Your friendly food vending machine in your hood will soon be souped up with international cuisine prepared by famous chefs who have cooked for important world leaders and celebrities.

The new Chef-in-Box VendCafe at Pasir Ris will be the first to serve a collection of Indian classic cuisines created by the "Godfather of Indian cuisine", Chef Satish Arora.

The 70-year-old chef is a veteran chef with over 50 years of culinary experience and  worked for the Taj Hotel Group. He has cooked for Queen Elizabeth II, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and former US President Bill Clinton.

In fact, Queen Elizabeth II declared in 1983 that the butter chicken by Chef Arora was the "best rendition" she ever had.

Some dishes that'll be available in the vending machine include butter chicken, prawn chettinad, chicken korma, vegetable Goa-style curry and vegetable briyani. Each ready-to-eat meal costs $8.80 and three minutes to heat up.

These dishes are currently available on the Chef-in-Box online portal from today and Chef Arora's creations will be available exclusively at Chef-In-Box VendCafe at Block 766 Pasir Ris Street 71 by end August.

Chef Arora is one of the international world chefs involved in the World Chef Series where dishes are curated from a line-up of renowned chefs. The next phases will include cuisines from Korea and Thailand.

VendCafe is operated by JR Vending. There are a total of five VendCafes at housing estates in Singapore, and over 100 Chef-In-Box machines islandwide. The fifth outlet is at 136 Rivervale Street in Sengkang. 

Chef-In-Box will also be making its first foray overseas to London to cater to Singaporeans abroad.

klim@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Ten US sailors were missing and five injured after their destroyer collided with a tanker east of Singapore early Monday, the second accident involving an American warship in two months.

The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain arrived in Singapore Monday afternoon with a large hole torn in its hull after the pre-dawn accident sent water flooding into the vessel, the US Navy said.

A major search involving ships and aircraft from three countries was launched for the missing sailors after the warship collided with the Alnic MC near the Strait of Malacca.

"Significant damage to the hull resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms," the navy said in a statement, after the vessel arrived at Changi Naval Base in the city-state.

"Damage control efforts by the crew halted further flooding." A helicopter took four of the injured to a Singapore hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening while the fifth did not need further medical attention, the navy said.

The 505-foot (154-metre) vessel could still sail under its own power after the collision with the Liberian-flagged tanker at 5:24 am (2124 GMT Sunday), which was slightly bigger at 600 feet (182 metres). Two other vessels escorted it into port, AFP journalists saw.

The warship had been heading for a routine stop in Singapore after carrying out a sensitive "freedom of navigation operation" in the disputed South China Sea earlier in August, sparking a furious response from Beijing.

The vessel is named after US Senator John McCain's father and grandfather, who were both admirals in the US navy.

McCain said in a tweet that he and his wife "are keeping America's sailors aboard the USS John S McCain in our prayers tonight - appreciate the work of search & rescue crews".

President Donald Trump initially said "that's too bad" in response to reporters' shouted questions about the collision, as he arrived back at the White House after a holiday.

He followed up with a Tweet: "Thoughts & prayers are w/ our @USNavy sailors aboard the #USSJohnSMcCain where search & rescue efforts are underway." In June seven American sailors died when the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship in a busy channel in Japan.

AIR-SEA SEARCH

After Monday's incident Singapore sent three tugboats and four navy and police coastguard vessels, neighbouring Malaysia deployed eight ships and was set to send out aircraft, while US aircraft were also involved.

The ship involved in the accident was a tanker used for transporting oil and chemicals and weighed over 30,000 gross tonnes, according to industry website Marine Traffic.

It sustained some damage but no crew were injured, Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority said. There were no reports of oil pollution and sea traffic in Singapore waters was unaffected.

The June collision happened in a busy channel not far from Yokosuka, a gateway to container ports in Tokyo and nearby Yokohama.

The dead sailors, aged 19 to 37, were found by divers in flooded sleeping berths a day after the collision tore a huge gash in the side of the Fitzgerald.

