Top stories from The Straits Times on Sunday, Aug 25

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Aug 25.

Squabbles erupt as G-7 leaders open summit in French resort

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte welcome US President Donald Trump and his wife, US First Lady Melania Trump, ahead of a working dinner in Biarritz, France. PHOTO: REUTERS

The squabbles expose sharp differences among leaders on global trade tensions, Britain's exit from the EU and how to respond to the fires raging in the Amazon rainforest.

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Singaporeans can weather world uncertainties by training and upgrading of skills: Lee Hsien Loong

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Teck Ghee National Day Celebration Dinner on Aug 24. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

He emphasised the importance of workers learning new skills to stay relevant in a changing economy, and older workers continuing to receive new training.

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More help for pupils who struggle with mother tongue

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung visiting the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee's booth at the 8th Mother Tongue Languages Symposium on Aug 25, 2019, with Senior Minister of State for Education Chee Hong Tat and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Low Yen Ling. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

In two years' time, a revised mother tongue curriculum that aims to boost national identity will be launched in secondary schools.

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City Harvest sees fewer followers but remains among top 10 richest charities

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee speaking to the congregation yesterday, in his first service at the church since his release from jail on Thursday.
City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee speaking to the congregation yesterday, in his first service at the church since his release from jail on Thursday. PHOTO: CITY HARVEST CHURCH

At its peak, it had 33,000 members but numbers fell to 16,000 last year. And while donations have fallen, the church still had $132 million in reserves last year.

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Hong Kong police and protesters clash; Chief Executive Carrie Lam pleads for chance to talk

Protesters march in Hong Kong on Aug 24. PHOTO: REUTERS

Police fired rounds of tear gas to disperse protesters who started fires and hurled bricks at officers.

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Universities roll out courses to educate students on sexual consent

Students at NUS have started taking a compulsory module on Respect and Consent Culture either online or at a 90-minute workshop. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER

The courses are part of tougher measures implemented by the three main universities to prevent sexual misconduct.

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Family, friends trying to come to terms with man's killing in Phuket resort

Singaporean housewife Bandhna Kaur Bajaj with her British husband Amitpal Singh Bajaj. Mr Amitpal was attacked in their hotel room in Phuket last Wednesday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. PHOTO: THAI SIKH NEWS/FACEBOOK
Singaporean housewife Bandhna Kaur Bajaj with her British husband Amitpal Singh Bajaj. Mr Amitpal was attacked in their hotel room in Phuket last Wednesday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. PHOTO: THAI SIKH NEWS/FACEBOOK

The Singapore-based IT consultant, who was killed in front of his wife while on holiday in Thailand, was cremated on Saturday.

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Early-childhood education: Shaking up the pre-school scene

Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens, first set up in 2014, set aside a third of their places for children from lower-income backgrounds. PHOTO: ST FILE

Many parents and experts are glad the Government is paying more attention to pre-school, a sector that has until recent years been overshadowed by Singapore's globally acclaimed primary and secondary education system.

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Orphaned dugongs become conservation icons in Thailand

A dugong, named Jamil, had gas building up in his stomach and intestines after his digestive system failed. Despite a team of five veterinarians racing to keep the 27kg orphaned calf alive, he went into shock and died after an operation to remove sea
A dugong, named Jamil, had gas building up in his stomach and intestines after his digestive system failed. Despite a team of five veterinarians racing to keep the 27kg orphaned calf alive, he went into shock and died after an operation to remove seagrass clogging his stomach, at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre last Thursday. PHOTO: DEPARTMENT OF MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES

The death of Jamil and another beloved dugong calf cast the spotlight on ocean preservation and forced the nation to face its disposable plastic habit.

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Badminton: Yeo Jia Min eyes SEA Games medal in the Philippines after world championships breakthrough

Yeo Jia Min's performance at the championships in Basel, Switzerland, has shown she is able to compete with the elite. PHOTO: REUTERS

Her performance at the Badminton World Federation World Championships has shown she is able to compete with the elite.

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