Top stories from The Straits Times on Thursday, July 19

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


Thai cave rescue: Boys say they tried to dig their way out, survived on water dripping from stalactites

The 12 boys and their football coach arriving for a news conference in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand, on July 18, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS

The 12 boys and their football coach waved, smiled and offered traditional "wai" greetings in their first public appearance since their dramatic rescue from a flooded cave.

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Joseph Schooling's advice for Ben Davis: Follow your heart and decide what's the best plan for yourself

Olympic champion Joseph Schooling (left) said he empathises with the situation that Ben Davis finds himself in, but the 23-year-old hopes that the Fulham midfielder will continue to dream. PHOTOS: ST FILE, FULHAM FC

The Olympic champion said he empathises with the situation that Davis finds himself in, but hopes that the 17-year-old Fulham midfielder will continue to dream.

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Singapore allows dynamic site blocking in landmark court ruling

ISPs which were ordered in May to block 53 piracy websites must now also block other Web addresses that link to those sites when MPAA asks for it. The piracy sites carry a host of TV shows and films like Avengers: Infinity War. PHOTO: DISNEY-MARVEL

Copyright holders have scored a landmark victory here with an unprecedented court order allowing any Web address linked to blocked piracy websites to be blocked too.

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ComfortDelGro electric cabs start plying the roads this week

The two Hyundai Ioniq Electric saloons will be the first battery-powered vehicles to enter the mainstream taxi fleet. PHOTO: COMFORTDELGRO

The taxi giant's first two fully electric cabs will start plying today, highlighting a growing trend among cab operators to steer away from diesel.

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Three niggling questions about CareShield Life

CareShield Life is a good step forward in the effort to put in place a comprehensive safety net for our ageing population, say the writers, but they call for some changes to make the scheme inclusive and morally sound. PHOTO: ST FILE

Can it be gender-neutral? Where did the prediction of severe disability for those above 65 come from? And can criteria for payouts be more lenient?

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White House struggles to contain fallout from Trump-Putin summit

US President Donald Trump (left) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a joint news conference after their meeting in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS

The White House has denied that President Donald Trump ever meant to say that Moscow was no longer targeting the US.

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Denuclearisation deal with North Korea 'may take some time', sanctions to remain: Mike Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listening to Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, July 18, 2018. PHOTO: REUTERS

The US Secretary of State, who held inconclusive talks in North Korea earlier this month, said progress had been made on some issues.

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Why can't I recycle my old TV or fridge in Singapore?

Workers disassembling electronic devices at TES-AMM, one of six main e-waste recycling companies in Singapore. Unlike smaller e-waste, such as computers and smartphones, the percentage of recoverable and recyclable materials for large household appliances is more limited and of lower value. PHOTO: ST FILE

While such bulky items make up over 80 per cent (by weight) of all e-waste generated here, there are currently no programmes for recycling large household appliances.

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Swimmer Joseph Schooling is Sportsman of the Year for record 5th time, says 'fortunate' to win this year

Joseph Schooling won the Sportsman of the Year for a record-extending fifth time at the Singapore Sports Awards on, July 18. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

While the reigning Olympic 100m butterfly champion felt his performances last year were below his high standards, he said he is in much better shape to take on the Asian Games in Indonesia next month.

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ST Sessions: Pop singer Falling Feathers taking flight

Before making his debut as a pop singer, Falling Feathers (above), whose real name is JJ Ong, fronted rock band JJ And The Paperplanes. PHOTO: T.K. RAJU & SAMUEL RUBY

He might be a rising name in the home-grown music scene, but Falling Feathers - whose real name is JJ Ong - is already developing a global outlook.

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