TOP OF THE NEWS
PM: S'pore must not play sides
Singapore must never be seen to be playing multiple sides on an issue, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday, as he outlined the principled foreign policy position the country has always taken. Its approach, he added, was to be friends with all countries who want to befriend Singapore, he told reporters at the end of a four-day official visit to Japan.
TOP OF THE NEWS
Online betting to be rolled out
Online betting will be introduced here in the next two months, after lottery operators Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club were given the green light to introduce such services. Social safeguards such as allowing only those above 21 to open accounts will be put in place to prevent problem gambling.
WORLD
End of joint exercises with US
President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will soon end joint military exercises with the United States, referring to the Philippine-US Amphibious Landing Exercises next month in the Philippines. His move was meant to put more distance between the Philippines and its long-time ally, and edge Manila closer to Beijing.
WORLD
Thailand is cracking down on migrant workers from neighbouring countries, saying they are "stealing jobs from Thais", amid fears that anti-immigrant sentiment is rising as its economy stagnates. More than three million migrants, mostly from Myanmar, work in Thailand.
OPINION
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains popular, but his coarse tongue and take-no-prisoner methods are turning investors jittery. The economy was doing well when he took over; he should try not to wreck the party he crashed, writes Ravi Velloor.
HOME
A public health expert has warned parents not to give children too much sweet drinks or food as these raise the children's risk of diabetes in future. Pre-school children will be the subject of study in one of 11 research projects on diabetes.
HOME
The government-appointed National Council on Problem Gambling will go into schools, cinemas and digital media to warn young people of the dangers of gambling. This comes amid worries that the young may be especially susceptible to becoming addicted to gambling after online betting is allowed here.
BUSINESS
KL-listed offshore services firm Perisai Petroleum Teknologi and its bondholders are struggling to come to an agreement on S$125 million worth of notes due to mature next Monday. And Singapore-listed Ezra Holdings, with a 22.5 per cent stake in Perisai, could also find itself in jeopardy should the firm fail to redeem its bonds.
SPORT
Naive City learn costly lesson
After 10 straight wins in all competitions to open the season, Manchester City had to come from behind thrice to salvage a 3-3 draw at Scottish giants Celtic in the Champions League. Manager Pep Guardiola put it down to inexperience, even though they did reach the semi-finals last season.
LIFE
Singapore in all its glory thrums through a new anthology of poems, SG Poems 2015-2016, which will be launched tonight at the National Library Building. It showcases Singapore poetry written in, or translated into, English in the past two years, including shortlisted and winning entries from the National Poetry Competition, which had its second run this year.
LIFE
Home-grown singer-songwriter Linying has signed with Canada-based Nettwerk Music Group, whose roster of major names includes Irish star Sinead O'Connor and acclaimed US indie-folk act Father John Misty. The company is also known for helping British band Coldplay to break into the US market.
