TOP OF THE NEWS
The slowing global economy is making life hard for some sectors here, but there are still rich pickings to be had elsewhere, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat. He noted that while industries like wholesale trade and finance are facing an uphill slog, opportunities abound on three fronts - niche production, consumption spending and modern services.
TOP OF THE NEWS
Two new statutory boards were announced yesterday. Tentatively called SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, the former will focus on the drive for deeper skills and is under the Ministry of Education, while the latter focuses on jobs and enterprises and is under the Manpower Ministry.
WORLD
As North Korea dug tunnels at its nuclear test site last autumn, watched by US spy satellites, the Obama administration was preparing a test of its own in the Nevada desert. A fighter jet took off with a mock version of the nation's first precision-guided atom bomb designed - with North Korea in mind - to zero in on deeply buried targets like testing tunnels.
WORLD
A bacterium that causes the deadly soil disease, melioidosis, is more widespread than previously thought. It is present in soil, water and air across the tropics from Asia to northern Australia. It is so lethal that it is considered a potential biological weapon.
OPINION
China's stock market turmoil has led to concerns about its economic prospects for the year. Perceived missteps by financial regulators have fanned fears that Beijing may also lose its grip on economic policy, says China Correspondent Esther Teo.
HOME
The amount of unclaimed funds held by government ministries and the courts hit nearly $150 million at the end of last year, more than double that in 2012. Most of the money is held by the Ministry of Law on behalf of beneficiaries of deceased estates, pawnbrokers and creditors of insolvent estates.
HOME
A man extorted $197,000 and items including four Chanel bags from a male teacher, in return for not exposing their sexual encounter. Vincent Ng Hian Gee admitted to one charge of extortion yesterday. He will be sentenced on Feb 15.
BUSINESS
Demand for factory space has weakened in line with the contracting manufacturing sector, while a period of oversupply is looming for industrial property, with rental estimates for the final quarter of last year pointing to levels below those in the third quarter.
SPORT
Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi garnered a massive 41 per cent of votes to win the Fifa Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time, giving credence to claims that he is the greatest ever player. He beat Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil's Neymar. American Carli Lloyd was named best woman player.
LIFE
Content from the four major South Korean broadcasters - SBS, KBS, MBC and CJ E&M - will be available here free on a new streaming service, Viu. The Viu app, available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store, can be viewed on smartphones, tablets and computers.
LIFE
Murdoch and ex-supermodel Jerry Hall engaged
Media baron Rupert Murdoch, 84, and former supermodel Jerry Hall, 59, got engaged over the weekend. It will be the fourth marriage for Mr Murdoch and technically the first for Ms Hall. She wed singer Mick Jagger in a Hindu ceremony in Bali in 1990, but a court ruled that the ritual was not legally binding when they split up nine years later.
