What's News: October 07, 2015

An Indonesian soldier drags a hose while fighting a peatland fire in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra province on the island of Sumatra Sept 30, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

TOP OF THE NEWS

SGH probes hepatitis C cases

The Singapore General Hospital is investigating how 21 kidney patients were infected with hepatitis C after undergoing treatment there.

At least four have died from the infection, with the cause suspected to be needles used to inject insulin.

Indonesia open to S'pore help

Indonesia said it is open to assistance from Singapore and Malaysia to acquire larger water-bombers to put out forest fires which have caused the haze in the region. The comments from the country's disaster management agency yesterday came after talks to land aircraft from the Russians and Canadians stalled.

PHOTO: REUTERS

WORLD

Najib urged to name donors

The heat was on again for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (above) yesterday, after electoral reform group Bersih responded to his challenge to name political donors to its massive rally in August. It detailed its RM2.6 million (S$842,270) in donations, calling on him to do the same. Datuk Seri Najib had said he received US$700 million (S$997 million) in his private account from donors.

Air violation 'no accident'

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Russia's violation of Turkish airspace at the weekend "does not look like an accident". Russia has acknowledged a Saturday incident, blaming "unfavourable weather conditions". Turkey also said two Turkish F-16 jets were "harassed" by an MIG-29 plane on Sunday.

OPINION

SG100 vision: A City in the Sea

In 50 years' time, when Singapore turns 100, SG100 can be a City in the Sea, with floating complexes out at sea, says marine engineer Lim Soon Heng. Building above water will be a clean, noise-free and ecologically sensitive solution to land scarcity, he says.

HOME

Sengkang LRT capacity boost

Train carriages on the Sengkang LRT system will be coupled in pairs by the first quarter of next year, to ease the rush-hour crush. The system now operates with single carriages, but the Land Transport Authority is testing two-car trains during off-service hours.

S'pore '12th best place to die'

Singapore is now the 12th best place in the world to die, up from 18th five years ago, according to a global index on palliative care. It is also the second best in Asia, behind Taiwan. Britain headed the Quality of Death Index, which was released yesterday by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

BUSINESS

MAS 'may weaken Singdollar'

The central bank could move to trigger a one-off depreciation of the Singapore dollar, economists said, citing poor economic conditions ahead. With inflation - the target of a strong Singapore dollar - weak, economists say the currency could fall by as much as 2 per cent when the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) releases its monetary policy statement some time this month.

Izzdin Shafiq, who is 1.76m tall and tipped the scales at 87kg just two years ago, training at the National Stadium yesterday. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

SPORT

Izzdin shapes up nicely

Izzdin Shafiq, who stands at 1.76m, tipped the scales at 87kg just two years ago and was one of those targeted by Singapore coach Bernd Stange, who insisted that no footballer should have above 10 per cent body fat. A slimmed-down Shafiq is a sure starter against Afghanistan tomorrow.

PHOTO: SHAW ORGANISATION

LIFE

Twilight celebrates 10 years

The Twilight 10th Anniversary Edition, which goes on sale today, contains a new novel printed back-to-back with the original story. Life And Death reimagines the narrative of Twilight by swopping the gender roles and turning it into the romance between human teen Beaufort Swan and vampire Edythe Cullen.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 07, 2015, with the headline What's News: October 07, 2015. Subscribe