Sharon Salim is a business correspondent at The Straits Times, with a focus on jobs, workplace culture and trends.
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","credit":"ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG"}}],"publishedDate":"2026-04-20T08:55:00.000Z","updatedDate":"2026-04-20T09:09:09.000Z","contentAccess":"1","source":"ece-auto-gen","shortUrl":"","aiSummary":["A man, fuelled by anger towards his brother-in-law, abused the latter's baby over three months, recording the acts on his phone.","The abuse included hitting, slapping, strangling, and submerging the baby's head in water; a passer-by reported him after witnessing abuse.","The DPP seeks 12-15 years' jail, citing the victim's vulnerability and potential life-threatening actions."],"gaData":{"author":"Claudia+Tan","article_source":"ece-auto-gen","title_ga":"Man admits to abusing baby nephew by dropping him onto mattress, pushing head under water","articleid":"8922976","title":"Man_admits_to_abusing_baby_nephew_by_dropping_him_onto_mattress,_pushing_head_under_water","chapter1":"Singapore","chapter2":"Courts & Crime","level2":"7","pubdate":"2026-04-20 16:55:00","keyword":"","contenttype":"1","contentcat":"1"}},{"type":"onlineStory","id":"8866463","title":"Vietnam’s natural hot spring resorts attract global hotel giants; stays from $89 a night","urlPath":"/life/travel/vietnams-natural-hot-spring-resorts-attract-global-hotel-giants-stays-from-89-a-night","category":{"parent":{"uniqueName":"ece_frontpage","name":"Home","directoryName":"frontpage"},"uniqueName":"life","name":"Life","directoryName":"life"},"authors":[{"name":"Sarah Stanley","authorCueId":4540,"email":"sarahrs@sph.com.sg","designation":"","urlPath":"/authors/sarah-stanley","headShotImage":"https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/straitstimes/c3e18920c26cb1117b93e0348c1e4d00f09c74fea51fae87372ae172ff78bcb9?w=150","bio_raw":"Sarah covers travel at the Life desk, as well as stories on aviation, culture and emerging lifestyle trends. Her first taste of journalism was as an intern in 2021 with The Straits Times, where she discovered her passion for storytelling. Prior to ST, she worked as a flight attendant with Singapore Airlines and crafted social media strategies for the Republic of Singapore Air Force. She holds a linguistics degree from the Nanyang Technological University.","shortBio":"Sarah Stanley is a journalist at The Straits Times who covers travel, lifestyle and aviation.
","shortBioParagraph":{"id":"author-shortbio","type":"paragraph","value":"Sarah Stanley is a journalist at The Straits Times who covers travel, lifestyle and aviation.","annotations":[],"textRangesWithAnnotations":[{"start":0,"end":13,"annotations":[{"index":0,"length":13,"name":"external_link","value":{"title":"Sarah Stanley","id":"link-0","type":"external_link","additionalFields":{"uri":{"value":"https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/sarah-stanley","annotations":[]},"target":{"value":"_self","annotations":[]}}}}]},{"start":13,"end":93,"annotations":[]}],"additionalFields":{}},"twitterHandle":""}],"processedElements":[{"id":"68dd7650-a43a-4798-a59d-c61a1029fc9a","type":"paragraph","additionalFields":{"displayDropCap":{"value":false},"disableAutolink":{"value":true}},"value":"SINGAPORE – Somewhere between medicine and folklore lies the centuries-old ritual of soaking in mineral-rich hot springs. The naturally heated waters are believed to ease aching muscles, improve circulation and soothe skin conditions. ","annotations":[],"textRangesWithAnnotations":[{"start":0,"end":12,"annotations":[{"length":12,"name":"mark-out","index":0,"value":"true"}]},{"start":12,"end":235,"annotations":[]}]},{"id":"2f3eca32-cc82-484b-bf3e-a5761ce80671","type":"paragraph","additionalFields":{"displayDropCap":{"value":false},"disableAutolink":{"value":true}},"value":"Nowhere is this tradition more deeply ingrained than in Japan, where hot spring bathing, also known as onsen culture, is a way of life. But a new contender is emerging closer to Singapore.","annotations":[],"textRangesWithAnnotations":[]}],"media":[{"id":"","type":"image","image":{"src":"https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/straitstimes/19f5ff73d8cbe91d0dc6565da484ff4bf0799ae2ea22095e867158a720518fd0","secondarySrc":"https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/straitstimes/b78ce92dff86bb04b636bdc1923ebcf794be40a9feaa2f791f185ac46ef0fb32","alt":"In February, Hilton Hotels & Resorts took over an onsen resort in Quang Ninh province developed by Vietnamese real estate company Sun Group.","caption":"In February, Hilton Hotels & Resorts took over an onsen resort in Quang Ninh province developed by Vietnamese real estate company Sun Group.","credit":"PHOTO: HILTON QUANG HANH ONSEN RESORT "}}],"publishedDate":"2026-04-20T06:30:00.000Z","updatedDate":"2026-04-20T06:30:00.000Z","contentAccess":"2","source":"ece-auto-gen","shortUrl":"","aiSummary":["Vietnam is developing wellness tourism around its 400+ natural hot springs, similar to Japan's onsen culture, attracting global brands like Melia and Hilton.","Wellness tourism is booming, projected to reach US$9.8 trillion by 2029, with Vietnam's market growing 150% between 2019-2024, driven by post-pandemic health focus.","Challenges include high water use, resource intensity, and operational expertise in maintenance and water treatment, requiring sustainable practices for long-term viability."],"gaData":{"author":"Sarah+Stanley","article_source":"ece-auto-gen","title_ga":"Vietnam’s natural hot spring resorts attract global hotel giants; stays from $89 a night","articleid":"8866463","title":"Vietnam’s_natural_hot_spring_resorts_attract_global_hotel_giants;_stays_from_$89_a_night","chapter1":"Life","chapter2":"Travel","level2":"7","pubdate":"2026-04-20 14:30:00","keyword":"","contenttype":"1","contentcat":"2"}}]