Singapore, March 18 -- Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on March 18 warned of bracing times for a prolonged storm of global political instability, as he formally assented to the Government's spending plans for fiscal year 2026. As reported by the local news platform AsiaOne, pointing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, now in its third week, the President cautioned that there is an increasing risk of a major economic downturn and higher inflation. Tharman said that reserves built up over the years will help Singapore to deal with major crises, as the city state has done before. He stressed the Singapore Budgets that enable the country to invest boldly in every needed skill and capability, and to preserve some finances ...