What's News: Feb 28, 2018
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A king penguin from Possession Island in the Crozet archipelago.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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TOP OF THE NEWS
A new Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Bill will give the police powers to stop people from taking photos and videos in a terror attack. A key provision is the communications stop order, which the Police Commissioner can issue when authorised by the Home Affairs Minister. It stops people in an incident area from making or communicating films or pictures of the place.
TOP OF THE NEWS
Applicants seeking a place at the National University of Singapore will get 1.25 bonus points for their first choice of courses, where entry is based on converting a student's grades into points. This will not apply to courses such as medicine and law where students are assessed on their aptitude and interests through interviews.
WORLD
Global warming is on track to wipe out 70 per cent of the world's king penguins by the end of the century, researchers warned. As climate change drives away the fish and squid upon which they depend, the penguins must swim farther afield to find food for their hatchlings.
WORLD
The Malaysian government has been dispensing cash to poor citizens hit by rising costs but, with the next general election due within months, critics say these are a form of vote-buying. Since last July, the Barisan Nasional government has handed out more than RM2.5 billion (S$843 million) in cash.
OPINION
The Budget was short on measures to boost talent. Retaining tight controls on inflow of skilled talent risks depriving companies of much-needed manpower to transform their business, says associate editor Vikram Khanna.
HOME
Despite more new rail lines and extensions, more buses and a shrinking private-passenger car population, ridership figures registered the smallest growth on record, said the Land Transport Authority.
HOME
The jail sentence of fund manager Chew Eng Han for criminal breach of trust will start tomorrow at the earliest. But if further remand for investigations into his alleged escape attempt from Singapore is ordered, his sentence for CBT will start, latest, at the end of his further remand, said the Court of Appeal.
BUSINESS
An executive condominium (EC) site in Sumang Walk in Punggol fetched a whopping 17 bids at a state tender that closed yesterday.
The top bid of $509.37 million works out to a record $583 per square foot per plot ratio. It came from a joint venture between City Developments' fully owned subsidiary CDL Constellation and TID Residential.
SPORT
The English Football Association is set to introduce a two-week winter break in early February for the 2019-2020 Premier League season that would not affect the traditional Christmas and New Year fixtures. The proposed move is set to please clubs and keep traditionalist fans happy. Under the plan, the FA Cup fifth round would be played entirely in midweek and without replays.
LIFE
Demand for the $10 front-row tickets for students for this year's Singapore International Festival of Arts has been good - 67 per cent of these have already been sold.
These tickets were introduced to encourage more youth to attend major productions at the festival.
Straits Times Digital
WEB SPECIAL
Painful past
Skeletal remains in home off Upper Thomson: Other storied houses. http://str.sg/o5EY
VIDEO
Protest against Ahok
About 200 people outside court urge judges to throw out former Jakarta governor's appeal. http://str.sg/ahok