A senior admiral announced last week that the commander of the destroyer and several other officers had been relieved of their duties aboard their ship over the incident.

On August 10 the John S. McCain sailed within six nautical miles of Mischief Reef - an artificial island built by Beijing in the South China Sea, which forms part of the disputed Spratly Islands.

The foreign ministry in Beijing said it was "strongly dissatisfied" with the move, the latest by the US aimed at easing the Asian giant's grip on the strategic waterway.

Both the USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald are part of the US Seventh Fleet based in Yokosuka.

Passers-by had performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a driver who was injured in an accident along Scotts Road on Aug 18, before paramedics arrived at the scene.

It was earlier reported that the 56-year-old man had suffered a cardiac arrest while driving and lost consciousness, before getting into an accident with another car at around 9.30pm.

In response to media queries by Stomp, the police said the man was unconscious when conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He is believed to be recovering.

Facebook user Supper Jimmy, who posted photos of the accident scene online, has now shared with Stomp more details about what happened that night: "Bystanders performed CPR on the victim before paramedics arrived.

"Among them were my father (dressed in black), who is a former surgeon, and a nurse (dressed in white) as seen in the photos.

"We think this shows the value of having CPR skills."

We spoke to Jimmy's father, 69-year-old Paul Ong, who is a retired surgical oncologist.

In a phone interview with Stomp, he recounted the incident:

"We had been to the movies in the area when suddenly, we saw a man lying on the ground.

"There was a gentleman there trying to help by supporting the victim's head, but he had no idea what to do.

"I went over and did a quick survey while someone was calling the ambulance.

"The man had no pulse and wasn't breathing.

"I asked for a handkerchief and a bystander gave me a shawl. I used it to blow into the man's mouth, while another onlooker, who is a nurse, gave him a heart massage.

"The best CPR is done in a team. My part is only a small one."

According to Mr Ong, paramedics subsequently arrived and sent the man, who also suffered cardiac asthma and had blood coming out of his mouth, to the hospital.

Mr Ong, a Chinese born in Indonesia and currently a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), said that he is also trained in trauma surgery and dealing with patients of trauma.

His parents are Singapore citizens and although he resides in Holland, he comes back to stay in Singapore for three months a year.

Kuala Lumpur - Singapore's Olympic champion swimmer Joseph Schooling put a "rough summer" behind him as he stormed to 50m butterfly gold in tournament-record time at the Southeast Asian Games on Monday.

Schooling flopped at the July world championships, just a year after his shock Olympic 100m butterfly victory, and he also had to apologise after upsetting Malaysian fans before the SEA Games.

But Schooling, after a warm reception from the Kuala Lumpur crowd, outclassed the field with a time of 23.06sec, beating his SEA Games record set in 2015 but outside his Asian mark.

"Everyone's gotten faster really, so being able to come back and to win after a rough summer definitely means a lot to me," said the 22-year-old, who won by nearly a second ahead of Indonesia's Fauzi Sidiq.

"I was a little nervous going in, you never know how it's going to be. I felt pretty solid, I was happy with the way I felt. Usually, I feel better throughout the meet so hopefully I can keep the ball rolling," he added.

Schooling, who could only take 100m butterfly bronze at the Budapest worlds, found himself in the firing line when he cheekily said he wanted to "teach (Malaysians) a thing or two", a remark for which he later apologised.

He said he wasn't sure how he would be received by the crowd, but there was no booing as he was introduced on the first night of the swimming competition, where he is going for six titles.

"We're here to have a good meet and to put on a good show and I think the crowd wants to see that... they really pack the stands and come out and support all of us, so that's amazing," he said.

"So I'm very pleased with the reception and I think it will get better as the days go on, I'm excited for that." 

'Little Mermaid'

In other races, Vietnam's "Little Mermaid" Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, who grabbed eight gold medals at the 2015 SEA Games, won the women's 100m backstroke in a Games-record time of 1:01.89.

