CATEGORIES
1 Woman grandmaster v 3 inept journalists = major humiliation
In their bid to taste high-class sport, to get under its sweaty skin, to investigate talent, journalists will sustain broken noses, mental scarring and do excessively unreasonable things.
PONDERING THE NEXT MOVE
Grandmasters note world event's boost to chess scene, want to build on success
Mbappe 'can do better' for struggling Real
BERGAMO - Real Madrid usually deliver in the Champions League when the pressure is on, and their trip to Atalanta on Dec 10 is shaping up to be a crucial clash for the troubled holders.
Minnows Girona vow to fight rampant Reds
MADRID - Girona host Liverpool in the Champions League on Dec 10 knowing the clash offers a chance to lay a glove on a top side before their European dream peters out.
LIONS GET FAVOURABLE DRAW
But Ogura says India, HK and Bangladesh will pose challenges in Asian Cup qualifiers
Soto's record $1b deal bigger than Ohtani's
Baseball superstar Juan Soto made history on Dec 8 when he agreed to a 15-year, US$765 million (S$1.03 billion) contract – the largest deal ever in professional sports – with the New York Mets, according to multiple media reports.
More United woes as Ashworth quits quickly
LONDON - Manchester United confirmed the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth on Dec 8, just five months after he took up the role at Old Trafford.
CHELSEA MENTALLY SPOT ON: MARESCA
He praises Blues for overcoming adversity to earn comeback victory at Tottenham
Scheffler caps dominant year with Hero World Challenge win
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler completed a stunning golf season by retaining his title at the Hero World Challenge on Dec. 8 to capture his ninth victory in 2024.
McLaren and Ferrari deliver big spectacle in Abu Dhabi
If ever there was a great screenplay to showcase the history of Formula One, it's a showdown between the sport's two longest-established contestants: Ferrari versus McLaren.
VERSTAPPEN DELIVERS PATERNITY LEAVE JOKE
Dutchman, who has eight penalty points, hints that he'd be fine with a ban next year
Nuggets star Jokic maintains golden touch with 104 points in 24 hours
LOS ANGELES - Nikola Jokic produced another dazzling high-scoring performance with a 48-point masterpiece, as the Denver Nuggets crushed the Atlanta Hawks 141-111 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Dec 8.
An prevents awards sweep by Chinese shuttlers
HANGZHOU - China were the big winners at the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) 2024 awards ceremony, claiming four of the five main categories at a gala dinner in Hangzhou on Dec 9.
SILVER LINING TO LIM'S SILVER YEARS
70-year-old Singaporean is runner-up in world darts c'ship, vows to return in 2025
Polytrack should give Nel's gelding a Faire Advantage
Dec 10 South Africa (Greyville) form analysis
LIGHT INFANTRY MAN WINS THE BATTLE OF NORTHERLY
After a plain Railway run, Maher's charge bounces back in Australia's last Gl in Perth
SEOW IS ADAPTING TO LIFE UP NORTH
No red carpet rolled out for S'pore champion apprentice in KL, she has to find her own way
Replies Scoot Refund of seat selection fees processed
We refer to Ms Pamela Ng's letter \"Seat change not communicated at check-in\" (Dec 4).
Avoiding scams ● Helpful to allow calls only from people in your contact list
In the early days, it was very easy to detect scam calls.
Shingles ● Access to crucial vaccines would reaffirm healthcare commitment
I was struck by the article highlighting the shingles vaccine's prohibitive pricing in Singapore, from $720 to $950 (No subsidy for shingles vaccine due to high cost: MOH, Dec 9).
Shingles Look into developing a more cost-effective vaccine
The cost of vaccination against shingles is high at $720 to $950.
Coffee shops • Getting stall operators to offer discounts would mean they earn less
I attended a grassroots event recently, where a grassroots volunteer spoke of his efforts to get coffee shop operators to offer discounts to residents.
Costly revamps not the only way to attract crowds
I am concerned about the ongoing and seemingly endless renovations and rebuilding in Singapore, ranging from shopping malls to office buildings to even hawker centres.
Ikigai and other words of ancient Japanese wisdom won't fix your life
There are many things to be learnt from Japan, but don't bank on trite lifehacks in the self-help book section.
From Apple to Starbucks, Western firms' China dreams are dying
Economic growth is slowing, competition is stiffening and geopolitical tensions loom.
The romance delusion: How scammers prey on loneliness in old age
The findings of a study on a 1950s doomsday cult help explain why appeals to reason fail to break the spell.
Rates of youth radicalisation are rising, and here's what to look out for
A new report by the Five Eyes intelligence community asks parents, teachers and others working with teenagers to pay attention to the signs of online radicalisation.
What is next for Syria after Assad's fall?
The real test for the country and the Middle East will come when triumphant but disparate rebel factions divide the spoils and jostle for power.
Corporates should embrace common sense amid anti-woke backlash
The diversity, equity and inclusion movement is on the ropes as businesses go back to basics.
Singapore semiconductor sector could be hit by widening US curbs
But Republic's standing as resilient manufacturing hub unlikely to be dented