What's News: March 27, 2016

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaking at the Administrative Service's annual promotion event at the Shangri-La Hotel on April 26. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

TOP OF THE NEWS

Getting politics right crucial

Good policies must go together with good politics, and if Singapore does not get its politics right, a good civil service will be in jeopardy in spite of safeguards, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday. Speaking at the Administrative Service's annual promotion event, he stressed that even as the civil service remains impartial, it is not independent of the government.

TOP OF THE NEWS

Urgent need to fix power flaw

An expert panel had highlighted weaknesses in the MRT network's power system and called for urgent action to be taken, just days before Monday's breakdown affecting four train lines. The breakdown, which affected up to 100,000 passengers, was caused by a power trip at Buona Vista power intake station.

PHOTO: EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

WORLD

Jailed for Taiwan park fire

The organiser of a party which saw a fireball rip through a Taiwan waterpark, leaving 15 dead and hundreds injured, has been sentenced to four years and 10 months in jail. Lu Chung-chi, owner of Colour Play Asia, was behind the event at which coloured corn starch ignited under the heat of stage lights last June.

WORLD

France lands Aussie sub deal

Australia yesterday announced that a much-awaited A$50 billion (S$52 billion) contract to build 12 new submarines has been awarded to France, which edged out bidders from Germany and Japan to win one of the largest defence deals in the world.

OPINION

Add in true cost of parking

Singaporeans will be weaned off cars when the true cost of parking is considered, says former motor car dealer Lee Chiu San. He asks: If a season parking space in town costs $1,200 per month and an HDB carpark label is $400 per month, would you still drive a car?

HOME

Push for more mall links

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is getting feedback on how it can offer more incentives to selected building owners in the city to provide underground links. Response has been lukewarm despite offering cash grants.

HOME

Club to get $1.5m refund

The Singapore Swimming Club has won an appeal to get back $1.5 million in club funds that were used to defend former president Freddie Koh in a defamation suit against him. The Court of Appeal ruled that it was entitled to a refund as it had paid the sum under a mistaken belief.

BUSINESS

Factory output beats forecast

A strong performance by the biomedical manufacturing cluster helped cushion the fall in output from the rest of the manufacturing sector, lifting expectations that first-quarter growth numbers could be raised.

Factory output fell 0.5 per cent, beating market expectations of a 2 per cent fall.

SPORT

Vardy to miss Man U match

Jamie Vardy will miss Leicester City's chance to seal the Premier League title at Manchester United on Sunday after an independent regulatory commission imposed an additional one-match suspension in relation to his dismissal against West Ham United. The Foxes go to Old Trafford searching for the win that will seal a sensational English football title for the club.

Spanish-born Fran Borgia, who has called Singapore home for the past 14 years, is a key figure in the independent movie scene here. ST PHOTO: MARCUS TAN

LIFE

Spanish eyes behind Singapore's Cannes films

Cannes-bound Singapore films Apprentice by Boo Junfeng and A Yellow Bird by K. Rajagopal have one thing in common apart from their prison themes - Spanish-born producer Fran Borgia. But the 36-year-old is quick to dispel the idea that he has a magic touch.

PHOTO: WALT DISNEY PICTURES

LIFE

Disney's new animated films

Disney on Monday revealed casting information and titles for nine new pictures that rely on its animated back catalogue, including director Tim Burton's Dumbo and sequels to its hits, the current remake of The Jungle Book and 2014's Maleficent. Angelina Jolie will reprise her title role in Maleficent 2.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 27, 2016, with the headline What's News: March 27, 2016. Subscribe