Quah Jing Wen easily won the women's 200m butterfly in 2:12.03, and then recovered to anchor Singapore to victory in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Home favourite Welson Wee won the men's 400m freestyle in a Games-record 3:50.26, and Indonesia's Siman Sudartawa also set a new tournament mark of 25.20 in winning the men's 50m backstroke.

Wee's victory helped Malaysia extend their lead on the medals table as they reached 23 golds near the end of day two, 10 ahead of Singapore.

Mohd Harrif Saleh shrugged off a waist injury to win cycling's men's criterium, and Malaysia also triumphed in men's double trap shooting, men's doubles bowling and men's team recurve archery.

The Philippines swept gold and silver in both the men's and women's triathlon, as Nikko Bryan won the men's ahead of John Chicano and Marion Kim Mangrobang and Maria Claire Adorna topped the women's race.

Tuesday will be the busiest day of competition so far, with 45 gold medals on offer including eight on the first day of track and field.

A man who had a baby strapped to him was caught on camera crossing the road in a reckless manner -- then losing his temper at a driver that had stopped to let him pass.

The incident occurred last Saturday (Aug 19) at around 6.45pm, along St Thomas Walk.

Stomp contributor Amazing, the driver in the incident, sent Stomp a video clip showing what transpired that evening.

In the footage, the man can be seen crossing the road with a baby strapped to him.

He then gestured for Stomp contributor Amazing to stop, while calling for a woman and a boy riding a kid's scooter (presumably his family) who were trailing behind. The woman was pushing a baby stroller.

The Stomp contributor said in a phone interview: "The man shouted at his wife to the cross the road."

Amazing added that at this point, he shook his head at the man's behaviour -- which the latter saw and made him flare up.

"I was more than happy to let him pass, but he flew into a rage and blocked my vehicle's passage with the baby strapped to him when I shook my head at his reckless act.

"He kept saying he had the right to cross (the road) because he had a baby with him. Does he think his baby is his shield?

"He also came to the driver's side and continued shouting, but I drove off," said Amazing.

According to the Stomp contributor, he only shook his head but did not honk at the man. He also did not engage in an argument by responding.

The police are looking for witnesses to an alleged hit-and-run case that happened outside a McDonald's branch along Jalan Bukit Merah, towards Queensway on Thursday (Aug 17), at around 6.34pm.

A 78-year-old pedestrian was hit by a Power-Assisted Bicycle (PAB) and sustained serious head injuries while the PAB rider left before the police arrived at the scene.

The victim died in hospital on Saturday (Aug 19).

The police would like to urge members of the public to come forward if they have any information on the accident.

If found guilty of the offence of hit-and-run, the motorist will face a fine of up to $3,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

Repeat offenders will be liable to a fine of up to $5,000 or a jail term of up to two years, or both.

Anyone with information is requested to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit the information via the I-Witness portal.

Alternatively, they may lodge a report at any Neighbourhood Police Centre or Neighbourhood Police Post.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

She might have made Sydney her home for the past 18 years, but Audra Morrice is still a Singaporean at heart.

The MasterChef Asia judge and MasterChef Australia finalist always has a jar of homemade 'sambal' and peanut sauce stored at home.

Sounding very much like a foodie (she has her own cooking series on SBS Food Network in Australia), she tells AsiaOne in a sit-down interview that she could go on and on about where to eat in Sydney.

Without missing a beat, she does the same when she gushes about Singaporean dishes. 

It's safe to say that Morrice, 47, is every bit a Sydneyporean.

The Singapore Tourism Board ambassador is currently in town for the launch of "Meet the Sydneyporeans", a mini series done in collaboration between Australian airline Qantas and tourism agency Destination New South Wales.

The series features Singaporeans living in Sydney and beyond.

Thanks to her Chinese-Indian heritage as well as being well-versed in all things gastronomic, Morrice's palate is wide-ranging, to say the least.

She reeled off a good number of must-visit cafes and restaurants in Sydney, making it rather challenging for this writer to keep up.

Nevertheless, Morrice lets us in on what she believes are the food and activities that can't be missed while in Sydney.

