Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Dec 27

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Friday, Dec 27.


Waste not, want not: Eateries, hotels take measures to minimise festive food excess

Grand Hyatt Singapore's StraitsKitchen and Pete's Place restaurants allow customers to take away food items for $10 per box during the final 45 minutes of buffet meals. The hotel also donates leftover edibles to the needy. PHOTO: GRAND HYATT SINGAPORE

Everyone loves a good feast during the festive season, but what do hotels and restaurants do with all of their leftover turkeys and log cakes?

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Nasdaq ends above 9,000 for first time, Dow also hits record

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec 23, 2019. PHOTO: AFP

A report by Mastercard Spending Plus estimated that holiday shopping sales rose 3.4 per cent this year, which was better than expected, with e-commerce taking a bigger bite of overall sales.

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A 'very different experience' than in the kampung days: Grandma at Ang Mo Kio eclipse viewing party

About 800 people gathered at the amphitheatre in front of Block 134 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 to view the annular eclipse on Dec 26, 2019. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

It has been nearly 70 years since Ms Lu Lizhu, 80, last saw an eclipse.

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PM Lee takes photos of annular solar eclipse from Gardens by the Bay

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted pictures of the annular solar eclipse he took at Gardens by the Bay. PHOTO: LEE HSIEN LOONG/FACEBOOK

In a Facebook post, he wrote: "The skies were a little cloudy, but fortunately at the critical moment the sun (and moon) peeped through!"

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Mystery shopping, lab tests to keep buyers safe

A sharp-point tester used to test the sharpness of small toy parts. It will light up if the item is deemed to be too sharp. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Enterprise Singapore has upped its monitoring of e-commerce sites as more products enter the online market.

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Hyflux transfers remainder of TuasOne project to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; remains majority shareholder

Hyflux remains the majority shareholder with a 75 per cent stake in the TuasOne project. PHOTO: ST FILE

The embattled water treatment company signs new agreements that will help ensure continued funding for the waste-to-energy project.

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No trace of salmonella found in food samples taken from Itacho, but SFA taking action on unregistered food handler

Facebook user Marc Wong wrote that his wife was admitted to Mount Alvernia Hospital on Dec 15, 2019, and she was diagnosed with salmonella. PHOTOS: MARC WONG/FACEBOOK

Salmonella bacteria can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and typhoid fever very soon after it enters the body.

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Spa season: 3 new spas to get your year-end self-care fix

(Clockwise from top left) Thermal facilities at Raffles Spa, a sauna cabin at Pure Wellness Studio and a treatment room at Six Senses Spa. PHOTOS: PURE WELLNESS STUDIO, RAFFLES SPA, SIX SENSES MAXWELL

They offer novel, luxurious treatments designed to re-energise you for the new year.

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The Life List: Top 10 most-read Asian entertainment stories of 2019

(Clockwise from top left) Taiwan-born Canadian model-actor Godfrey Gao, former Big Bang member Seungri, former member of girl group f(x) Sulli, local actor Aloysius Pang, Korean actor Song Joong-Ki and Korean actress Song Hye-Kyo. PHOTOS: AP, REUTERS, ALOYSIUS/FACEBOOK, VIU

Death and scandal dominated the Asian entertainment scene this year.

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EU chief writes 'love letter' to Britain over Brexit, says UK always welcome back

Frans Timmermans gives a speech as he closes climate change talks in Brussels on Dec 11, 2019. PHOTO: AFP

"I know your strengths and weaknesses," European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans wrote.

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