10 must-reads for today
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Despite the drop in major incidents taking place in Singapore waters in the last decade, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) is taking steps to increase safety.Yesterday, the MPA, as part of International Safety @ Sea Week, held a ferry emergency exercise, which simulated the evacuation of 150 passengers on board a regional ferry involved in a collision in the waters south of Singapore.
Commuters may have to wait longer for trains during off-peak hours, as train operators consider cost-saving measures in the face of mounting losses.
Operating costs have risen as train services have become more reliable, and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday it was time to extend the focus from immediate fixes to also include the system's long-term sustainability.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday warned lawmakers against trying to block Brexit from happening on Oct 31, saying it would do "lasting damage" to trust in politics.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday that he has never offered himself to be a member of the Malaysian Cabinet and will take over the reins of governance when the time was right. He said this in response to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's recent remarks that there was currently "no vacancy" in the Cabinet.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday failed to see eye to eye on the 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's claim to nearly all of the South China Sea.
A reliable, quality public transport system comes at a cost. Now, for every $1 of operating cost in rail operations, commuters pay 50 cents, the state pays 30 cents, and 10 cents comes from non-fare revenue. The remaining 10-cent loss is absorbed by public transport operators. Mr Gopinath Menon asks if the balance should be tweaked.
Singapore's 145,000 public officers will receive help in preparing for jobs of the future, with the setting up of a committee to help the public service transform its workforce.
Mortgage lending declined for the seventh month in a row to help send overall bank borrowing down last month - the first contraction in six months. But lending was up 2 per cent compared with July last year.
Golf journeyman Choo Tze Huang fell in love with the sport at age six and says "I didn't prepare for anything else". Hence, despite routine missed cuts and irregular income, he continues to "grind" his way through smaller events on the regional tours.
All tickets to Singapore pop singer JJ Lin's first concert at the National Stadium on Dec 21 were snapped up in less than two hours yesterday morning. But event promoter Unusual Entertainment announced that a second show, on Dec 22, will be added, with ticketing details to be announced later.
Straits Times Digital
VIDEO
Impact of trade war
Exploring global issues from an Asian perspective, this episode of The Straits Times' Asian Insider focuses on the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. http://str.sg/trade-war
PODCAST
Health Check
We talk to Dr Lai Jiunn Herng from Lai Endoscopy and Colorectal Surgery at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre about colorectal cancer - the No. 1 cancer in Singapore. http://str.sg/healthcheck17
