The Straits Times

If somebody just gives you the answers, that is passive learning.

Unlike most popular AI chatbots used by students to get instant answers, this bot flips the script by testing the user’s understanding, asking questions like a friend would. It was developed by 25-year-old Akshaya Rajesh, who was inspired by a learning technique developed by a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. How it works: https://str.sg/mccn #stheadstart

☁️ News for your morning! Singapore Passengers guided off train at Tanjong Pagar MRT station after power bank emits smoke READ: https://str.sg/y426 How a fatal virus sparked Pulau Ubin’s mouse-deer boom READ: https://str.sg/b7yP Is carob the new cocoa? NUS researchers fine-tune carob as chocolate alternative READ: https://str.sg/Hfpn Stay in the know: https://str.sg/wyYP

Singapore residents were less satisfied in 13 out of 17 areas of HDB living – including cleanliness, noise level and privacy within their flats Here’s more from the latest HDB Sample Household Survey: https://str.sg/yHJW

⚽ The 2026 World Cup group stage draw has been held! Check out the groupings and make your tournament predictions using this results simulator: https://str.sg/fh65

Regular MRT service on the East-West Line will resume tomorrow after track works and testing were completed a day ahead of schedule. Details: https://str.sg/FgyL

Pop star Katy Perry has made her relationship with former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau official, following months of speculation and sightings. Here’s what she posted on Instagram: https://str.sg/oyzZQ8

SM Lee Hsien Loong held back tears as he recounted Singapore's separation from Malaysia at the launch of The Albatross File book and exhibition at the National Library. https://str.sg/qywi The new book sheds light on Singapore's secret negotiations for independence. Here are 4 of its key revelations: https://str.sg/pYD4

Singapore car leasing firm SRS Auto and a commercial building at 2 Jalan Kilang Barat are under investigation for their alleged links to Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi. Chen is accused of running a scam empire and laundering billions of dollars in stolen funds around the world. https://str.sg/arqG

Tengah residents can look forward to a new neighbourhood centre in the first quarter of 2026. Parc Point neighbourhood centre will feature a new polyclinic and more than 40 retail and dining outlets, including a FairPrice supermarket. https://str.sg/hTi8

❄️ The season’s first snowfall transformed Seoul into a winter wonderland but plunged traffic into chaos as commuters faced dangerous black-ice conditions. https://str.sg/w9mQs

Singapore Recreation Club's billiards group is suing the club over a vote to convert their room into a co-working space. They claimed that the resolution lacked majority support. https://str.sg/MiXM

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear Grab uniforms. 🫡 2 Grab riders were seen clearing clogged drains along a street in Kuala Lumpur with their bare hands during a flood on Dec 4. https://str.sg/vYcq

🏝 Weekend plans = sorted. Batam is just an hour-long ferry ride away and has cheap and delicious food. ST’s Clara Lock checked out everything from chic cafes to fresh seafood from a kelong on the Indonesian island. Here’s what she recommends: https://str.sg/LNxVJ #stheadstart

An antibiotic-resistant "superbug" is causing a record number of infections in South Korea, with almost 45,000 cases reported so far this year. https://str.sg/GGf8

A $50m commercial property in Bukit Merah was taken off market 3 days after it was listed as the police investigate the owner's links to Cambodian scam tycoon Chen Zhi. https://str.sg/rxri

This week's trending stories: 🦝 'Spirit animal': Raccoon breaks into US liquor store, gets drunk and passes out in bathroom: https://str.sg/J4Qmn 🌕 'She's out after the storm': Cold Moon shines despite Singapore's rainy weather: https://str.sg/JfE3P 🤖 Robot dogs bearing realistic faces of tech titans, famous artists surprise visitors at Miami art fair: https://str.sg/kF4G

A man befriended a 12-year-old girl on Telegram and raped her at a grass patch near Sixth Avenue MRT station the next day. He has been sentenced to 15 years' jail and 14 strokes of the cane. https://str.sg/NsdZ

Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros Discovery’s TV and film studios and streaming unit for $93.2 billion. The deal gives the streaming giant control of major franchises, including Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, further strengthening its dominance in Hollywood. https://str.sg/Ax6a

Travellers flying out of Thailand will have to pay more airport tax from early 2026. The charge will rise from around $29.60 now to about $45.50 per person. https://str.sg/4axDD

“Does not make sense”: A new move to communicate minor MRT delays to passengers at affected stations is not enough, said commuters and experts. Some also said a 30-minute disruption is not minor. https://str.sg/MYVa