic development and student well-being, said MOE and SEAB.

"They are also meant to encourage students to pursue their learning interests, such as in choosing their fourth content-based subject and Project Work topic by interest, without being overly concerned about examination grades," they said.

Early indicators suggest that students have better managed their learning load, said MOE and SEAB, with student feedback indicating "reduced test anxiety over their fourth content-based subject". 

A larger proportion of students were also able to offer H3 subjects in 2025 compared to 2024, said the authorities. This allowed them to explore the subject in greater depth. 

More students also participated in Science Research Enrichment programmes, said MOE and SEAB.

"These trends indicate a shift towards interest-driven learning," they said.

Students interested in admissions or scholarships to autonomous universities (AUs) should submit their applications online, MOE and SEAB said on Friday.

There is no need to submit a hard copy of their A-Level certificates. 

More information on the AUs’ admissions processes can be found on their respective websites. Applicants can also approach the AUs directly for further assistance.

Eligible graduates who are looking to further their studies at polytechnics can benefit from module exemptions in about 130 courses. 

This can potentially reduce the time taken for them to obtain a polytechnic diploma by up to one year, said the authorities. 

Those interested should apply directly to the polytechnics from Feb 25 to Mar 10 for matriculation in April. Students may also apply in August for matriculation in October. 

More details can be found on the respective polytechnics’ websites.

Students may refer to the MySkillsFuture portal or MOE's CourseFinder to find out more about the education and career pathways available to them.

They can also consult their teachers or the Education and Career Guidance (ECG) counsellors in their schools for guidance on their education options, said MOE and SEAB.

Students can also make an ECG counselling appointment via the MOE ECG Centre.

The MOE ECG Centre offers online or phone counselling services to GCE A-Level candidates from Feb 23 to Mar 19, from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to noon on Saturdays.