Top stories from The Straits Times on Saturday, Oct 19

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, Oct 19.

Jewel Changi Airport sees 50m visitors since opening six months ago

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and architect Moshe Safdie looking at a model of Jewel during the official opening of Jewel Changi Airport on Oct 18, 2019. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

The figure, which includes repeat customers, has surpassed Jewel's initial target of drawing 40 million to 50 million visitors yearly.

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Orchard Towers killing: Sole woman in case cries after murder charge reduced to assault

Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, 23, was one of seven people originally charged with the murder of 31-year-old Satheesh Noel Gobidass. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, 23, was one of seven people originally charged with the murder of 31-year-old Satheesh Noel Gobidass, who was attacked at 6.30am on July 2.

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Malaysian terrorist with links to Al-Qaeda and 9/11 could be released from prison next month

A 2013 image of US-trained biochemist Yazid Sufaat being escorted by police officers outside Ampang Magistrate Court in Kuala Lumpur. The 55-year-old is expected to be released from Simpang Renggam prison, where he has spent two years in detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. PHOTO: NST

Yazid Sufaat acquired four tons of ammonium nitrate in 2000 in preparation for a series of bombings in Singapore before the plot by the Jemaah Islamiah terror network was foiled.

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Two teens accused of sending obscene materials in SG Nasi Lemak Telegram chat face new charge

Reports earlier this month said the chat group was suspected of sharing obscene photos and videos of Singaporean girls. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM COCONUTS SINGAPORE

Abdillah Sabaruddin, 17, and Justin Lee Han Shi, 19, are now also accused of having obscene materials on their electronic devices such as mobile phones.

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British Parliament to hold historic vote on EU membership

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre), seen here with (from far left) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Brussels on Thursday, predicts that his latest Brexit deal will be approved by the British Parliament. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

British PM Boris Johnson is confident the exit deal will be green-lit, but the mood in Parliament is so rebellious that nobody in London is willing to predict the vote's outcome, says global affairs correspondent Jonathan Eyal.

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Malay unity move a bid to block Anwar Ibrahim from becoming PM: Sources

Mr Anwar Ibrahim speaking during a conference in Singapore on April 26, 2019. He is expected to take over the reins from Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad before the country's next general election. PHOTO: ST FILE

Mr Anwar is meant to take over the reins from Tun Dr Mahathir before the next general election, due by 2023, under a succession plan agreed by PH last year.

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Inappropriate to use IQ scores as pre-school admission criterion: Desmond Lee, Indranee Rajah

Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee and Second Education Minister Indranee Rajah have criticised the practice of using IQ scores as a criterion for pre-school admission. PHOTOS: JASON QUAH, LIANHE ZAOBAO

Their comments come in the wake of a recent Straits Times report on how the Gifted and Talented Education group uses it as an admission criterion.

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Climate change: Planet will survive, but what about mankind?

Children cooling off at the Skanderbeg Square in the Albanian capital of Tirana in August, amid a heatwave in Europe. Global warming is increasing the likelihood of more frequent and intense extreme weather events. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

The impacts of climate change may not be that far away. Even wealthy countries like Japan have been caught flat-footed by extreme events.

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Law experts set out two options in former CJ Chan Sek Keong's analysis of 377A

Former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong argued that Section 377A of the Penal Code may have to be read in a way that it applies to all persons, not just men, who commit acts of gross indecency in public. PHOTO: ST FILE

One is that if the court can narrow or broaden the application of the law on gross indecency in public, then it can remain. The other is to declare the clause unconstitutional.

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Raffles Hotel celebrates official reopening with festival to raise money for charity

Raffles Hotel reopened its doors in August after an almost two-year revamp. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Its proceeds of $600,000 will go towards the S$1 million the hotel will donate to Community Chest Singapore.

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