Top stories from The Straits Times on Monday, Aug 20

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Aug 20.


National Day Rally 2018: Every HDB flat to be upgraded twice

Every Housing Board flat will be upgraded twice in its 99-year lifespan, as the Government extends an existing programme to cover more flats and unveils plans to roll out a new one in future, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced at the National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 19).

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Two SIA cabin crew robbed at gunpoint in Johannesburg; one slightly injured in the leg

Two Singapore Airlines cabin crew were confronted in Johannesburg, South Africa, by a gang of armed robbers who fired a shot, lightly injuring one of the Singaporeans in the leg.

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National Day Rally 2018: Down-to-earth speech with a back-to-basics focus on housing, healthcare

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong devoted a significant portion of the English speech in his annual National Day Rally to these two issues, which have been top of mind for Singaporeans in recent months.

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National Day Rally 2018: Clear message on role of Govt, individuals in easing cost of living

At this year's annual National Day Rally, you could say Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong turned into one of those savvy financial advisers who dispense valuable tips on how to save money on daily expenses.

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Record number of children in pre-school

A record number of children are attending pre-school and more are enrolled at a younger age, as more parents and grandparents are in the workforce and aware of the benefits of pre-school.

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They found Urge to join ride-hailing market

Singapore-based Urge aims to differentiate itself from the companies that have entered the market following Uber's exit by offering not only private-hire cars, but also food delivery, logistics and courier services.

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Multiple quakes rock Indonesia's Lombok island, two dead

A strong earthquake rocked Indonesia's holiday island of Lombok on Sunday (Aug 19), two weeks after a quake killed more than 480 people on the island and hours after another tremor triggered landslides, damaged buildings and sent people fleeing.

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Yishun art trail's third installation traces area's food heritage

Many may be familiar with the Goodlink Park area in Yishun for its food such as Chong Pang Nasi Lemak and Gin Thye Cake Shop's offerings, but the area's food heritage actually goes back several decades.

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Hawker culture to be nominated for Unesco heritage list: 8 famous stalls in Singapore

In his Mandarin speech at the National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong described hawker centres as the nation's community dining rooms and a unique part of Singapore that "reflects our daily lives".

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Celebs feel the heat of cyberbullying

Where once online abuse was considered part and parcel of the life of a celebrity, an increasing number of stars are now concluding that social media is more trouble than it is worth.

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