Top stories from The Straits Times on Sunday, Feb 24

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Feb 24.

Foreign worker quota cuts: Will they finally nudge services?

F&B and retail segments in particular have been unable to shake off their reliance on labour. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

Six years since the foreign manpower tap was last tightened in the service sector, businesses are being told they need to do more.

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Sorry, we messed up, Scoot CEO Lee Lik Hsin says after a string of flight disruptions

Scoot CEO Lee Lik Hsin (above) says a lot of work is being done to ensure operational resilience. Left: Passengers feel Scoot could have done a much better job taking care of their needs while they were stranded. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Scoot CEO Lee Lik Hsin (above) says a lot of work is being done to ensure operational resilience. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Scoot messed up. Mr Lee Lik Hsin admits it, knows his customers are upset and is determined to regain their trust and confidence.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's train arrives in China ahead of Vietnam summit: Reports

A train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leaves from a train station in the Chinese border city of Dandong. PHOTO: REUTERS

The train arrived in the border city of Dandong after 9pm local time, though it was not known whether Kim was on on board.

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Breaking the silence on suicide: A mother opens up about the loss of her teenage son

Ms Elaine Lek, whose teenage son, Zen Dylan Koh, died on Oct 1 last year. She is holding a drawing of him
Ms Elaine Lek, whose teenage son, Zen Dylan Koh, died on Oct 1 last year. She is holding a drawing of him. PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Ms Elaine Lek is attempting to broach the taboo subject to help others who are deeply vulnerable.

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Many rules, fewer visitors, say Pulau Ubin islanders

Mr Billy Tan (above, left) on a fishing trip to Pulau Ubin with his friends. The fishing enthusiast who has been visiting Pulau Ubin once a week in the past four years said he was put off by new fences put up around the island, which once had "many g
Mr Billy Tan (above, left) on a fishing trip to Pulau Ubin with his friends. The fishing enthusiast who has been visiting Pulau Ubin once a week in the past four years said he was put off by new fences put up around the island, which once had "many good fishing spots". PHOTO: COURTESY OF MR BILLY TAN

They say rules spoil business and fun, while officials and others say they are necessary.

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Look at Government's total social spending beyond Merdeka Generation Package: Chan Chun Sing

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said the Merdeka Generation Package is a targeted approach that helps the most vulnerable in society. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Instead of universal welfare, he says, the Government has opted for a targeted mode to help the most vulnerable.

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Extension of US-China trade talks an extremely good sign: Experts

US President Donald Trump in a meeting with China's Vice-Premier Liu He (far left) in the White House's Oval Office on Friday.
US President Donald Trump in a meeting with China's Vice-Premier Liu He (far left) in the White House's Oval Office on Friday. PHOTO: AFP

It shows that both countries are increasingly close to striking a deal, Chinese analysts said.

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SAP schools still have important role, 40 years on: Ong Ye Kung

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said Singapore should be seen as a tapestry, where individual cultures are woven together. PHOTO: ST FILE

The Education Minister said the schools help ensure that each student cohort has a core group with an intuitive understanding of Chinese culture and history.

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1.7m crocodile at Lower Seletar Reservoir caught by PUB, NParks

PUB said that the reptile is an Estuarine crocodile and is about 1.7m long. It has since been relocated into the wild. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/PUB, SINGAPORE'S NATIONAL WATER AGENCY

The Estuarine crocodile has been released into the wild.

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Eleanor Lee: 7 things to know about actor Peter Yu's estranged daughter

Television host Quan Yifeng with her daughter Eleanor Lee. PHOTO: DIOS VINCOY JR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

The 19-year-old is a star in China.

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