Hidden food gems

"Those who are constantly on diets won't want to be friends with me," the celebrity chef joked.

She recommends Singaporeans to "go all out and see what Sydney has to offer" while they're in town.

Some of the restaurants that Morrice said she visits "over and over again" include Spice Temple and Billy Kwong.

On a more casual side of things, she goes to Bourke Street bakery for pies, ginger brûlee tart and sourdough breads.

Another place that that she enjoys is El Loco, which serves tacos with an Asian influence throughout.

As for comfort food, she goes straight for Thai cuisine.

"There's a restaurant on Campbell Street that sells the best salted mackerel fried rice, it reminds me a lot of home and what my mum used to cook."

But for those who can't live without their chicken rice and laksa, there's no go-to place in Sydney for Singaporean food in Morrice's books. And why should there be, when she's perfectly capable of creating them herself at home.

Cook at home if you miss Singapore food

Morrice also shared that friends and family turn to her when they want to have some beef rendang and laksa.

She recommends making your own paste at home in bigger batches so that you can freeze them in portions for easy cooking later on.

"I would say go the distance with laksa. You can use the same paste for laksa and nonya chicken curry," Morrice shared.

"If I want to eat something that's really Singaporean, I whip up dishes like beef rendang, sayur lodeh, laksa - my kids love it."

Her tip for Singaporeans living abroad who want to cook something quick and easy is to just whip up a bowl of fried rice as there are countless of versions available out there.

Her childhood in Singapore

Food has always been a huge part of Morrice's life.

She tells us that her greatest culinary inspiration and influence is her mother.

Growing up in Singapore, she said she was her mother's "sous chef" and was allowed to watch her cook. She started off making 'baos' (steamed buns) with her mother back in primary school.

All that hard work paid off.

"Now I can do 'guo tie' or potstickers effortlessly," Morrice said.

She shared an important tip on how to eat potstickers: Don't just dip them in the vinegar sauce, open the dumpling up through the middle and pour the sauce in to make sure you really get to taste as much as you can.

Some of her fondest memories include visiting the wet market with her mum and having kway chap while she shops.

She admitted to always being given the largest bowl of soup at family dinners - all because of her huge love for soups.

Her favourite? Kiam chye or preserved mustard greens with pork bones.

If you're planning a trip to Sydney and will be renting an apartment, take Morrice's word and go get fresh produce to cook up some of your own food.

"We've got some of the best produce in the world, it's unreal," Morrice said.

"Depending on what time of the year you come, there'll be different things in seasons and I'd say that's the best thing about Sydney."

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

WHAT ELSE TO DO IN SYDNEY?

Morrice gives some tips on what else there is to do in the city and on the outskirts.

Venture into the suburbs

There's so much more than just the city, Morrice said.

Besides having good food, she says visitors should pay a trip to Palm Beach, which is an hour outside of the city, to partake in outdoor activities such as walking trails.

As for restaurants, head over to The Boathouse in Palm Beach for burgers and fries as well as hearty salads.

Also try going on a road trip to Bowral, which is a quaint little town about three to four hours away from the centre.

"My favourite place is Dirty Jane's, it's a little shed that sells vintage, pre-loved items," Morrice said.

"I met this lady who was a former Vogue editor many years ago and she has a shop that sells all the stuff her models have used. Amazing things!"

She added: "I've picked up silver cutlery from here too. You can buy nice crockery your grandma used to use in the 70's as well."

Start your morning at a farmers market

She also enjoys getting her organic produce at various spots such as Rose Bay Farmers Market (she goes on Tuesdays), Carriageworks Farmers Market as well as Farmer's Produce Market at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park.

Running a catering business in Sydney means Morrice visits these markets on a regular basis.

She cites Brooklyn Boy Bagels, which has outlets at various farmers markets all over Sydney, as her go-to spot for authentic New York-style bagels.

Flemington Markets is another favourite of Morrice's.

"(If I were a visitor to Sydney), I would get out to the suburbs - there are lots of organic food markets that happen every day of the week and it's very local," Morrice shared.

