What's News: July 13, 2018

The number of babies born last year fell to a seven-year low and the number of deaths rose to the highest in at least two decades, as the population continued to age. Meanwhile, while the total fertility rate declined, a growing number of couples were choosing to have more children.

Almost three decades after Croatia achieved independence in 1991, the nation of only 4.2 million beat England 2-1 in extra time to become the smallest country since Uruguay in 1950 to advance to the World Cup final. Croatia's place in the final was simply down to the players who did not stop running, even when their bodies were screaming at them to stop.

Mrs Theresa May (above) has released the most contentious document of her two-year premiership, vowing to push through her plan to keep Britain tied closely to the European Union single market after Brexit next year. While there would be "no tariffs on any goods", Britain's vast services sector will suffer significant disruption.

The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA), which is pending ratification, could pave the way for similar pacts between the EU and other Asian nations, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said on Wednesday. The EUSFTA would be the first bilateral deal between the EU and an Asean country.

New Delhi has grown cold to a closer embrace of Washington amid growing unhappiness with the leadership under US President Donald Trump, says associate editor Ravi Velloor.

SingPost plans to grow its network of POPStation parcel lockers and eventually have them double as unmanned post offices. It is getting its lockers into HDB blocks and MRT stations to help make deliveries more efficient and reduce reliance on manpower.

For the next three-month quota period, more certificates of entitlement will be made available: 9,225 COEs a month from August to October, up from the present 8,202. Car buyers will have 6,912 COEs a month, while motorcyclists will have 1,639 COEs.

Inflationary pressures stemming from fiscal and trade policies in the United States have made it harder for policymakers to time their moves while raising the risk of miscalculation, said former US treasury secretary Jack Lew, who spoke at a forum here yesterday on the need to focus on fundamentals.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic was in France as a supporter in 1998 when his country made a dream run to the World Cup semi-finals before losing to the hosts and finishing third. Twenty years on, the 51-year-old said his country has a "score to settle" with Didier Deschamps' men when the two countries meet in the final on Sunday. He said fatigue will not be an issue for his warriors.

From tomorrow to Aug 26, dessert fanatics can try innovative fare and take part in workshops at the Marina Square Cake Club, a dessert pop-up. The Cake Bar, a retail concept featuring 11 of the best bakeries and cake shops here, is the highlight of the event.

Baby Kyra had to undergo three brain operations and has a rare genetic disorder. But her mum did not give up on her. http://str.sg/babykyra

Ogilvy fires Tham Khai Meng. Here are seven things to know about the Singaporean adman, a longtime worldwide chief creative officer at the firm. http://str.sg/oQXm