Top stories from The Straits Times on Wednesday, Nov 15

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kickstart your Wednesday, Nov 15


PM Lee Hsien Loong outlines Singapore's key goals as Asean chair

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hands over the gavel to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during a transfer of Asean Chairmanship at the closing ceremonies of the 31st Asean Summit and Related Summits in Manila. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Asean is a lifeboat for all 10 countries in South-east Asia to come together, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on the cusp of Singapore's helming the group.

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Private homes for sale likely to double in 1 to 2 years

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong with Redas president Augustine Tan during the association's 58th anniversary dinner last night. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

A large portion of the supply will come from the redevelopment of projects sold en bloc, on top of that coming from the ongoing Government Land Sales programme, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said.

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Signal fault delays trains on Circle Line on Wednesday morning

Commuters seen on the crowded train platform at Buona Vista MRT station. PHOTO: @SOFEROLIU/TWITTER

A signal fault held up service in both directions on the Circle Line on Wednesday (Nov 15) morning.

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Video: Otters spotted on tarmac at Changi Airport, guided out to beach by airside safety team

A spokesman said that otter sightings are a rare occurrence on Changi's premises. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK VIDEO/WILSON TAN

A spokesman for the Changi Airport Group said that there was no disruption to airport operations.

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Commentary: Communication is key in tackling MRT woes

Flooding in the train tunnels at Bishan last month. Working on improving commuter experience is rather like having a construction site in your neighbourhood. People can put up with the disruptions - if they can be convinced that they can enjoy the results at the end of it - and if they are given a clear completion date. PHOTO: SCDF/FACEBOOK

There was a keen sense of anticipation when Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan rose to deliver a statement in Parliament last Tuesday, and to answer questions from MPs.

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LTA confirms third delay in Bukit Brown road project; new completion deadline by early 2019

The 2km road has been delayed because the main contractor is facing financial difficulties. ST PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER TAN

In response to press queries, the Land Transport Authority said it expects the road to be partially opened by the third quarter of next year, and fully opened by the first quarter of 2019 - nearly three years behind schedule.

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With an eye on Donald Trump, Senate panel debates US president's nuclear authority

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One as the plane departs Manila, on Nov 14, 2017. PHOTO: NYTIMES

US senators probed the limits of a president's unilateral power to launch a nuclear attack, an increasingly weighty debate as tensions rise between Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

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Personal letters by Jean Marshall, compiled in new book, shed light on life during the Malayan Emergency

Originally letters to her family, Jean Marshall's accounts of her time in British Malaya were recently rediscovered after more than 60 years and published as historical records. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

The book, which was launched on Tuesday, sheds more light on the life of Mrs Marshall, who is 91, as well as an era long gone, said historian and the book's editor, Dr Mandakini Arora.

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Films to catch at Singapore film fest

This year's Singapore International Film Festival offers movies that run the gamut from The Florida Project (above), about struggling families living in a motel, to an Indonesian western. PHOTO: SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

On top of the usual acclaimed works, the Singapore film festival injects some low-brow cinema in the form of martial arts and horror picks.

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Football: Sublime Eriksen propels Denmark to World Cup

Christian Eriksen celebrates with the Denmark team after the match. PHOTO: REUTERS

Christian Eriksen's magnificent hat-trick inspired Denmark to a 5-1 demolition of the Republic of Ireland in Tuesday's second leg of their play-off in Dublin to clinch a spot at next year's World Cup.

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