Top stories from The Straits Times on Wednesday, Nov 13

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Nov 13.

As Hong Kong protest movement weakens, violent acts could become more extreme, says expert

PHOTO: NYTIMES

Mr Steve Vickers, chief exec of a political and corporate risk consultancy firm, said the unrest has changed in nature, "with demonstrator numbers falling, violence rising and pop-up demonstrations spreading across Hong Kong".

READ MORE HERE

First BTO flats in Ang Mo Kio in 3 years set to be highly sought after

Yio Chu Kang Beacon will be located along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9. PHOTO: HDB/FACEBOOK

A total of 454 units are up for sale. Prices start from $170,000 for a two-room Flexi flat and from $451,000 for a four-room flat.

READ MORE HERE

Uncertainty persists despite Trump's comments that US and China close to trade deal

US President Donald Trump said China was dying to make a deal with their "supply chains cracking very badly" almost two years into the trade war. PHOTO: AFP

US President Donald Trump said that the United States and China are close to a trade deal, but made clear that the prospect of tariffs was still on the table with a warning that the US would raise tariffs on China if no trade deal was reached.

READ MORE HERE

Impact of PMD ban on delivery riders taken seriously, Lam Pin Min says after dialogue

E-scooter riders meet Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min at Anchorvale Community Club. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min said for cases where the help is not sufficient, the ministry will work with local grassroots advisers and the community to see what more can be done.

READ MORE HERE

Poaching in life insurance resumes with 200 agents from AXA migrating to Great Eastern

Sources said Great Eastern Financial Advisers "was very creative" and that it would fully buy out the agents who might have signed on to packages when they were with AXA. PHOTO: ST FILE

The poaching comes in the wake of tighter scrutiny by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, which had developed with the Life Insurance Association Singapore a set of guidelines on the use of sign-on incentives.

READ MORE HERE

Fake police website phishing for confidential information resurfaces

A website pretending to be the official Singapore Police Force website has re-emerged, the police warned on Nov 12, 2019. PHOTOS: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

A website trying to pass off as the official Singapore Police Force website to trick people into giving up their personal details has emerged once again, the police warned.

READ MORE HERE

Search for two missing divers extended by another three days after discovery of first body

Rescue workers with the body of one of the three divers who went missing last Sunday (Nov 3) at an airport in Jakarta, on Nov 11, 2019. PHOTO: NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY

Indonesian rescuers have extended their search for two of three missing divers in the waters between Sumatra and Java islands by three more days, till Friday.

READ MORE HERE

Reluctant Aussies flee as fires approach Sydney; danger not over yet

Horses being led to safety at the showgrounds in Taree, 350km north of Sydney, yesterday. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Bush fires are a regular occurrence in Australia but this week's outbreak has been severe and exacerbated by the dry conditions and strong winds and three years of drought.

READ MORE HERE

Beijing condemns violence in Hong Kong, and compares protesters to ISIS

Police fire tear gas towards protesters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. PHOTO: AFP

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang also hit back at criticism from the United States and United Kingdom of the police's use of force.

READ MORE HERE

Guy Ritchie, Hugh Grant recreate 65-year-old Singapore photo that features their fathers

The original photograph (left) has Captain John Ritchie (right) and Captain James Grant (centre, standing). PHOTOS: GUYRITCHIE/INSTAGRAM

Sixty-five years ago, the fathers of actor Hugh Grant and director Guy Ritchie posed for a photograph in Singapore, with two other men.

READ MORE HERE

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.