Go on walking trails

"We have a very outdoorsy culture in Sydney," Morrice said. "Try the coastal walk from Bondi to Bronte beaches - there are amazing cafes at both ends. You can do this walk all year round."

In fact, the mother of two boys is still uncovering "so much" in Sydney.

"A couple of months back, I went to The Lighthouse in Palm Beach, that's an hour outside of Sydney. You can walk all the way down to the coast and back up to the beach.

"It's very casual with great food and the walks are great. There's quite a steep incline but you also feel you're truly outside the city - the landscape is breathtaking."

There's also paddleboarding to try in the summer, but it's better to go early before the wind picks up.

SINGAPORE - Singapore's prime minister has urged people to drink water, eat wholemeal bread and choose brown rice over white in a health push that began with an agreement from soda makers to reduce the sugar content in drinks sold in the country.

The campaign is aimed at curbing the incidence of diabetes in the city-state, where the number of adults with the disease could grow to nearly a million by 2050 from 440,000 in 2014, according to the Ministry of Health.

"As a first step, we have got the soft drink producers to agree to reduce the sugar in all their soft drinks sold in Singapore," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday.

The World Health Organisation said last year drinking fewer calorific sweet drinks was the best way to curb excessive weight and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, although fat and salt in processed foods were also to blame.

Several countries, including Britain, Belgium, France, Hungary, and Mexico, have either imposed or plan to impose some form of tax on drinks with added sugar. Some have also implemented warning labels on sugary drinks.

Lee said no country had found an ideal solution yet, but if someone came up with a workable plan, Singapore would study and implement it.

Read also

4 myths about eating with diabetes

Coca-Cola Co, the world's largest beverage maker, and its rival, PepsiCo Inc, have stepped up efforts to reduce sugar in their beverages. Last year, Coca-Cola said it has 200 reformulation initiatives underway to reduce added sugar in its drinks and is launching more sugar-free, low- and no-calorie products.

PepsiCo last year set a target that by 2025 at least two-thirds of its drinks will have 100 calories or fewer from added sugar per 12 oz serving, up from about 40 per cent.

Lee urged Singaporeans to eat less, choose dishes with less oil, sugar and salt, and "walk a little bit more and work it into your daily routine". Members of his audience would get a free step tracker from the Health Promotion Board, he said.

KUALA LUMPUR - Southeast Asian Games organisers urged fans to behave themselves on Tuesday after Malaysia football supporters caused anger by chanting "Singapore dogs" during a game.

The organising committee called the incident, footage of which has been circulating online, "highly regrettable" and said it ran counter to the spirit of the 11-nation Games.

"Any incident that is contradictory to this spirit of togetherness and unity, especially hurling of insults at other participating nations in whatever form, is highly regrettable," the committee said in a statement.

"Fans are urged to refrain from chanting offensive religious or racial slurs at all times," it added.

The chanting was recorded during Malaysia's 2-1 Group A win over neighbouring Singapore in Shah Alam on August 16.

Malaysian fans have drawn flak for using the same insult before, including in 2012 when footage of chanting from a Suzuki Cup game also raised hackles in Singapore.

"We Singaporeans only lose the game to them, but they lose their morals and game spirits," Rashidah Begum Shye posted on Facebook.

"Sports rivalry is good but when it descends into name calling, racist chants and unsporting behaviours, it's bad," wrote JJ Chong.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on Aug 20 after getting into a fight with another man at a house in Kew Crescent.

Stomp understands that the men are father and son.

Stomp contributor Kangwei, who stays next door to the family, sent Stomp a video of the incident.

The father and son were struggling against each other in their front yard and the son was heard shouting, "Open the door and let me take my things from the car!"

His father appeared to be preventing his son from leaving their home which made the younger man furious.

He shouted a stream of expletives and started getting aggressive by kicking the gate and throwing a Singapore flag over it.

His father is heard telling him, "Nothing is in there, it's not important now."

Soon after, a police car arrives at the residence.

