The Straits Times

Violence erupted in Bangladesh after a youth leader of the country’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising died in a hospital in Singapore. He had been airlifted here after he was shot during an assassination attempt in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. https://str.sg/f3xu

⛈️ News for your morning! Singapore Stay vigilant against scams ahead of new Pokemon card set launch in January: Police READ: https://str.sg/E6Cv World US cops identify new person of interest in Brown shooting, probe possible tie to MIT prof’s killing READ: https://str.sg/qNY3 SEA Games 2025 ‘No shame’ as S’pore fall to powerhouses Philippines in men’s softball final READ: https://str.sg/iGpXy S’pore archer Madeleine Ong sees silver lining after losing 3 medal matches in a day READ: https://str.sg/cRwh ‘Shadow fencer’ Samuel Robson helps S’pore foil team reclaim gold READ: https://str.sg/gTpD Stay in the know: https://str.sg/wyYP

ByteDance’s TikTok will sell its US entity to a joint venture controlled by American investors, in a deal set to close on Jan 22. Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX will collectively own 45% of the new entity, said TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi. https://str.sg/rzZL

NParks is investigating allegations that Singapore influencer Eunice Ng, also known as mermaid.sg, has been abusing her pet dog. In a video allegedly posted on her now-deleted Instagram account, a person can be heard scolding a dog before hitting it thrice. https://str.sg/8Yu9

🎅 Where's Santa? Find the man with a bag and 24 other festive gems in our special Christmas game. 🎄 https://str.sg/m9fG

Do you own an old LG air-conditioner? The 2005 model is now the hottest commodity in South Korea, after a viral video showed that its brand logo is made of pure gold. https://str.sg/yjNM

🌸 Planning to visit Japan in 2026? Here’s when its famed sakura season will be in full bloom. https://str.sg/jExa

92 SMRT trains on the North-South and East-West lines will be upgraded with new systems by the mid-2030s to detect problems early and reduce breakdowns. https://str.sg/osgTR

2 nasal sprays by MediNatura are being recalled in the US for potentially causing life-threatening infections. Following the expanded recall, online retailer iHerb said the ReBoost spray is “no longer available for purchase”, while the ClearLife spray is listed as “out of stock”. https://str.sg/mWjm

🎧 It’s been about 10 days of excitement at the SEA Games, and Team Singapore has been going all out to make their mark. Hurdler Kerstin Ong and swimmer Amanda Lim talk about their experiences in Thailand and share what drives them. Join our live discussion on The Usual Place Podcast: https://str.sg/iELk

Those travelling to Malaysia during the December holidays should expect longer waiting times at both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Intensified checks against the smuggling of vapes will continue, which can lengthen the time taken to clear immigration. https://str.sg/oio7f

FairPrice has extended its essential items discount scheme for seniors, Pioneer and Merdeka Generation, and CHAS Blue and Orange card holders, until the end of next year. https://str.sg/Jq5Aj

President-elect of the Law Society of Singapore Dinesh Singh Dhillon has agreed to step aside after a meeting with members yesterday. The society’s vice-president, Professor Tan Cheng Han, has been proposed as the new president. https://str.sg/4ecCd

⛈️ News for your morning! Singapore Hormonal disorder PCOS linked to longer reproductive lifespans in S’pore: Study READ: https://str.sg/ic7Y4 Bird netting to prevent pigeons on air-con ledges to be trialled at 2 HDB blocks READ: https://str.sg/JDar8 SEA Games 2025 S’pore reclaim gold in table tennis mixed doubles, retain men’s doubles title READ: https://str.sg/eYPt Avvir Tham wins S’pore’s first men’s diving gold in 60 years READ: https://str.sg/3HzEs S’pore bowlers win gold in women’s doubles READ: https://str.sg/F8eS Stay in the know: https://str.sg/wyYP

Cat A COE prices climbed 3.9% to $109,501 for the last tender exercise of the year, with Cat B prices down 7.1%. This ends the streak of 4 consecutive rounds where the Cat A COE prices dipped. https://str.sg/yMzBt

🎅 Mr Andy Lim is a visual design consultant for Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay. His job is to beautify the event grounds and create a festive atmosphere through decor. ✨ He shares the joy of decorating and what it takes to amp up the festive feeling in our series, On The Job: https://str.sg/rdtP #stheadstart

Parliament will discuss Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee when it next sits in January. Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said that whatever course WP takes on its own, it is necessary for Parliament to take note of Mr Singh's actions and convictions, and deliberate on an appropriate response. https://str.sg/A5A7

Australian police have charged 1 of the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen with 59 offences, including a terror charge. 24-year-old Naveed Akram emerged from a coma yesterday afternoon after being shot by police. His father Sajid, the other alleged shooter, was killed at the scene. https://str.sg/6eXL

Singaporeans travelling to China can now use digital yuan there under a pilot scheme with ICBC and BOC. How’s it different from Alipay and WeChat Pay? Here’s a guide to using e-CNY: https://str.sg/HRNp

🥳 14-year-old Singaporean swimmer Julia Yeo won her first gold in the 4 x 100m women's medley after standing in last minute for a teammate. She had to wear someone else’s swimsuit, but managed to help her team retain the title in a SEA Games record time. https://str.sg/GAQjX