Top stories from The Straits Times on Tuesday, May 22

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kickstart your Tuesday, May 22.


Malaysia PM Mahathir seeks to restore nation's dignity as new Cabinet is sworn in

From left: Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin signing their appointment letters at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. They were among 13 members of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's core
From left: Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin signing their appointment letters at the Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. They were among 13 members of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's core Cabinet who were sworn in. PHOTO: BERNAMA

More than a week after he returned as Malaysia's Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's administration finally rolled into Putrajaya as 13 members of his core Cabinet were sworn in.

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Former S-League footballer dies of heart attack while raising funds for sick son

Former S-League footballer Nur Alam Shah was raising money so that his son Muhammad Royyan, four, could undergo surgery. PHOTO: NUR JANNA TU RAUDHAH

When former S-League footballer Nur Alam Shah's unborn son was diagnosed with a rare heart defect in 2013, he vowed not to let him fall prey to the same condition that claimed his five-month-old daughter in 2008.

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PIE viaduct collapse: Builder facing charges

The fate of the viaduct, which would offer motorists a more direct connection to the westbound PIE and Upper Changi Road East by 2020, is now uncertain. PHOTO: ST FILE

At least three people and a main contractor will be charged in court on May 30 over the fatal collapse of an incomplete viaduct in Changi, indicating that investigations into the July 14 tragedy have concluded.

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Sunday morning's haze in Singapore likely came from domestic sources, says NEA

A file photo of the Singapore skyline. The Republic saw slightly hazy conditions on May 20, 2018. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

If you wondered if the haze made a brief comeback on Sunday morning, you were not wrong.

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US and China call time but tension, trade gap remain

(From left) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Mr Scott Paul and Mr Dennis Wilder.

Trade war averted but differences remain, especially in area of technology, say analysts.

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Returning to ground zero: Marawi struggles to rebuild

A drone shot of Marawi's commercial hub, which was destroyed during the five months of fighting between security forces and militants. Till today, the area remains a desolate wasteland covering 250ha that includes the hollowed-out shell of what was o
The minaret of Marawi's largest mosque, in an area that was once a thriving commercial hub. Officials say the mosque will have to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. When The Straits Times visited the area two weeks ago, the smell of war - a mixture of odours from rubbish, decay and death - was still lingering in the air. PHOTO: CRISTINA MENINA FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

In just one year, Ms Sohailah Usman lost everything - her large, two-storey house and an assortment of small businesses she used to run in this city.

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Singapore researchers find new breakthrough in search for cure for blood cancers

The team, comprising (from left) Dr Sudipto Bari, Associate Professor William Hwang, Professor Christina Chai, Dr Zhong Qixing and Associate Professor Gigi Chiu. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO

The search for a cure for blood cancers has received a boost with new research by Singapore scientists shedding light on how stem cells can be more effectively used to treat diseases such as leukaemia.

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Singaporean artist Shubigi Rao in running for $60,000 Signature Art Prize

Shubigi Rao's installation, titled Pulp: A Short Biography Of The Banished Book. Vol I: Written In The Margins (2014-2016), is part of a 10-year project on the destruction of books and libraries which began in 2014. PHOTO: ST FILE

She is among 15 artists from the region and Central Asia who have been nominated for the triennial Signature Art Prize, organised by Singapore Art Museum and sponsored by the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation.

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The best memes from Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle

The wedding of the year has spawned its fair share of memes. PHOTO: TWITTER/DAISYWHEN

When Britain's Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle on Saturday, what the Internet was concerned with, though, was not the pomp or ceremony, but the material for memes.

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Barack and Michelle's next act: TV deal with Netflix

Former President Barack Obama waves with his wife Michelle as they board Special Air Mission 28000, a Boeing 747 which serves as Air Force One, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US on Jan 20, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS

Former US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, have struck a deal to produce films and series for Netflix, the streaming service said on Monday, giving the former first couple a powerful and unprecedented platform to shape their post-White House legacy.

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