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Lawrence Wong, the 51-year-old deputy prime minister of Singapore, will succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 15. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Ken Kobayashi, Mayumi Tsumita and Reuters)

Lawrence Wong, Singapore's next PM, seeks growth in 'troubled world'

From falling births to regional hub race, challenges will mount after May handover

SINGAPORE -- Born and raised in Singapore, Divya Loudon thinks her future may lie elsewhere instead. The 31-year-old, who works in the technology sector, got married in the city-state in 2022 but is considering settling down overseas with her British husband in the long run.

The couple, who have no children, think homes are too expensive in Singapore, where they currently live. Loudon also feels the country's cost of living has risen to a point where raising a family would be taxing, despite government incentives given to encourage procreation such as the lower fees for preschool education announced in February.

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