TOP OF THE NEWS
A high-speed rail line will connect Singapore and Malaysia by Dec 31, 2026, cutting travel time between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to 90 minutes. Prime ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Najib Razak said, when signing the deal for the 350km line yesterday, that it will transform the way both countries interact and do business.
TOP OF THE NEWS
The Singapore Medical Council has clarified that doctors who pay a third-party agent a percentage of the fees they get from patients will be infringing the new medical code of ethics released in September.
The code goes into force next month.
WORLD
Choi Soon Sil, South Korean President Park Geun Hye's friend, will attend the preliminary hearing in her own corruption trial next week, even though she is not required to. Choi's lawyer has said that his client, who is at the centre of a scandal that led to Ms Park's impeachment, will turn up as she wants to "get a fair trial".
WORLD
Controversial curfews for drinking venues and alcohol shops in Sydney are set to be eased from next month, following concerns that the city has become "soulless" and an "international joke". But the plan by the state government to ease the curbs has sparked fierce debate.
OPINION
There have been 23 mainboard delistings up to November this year, compared with 18 last year. While many say the Singapore Exchange (SGX) has to do more to attract firms, the problem may be more deep-seated and structural, says Business Editor Lee Su Shyan.
HOME
No longer the last resort, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) has steadily increased its enrolment. Applications have gone up by more than 10 per cent over the last decade.
HOME
A son of the founder of Eng Wah Organisation (EWO) has sued his father's estate, claiming the cinema magnate, who died last year, still owes him $10.6 million in losses he claimed he suffered as a result of a reverse-takeover of the company in 2008. The patriarch's other surviving child is defending the suit as the estate's representative.
BUSINESS
Dividend payouts by most industry-leading listed companies have been growing over recent years, but the trend looks to be slowing as business problems continue to mount. Of the 30 stocks on the Straits Times Index, only seven have paid out more dividends this calendar year than last year.
SPORT
Even with Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Manchester United's injury list, Jose Mourinho has warned Wayne Rooney not to expect that he will play against Crystal Palace today. The United captain, who is one goal short of Bobby Charlton's club record of 249, has started just one league game since the end of September.
LIFE
New television series The Ultimate Brocation shows home-grown chef Bjorn Shen (above), 34, holidaying in Hong Kong with four other loud male personalities - Filipino singer Billy Crawford, Thai radio host DJ PK, Malaysian rapper Sona One and Hong Kong action star Philip Ng. The five-episode series, produced by Hong Kong-based television channel Kix, premieres tonight.
