TOP OF THE NEWS
China expressed "strong dissatisfaction" and summoned the US ambassador over the sailing of a US warship through the South China Sea yesterday, coming within
12 nautical miles of reefs in the disputed Spratly islands. The operation raised tensions between the two sides and was the first direct military challenge in the region after months of verbal sparring.
TOP OF THE NEWS
The Singapore economy is facing uncertainty in the short term as the outlook for the Republic's major trading partners in the region remains cloudy, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
WORLD
The Taleban has vowed that its militants would provide "complete help" in areas in Afghanistan affected by a strong earthquake that hit South Asia on Monday, urging charity groups not to hold back on delivering aid. More than 350 people have been confirmed dead so far in the quake, officials said, as search parties scoured remote areas for survivors.
WORLD
A yet-to-be-approved Budget deal reached between US President Barack Obama and Republican congressional leaders will avert a calamitous debt default and increase spending by US$80 billion (S$111 billion) over two years.
OPINION
Non-executive directors have a strategic role on boards: not so much to formulate strategy but to guide and control them. To do so, firms and their non-executive directors have to learn to work together by sharing information better, says Prof Eugene Kang.
HOME
Church setting up $50m arts venue in Bukit Merah
A $50 million theatre will open in Bukit Merah next year, boasting 950 seats, a 10m stage and a movable orchestra pit. The Gateway Theatre is being built by the Faith Community Baptist Church, which will hold services there on weekends and rent it out to arts groups at other times.
HOME
National University of Singapore (NUS) students are to benefit from a $30 million set of initiatives to prepare them for their careers. They include a life skills programme and a new institute to look at the science of learning and how it applies in practice.
BUSINESS
Singapore can play a role in the formation of a neutral liquefied natural gas (LNG) price in Asia, said International Enterprise Singapore chief executive Teo Eng Cheong in his keynote address at the Gastech energy conference yesterday.
SPORT
Singapore won the women's title at the 17th Asian Canoe Polo Championships on Sunday.
The Singapore Canoe Federation is hoping that the maiden success will spark fresh interest in the sport, which is played largely by students.
SPORT
Manchester City have set up shop in Singapore. City Football Singapore, a subsidiary of the City Football Group, will oversee commercial operations in South-east Asia, work closely with corporate partners and better engage the club's estimated 80 million fans in the region.
LIFE
Singer Wang Leehom came close to confirming rumours of actress Zhang Ziyi's pregnancy on Monday, after the friends went to a Madonna concert in America. When Taiwanese reporters asked Wang, who has a daughter, whether he gave Zhang parenthood tips, he said through his agent: "Good friends can chat about anything."