In response to Stomp's media queries, a police spokesman said:

"On 20 Aug at 9.19am, the police were alerted to a case of criminal intimidation at 18 Kew Crescent.

"A 40-year-old man was arrested in relation to the case.

"Police investigations are ongoing."

Watch the video below.

Stomp contributor Justin is disappointed that barely one month after moving into his brand new apartment at Riverbank @ Fernvale, things are already falling apart.

Justin and his family moved into their new home at the condominium in July but before National Day, they discovered that water was leaking through a fake ceiling in their bathroom.

"We came back home and when one of my children switched on the light to the bathroom, it caused the whole house's electricity to trip," said Justin.

We brought this to the attention of the security guard who gave them the contact number of the contractor for the property.

Justin said:

"They came last Friday to saw open the ceiling to investigate what went wrong, then told us they would contact us on Monday (Aug 21) to continue the repair."

However, Monday came and went and they heard no word from the company.

Already disappointed at what had happened, Justin was shocked when debris started 'raining' from the hole left in the bathroom's ceiling.

"I WhatsApped the contractor but I didn't get a reply," said Justin.

He added that he also tried contacting the developer but has been unsuccessful in getting a response from them.

"I'm just very disappointed that our brand new home has so many problems.

"It's really not fair to us."

Justin wanted to share his experience with more people so that someone might be able to relieve his plight.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is investigating an incident where a group of people were seen flying a drone over Kreta Ayer Road on Aug 17.

After the original article was published with the statement from CAAS, the company of the crew that was flying the drone, K.Kopter, responded and said that they were operating the unmanned aircraft with permits and within CAAS guidelines.

A Stomp contributor had first alerted Stomp to the incident. He said that he was sightseeing in the area when he noticed a group of people flying a drone above the Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple.

The men wore shirts with the words K.Kopter on it which is a company that specialises in aerial photography and videography.

Feeling that the drone was flying too low at some points, the Stomp contributor told the group that he thought that it was dangerous as there were many people in the area.

"They could not accept my simple feedback and became unhappy," said the Stomp contributor.

One of the crew members approached the Stomp contributor and asked, "What do you want from us?" before taking out his phone to film him back.

A woman added: "We are working, let us work."

Feeling intimidated, the Stomp contributor backed away.

"I was just giving them my two cents worth," said the Stomp contributor.

According to the CAAS website, people operating unmanned aircraft should not fly them over any crowd.

Responding to Stomp media queries, Mr Loo Chee Beng, Director (Air Navigation Services Policy & Planning), CAAS, issued the following statement:

"For all commercial unmanned aircraft (UA) activities, a valid Operator Permit and Class 1 Activity Permit from CAAS are required. CAAS is aware of this case and investigations are ongoing.

"All UA operators are reminded to conduct their activities in a safe and responsible manner. Guidelines on how to operate UA safely and responsibly, as well as details on the UA permit regime in Singapore, may be found on the CAAS website at www.caas.gov.sg/caas/en/ANS/unmanned-aircraft.html. If in doubt, operators may also contact CAAS at caas_uapo@caas.gov.sg."

K.Kopter responded to the incident in a press release:

"K.Kopter would like to clarify to the public that we were operating our unmanned aircraft on Aug 17 (around Chinatown area) with approved Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (CAAS Ref: UOP/0056) and Activity Permits (CAAS Ref: 4340 & 4339).

"We conducted our aerial videography within CAAS guidelines throughout the flight.

"CAAS will be conducting an interview with K.Kopter on Aug 24, as a formality and as standard protocol whenever a complaint is received from the public."

Watch the video below.

Shanghai - Formula One is looking to stage two more street races in Asia as part of a drive to win new fans, one of the sport's most senior officials told AFP on Tuesday.

F1 is reinventing itself under US-based Liberty Media, who completed their takeover of motorsport's most prestigious brand in January in a deal valued at about $8 billion, ending the four-decade reign of Bernie Ecclestone as Formula One's colourful ringmaster.

