What's News: September 14, 2016

TOP OF THE NEWS

Prepared for Zika 2 years ago

Preparations to fight Zika began two years ago, starting with 200 clinics sending samples from patients with symptoms for testing, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said yesterday. Nothing tested positive until the first locally transmitted case was found last month.

TOP OF THE NEWS

Tianjin gets new party chief

China has appointed a new party chief, Mr Li Hongzhong, to lead the port city of Tianjin, the home of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. His appointment comes in the wake of an announcement on Saturday that the city's mayor and acting party boss Huang Xingguo had been placed under probe for "serious disciplinary violations".

PHOTO: REUTER

WORLD

Back-up plan for Democrats?

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has downplayed concerns about her health after being diagnosed with pneumonia, even as talk of a contingency plan for the November election swirled. Legal experts said party bylaws state that a special meeting of the leadership would be convened if there is a need to fill a vacancy on the national ticket.

WORLD

Duterte denies cutting US ties

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said the Philippines was not cutting ties with the US, just a day after he said he would like to see US special forces leaving Mindanao. While he insisted that he wanted to lessen Philippine dependence on the US, his spokesman clarified that the salvo was not official policy.

OPINION

Dual-class share implications

Will allowing dual-class shares for firms listed here put the Singapore Exchange one up over Hong Kong? Grace Leong looks at what the move means for retail investor rights and corporate governance.

HOME

Handbook to pick NS vocation

From November, pre-enlistees for national service can indicate which among 33 vocations they would be interested in. To help them are 19 videos and a handbook. Fathers are also encouraged to talk to their sons about their own vocations.

California Fitness closed all its Singapore outlets suddenly in July, a week after 12 of its gyms in Hong Kong shut due to debt. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

HOME

California Fitness bosses 'overseas and out of contact'

Liquidators for California Fitness have identified the people who continued to operate the business when it was deeply in debt, but they are overseas and out of contact. Going after them could require funds the liquidators do not have, said a lawyer acting for the liquidators.

BUSINESS

GLP to make $1.5b acquisition

Singapore-listed Global Logistic Properties (GLP) will become the second-largest owner and operator of logistics facilities in the United States after a US$1.1 billion (S$1.5 billion) acquisition. GLP has agreed to acquire a US logistics portfolio from Hillwood Development.

SPORT

Jita joins Tampines Rovers

Amid speculation that Fandi Ahmad is weighing up a move to Malaysia Super League side Pahang, former national coach Jita Singh has returned from across the Causeway. He has joined Tampines Rovers in the club's new role - director of football excellence.

PHOTO: SHAWNA CHIA

LIFE

S'pore talent in Laneway

Home-grown singer-songwriter Sam Rui attended her first music festival, the local edition of Laneway, four years ago. At the indie music festival in January next year, the 20-year-old budding artist will be among its international line-up of acts. Rui's latest single, Better, recently topped music streaming service Spotify's Singapore Viral 50 charts.

LIFE

TV appearance disrupted

Controversial Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, appearing on Monday on the television show, Dancing With The Stars, was rushed by at least one protester, forcing the programme to go into an abrupt commercial break. Police said two men were detained by security guards for trespassing during the live broadcast and handed over to the police.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 14, 2016, with the headline What's News. Subscribe