What's News: January 15, 2016

A medical team carrying the body of a victim into an ambulance at the scene of a bomb blast in Jakarta on Jan 14. PHOTO: EPA

TOP OF THE NEWS

ISIS claims Jakarta attacks

Islamic State in Iraq and Syria militants yesterday claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed seven people, including five attackers, and injured over 20 others in Jakarta. Indonesian police said the terror group seems to have changed its strategy, and a manhunt for individuals with ties to the attackers is under way.

TOP OF THE NEWS

S'pore scientists on top list

Twenty Singapore scientists have been named among 3,000 most influential scientific minds in a new report. Of those, 11 were from the National University of Singapore, and eight from Nanyang Technological University.

Current President Ma Ying-jeou will govern in the interim until his successor is sworn in on May 20. PHOTO: EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

WORLD

Political limbo if Tsai wins

Taiwan will likely hang in political limbo for four months if opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen wins the presidential election tomorrow, an official said. She will be sworn in only on May 20, and current President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang will continue to govern in the interim.

WORLD

Use dengue vaccine: Experts

Experts from some 22 countries have suggested countries affected by dengue deploy a newly developed vaccine in their fight against the mosquito-borne virus. But they cautioned at a meeting in Bangkok that vector control should remain the priority.

OPINION

Time to take Trump seriously?

It may finally be time to take Donald Trump seriously as a candidate in the US presidential race, writes US Bureau Chief Jeremy Au Yong. His numbers in the Republican camp two weeks from the start of voting are as strong as Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton's.

HOME

Fewer liquids seized at airport

The number of liquid, gel and aerosol items confiscated at Changi Airport has fallen over the last six years, though many passengers are still confused about what they can and cannot carry as hand luggage. About 1.2 million such items were seized between January and November last year.

HOME

Highlights at Safra Punggol

A three-storey water playground, a 24-lane bowling alley and an electronic darts bar will feature at a Safra clubhouse being developed in Punggol. Senior Minister of State for Defence Ong Ye Kung gave details of the project yesterday.

BUSINESS

DTL2 boosts home prices

The completion of the Downtown Line 2 late last month has bolstered the prices of homes near the new MRT stations, bumped up rents and increased sale volumes.

A Knight Frank analysis found that average prices rose by 4.5 per cent from the third quarter last year to $1,592 per sq ft in the fourth.

Koh Sock Hwee will play at the prestigious HSBC Women's Champions tournament after winning the local qualifier. PHOTO: HSBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS

SPORT

Koh in third outing at HSBC Women's Champions

Singapore golfer Koh Sock Hwee has secured a playing spot in the March 3-6 HSBC Women's Champions tournament, after a two-shot win at the event's Host Country Qualifying Tournament at Sentosa Golf Club over the past two days.

It will be the third time that Koh will be Singapore's representative at the prestigious tournament, having also qualified in 2012 and last year.

Aravena describes his architecture as being fuelled more by public service than by aesthetic design. PHOTO: NEW YORK TIMES

LIFE

Chilean architect gets Pritzker

Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, who has focused his career on building low-cost social housing and reconstructing cities after natural disasters, has been named the winner of architecture's highest prize, the Pritzker. He is the first winner from Chile.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 15, 2016, with the headline What's News: January 15, 2016. Subscribe