Singapore's night street circuit has proved particularly popular with fans and drivers since making its debut in 2008 and managing director of commercial operations, Sean Bratches, says F1 enthusiasts can expect to see more street races in future.

"I'm spending a lot of time reaching out proactively to cities ... and think ultimately we will realise more street races than we have seen historically," he said, speaking in Shanghai, a race in the current calendar.

"We will go to iconic cities where there are large fan bases, particularly new fan bases that we can activate." He added: "From a fan standpoint the backdrops of these city centres ... can really make compelling television and pictures."

Asked if that meant more street circuits in Asia, he said: "Yes, two."

In the last five years the Indian and Korean grands prix have both fallen off the race calendar, while Malaysia has announced that this year's race will be the last due to rising costs and low returns.

Talks are ongoing about extending Singapore's contract.

Bratches said that in terms of sheer fan numbers Asia is Formula One's biggest market and they are in negotiations for races in "entirely new places".

"We are very focused on bringing additional GPs to the continent here. We're in talks with a couple of cities to that end," he said, declining to give further details.

The plan is to have a third of the season each in the Americas, Europe and Asia, said Bratches.

Unlike at present, when races jump from region to region, they will take place one continent at a time, he added, benefiting fans, sponsors, teams and organisers.

The Monaco Grand Prix remains the blue-riband event and Bratches believes fans want to see more such high-octane street racing.

"We think there is a lot of vibrancy to having a few more street races to the calendar," he said.

SINGAPORE - Seven major drinks companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo will limit the sugar content of drinks they sell in Singapore, as part of the country's campaign to fight diabetes.

Singapore is one of the first countries in Asia to target sugary drinks, bringing it in line with many Western nations that have sought to mitigate the health risks associated with sugar through measures such as taxes and warning labels.

Globally, beverage firms have been reworking recipes, racing to cut sugar and introduced more options to cater to increasingly health-conscious consumers.

On Tuesday, Singapore's ministry of health said the seven firms had signed an industry pledge to remove by 2020 drinks that contain more than 12 per cent sugar from their portfolios of sugar-sweetened beverages.

As well as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, the companies include F&N Foods, Malaysia Dairy Industries, Nestle, Pokka [POKKA.UL] and Yeo Hiap Seng.

"In addition to this industry commitment, Coca-Cola Singapore is making an additional commitment to reduce the sugar content in our portfolio of sugar-sweetened beverages by 10 per cent by 2020," Coca-Cola said in an email to Reuters.

It said it had been reducing sugar and calories across many of its brands, and offering more new drinks with low sugar content or no added sugar.

Daily sugar consumption per capita from soft drinks has risen since 2010 to 6.08 grams in Asia-Pacific in 2016, with Singapore at 11.99 grams, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

Consumption has been trending lower in Europe and the United States, but it is still higher than in Asia-Pacific.

"Governments in Asia are actively promoting healthy consumption, such as Malaysia which launched its Healthier Choices Logo in April 2017," said Euromonitor International analyst Nathanael Lim.

"Consumers also have an increasing preference for beverages containing natural ingredients with zero sugar."

Read also

4 myths about eating with diabetes

The World Health Organisation said last year drinking fewer calorific sweet drinks was the best way to curb excessive weight and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, although fat and salt in processed foods were also to blame.

Among Asian countries, the Philippines has slapped levies on sugar-sweetened beverages, while Indonesia and India have been considering similar taxes.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned the drinks makers' agreement in a speech on Sunday, in which he also urged people to drink water, eat wholemeal bread and brown rice.

Also read: How you take white rice can 'make a big difference' in your blood sugar

Cruising to Alaska is probably one of the "things to do before you die" on many people's bucket lists.

If you have time to spare, or ample annual leave, this 29-day direct cruise from Singapore to Alaska may be a good option for those who do not like taking long-haul flights to US or Canada.

From April 14, 2018, Princess Cruises will set sail from Singapore to Anchorage, Alaska, with stops at 11 ports across Asia.

The ship, the Golden Princess, will stop by Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei, Busan, and a couple of ports in Japan, such as Osaka, Shimizu, Yokohama, Sakaiminato, Hakodate and Muroran.

After the first leg of the trip that covers these Asian ports, the cruise will then cross the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean towards Alaska.

This is where guests can take in the icy and majestic scenery that Alaska has to offer, as well as its diverse wildlife such as humpback whales and dolphins, while on board the Golden Princess.

And the best way to enjoy the Alaskan scenery? Right in the comfort of your own cabin. There are 700 rooms with balconies among the 1,300 cabins on the Golden Princess, and these staterooms will allow guests to enjoy the scenic tour in privacy.

Director of Southeast Asia at Princess Cruises, Farriek Tawfik, said: "This cruise appeals to Asians as the ship calls at many North Asian ports, especially in Japan, where guests will be able experience various local cultural activities and cuisine before they arrive in Alaska."

The 29-day cruise to Alaska starts from $4,520 per person. Guests can also choose to extend seven more days to a 36-day cruise at an additional $1,160 per person. 

The additional 7-day Alaska Grand Adventure tour will continue cruising through Alaska, visiting the picturesque Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway and Juneau before arriving in Vancouver, Canada.

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All aboard! Cruises expected to grow into one of top vacation options for Singaporeans

There, travellers have the option to take a flight back to Singapore.

This is the first time Princess Cruises, which is operated by American company Carnival Group, is operating a direct cruise to Alaska from Singapore. 

According to a spokesperson from Carnival Group, the cruise line is currently accepting bookings online and by phone. The 29-day Epic Adventure Cruise from Singapore to Alaska is also sold at all travel agents in Singapore.

Princess Cruises also operates a Southeast Asia round-trip cruise from Singapore from Nov to March this year. 

klim@sph.com.sg

At 29, Pamela Lim was homeless, jobless, and half a million dollars in debt.

Desperate and alone, she turned to prostitution to climb out of the situation she had fallen into.

Speaking about her past, Pamela sat down with Eng Beng of the Happiness Notebook for an interview.

Pamela's financial problems began in 2004 when her events management business failed, leaving her $50,000 in debt.

Naive and anxious to pay it off, she fell for a get-rich-quick investment scam by a friend who kept asking for more and more money and even harassed her at work, causing her to leave her job as a receptionist.

In the end, her debt ballooned to $500,000.

"I fell out with my family because of the money issue. I even stole and pawned my mum's jewellery out of desperation for a few thousand dollars," said Pamela.

"My brother was angry and took my house keys away. I was jobless, penniless, and homeless. I was desperate, and ended up doing (prostitution)."

Initially, Pamela visited cyber cafes to find someone to confide in through the Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

However, men started making indecent proposals, and that's when she realised she could make money doing this.

During her eight months as a prostitute, Pamela had 30 clients, of which three were regular.

Speaking on her worst experience, she recalled a client who forced himself on her without wearing a condom:

"We did the first round, then he literally forced himself on me for a second time without protection. I ended up with gonorrhoea. The experience was horrible, I felt humiliated."

She hated what she was doing, but she continued because she wanted to get out of debt.

However, in her darkest hour, she managed to find her light at the end of her tunnel when she met Eric, a client who would eventually become her husband.

"Before I met Eric, all the clients I had wanted my body only for their personal satisfaction. I was, to them, a tall and beautiful girl they could use as an object of carnal pleasure," she wrote in her book.

"Eric was very nice, brought food for me and brought me to see a doctor. He was someone I felt very comfortable with."

Eric found himself falling in love with Pamela despite what she did for a living:

"I did ask myself if I should get involved with her. But I told her I would always be behind her.

"I have this feeling that we're meant to be together. I didn't mind her past, the past is the past. This is life, right? We all have issues.

He lent her money and was also there for her at her lowest moment when her father found out what she was doing.

She felt ashamed and wanted to drown herself at East Coast Park but Eric found her and she was soon rescued by the police and warded in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

They decided to get married when Pamela was pregnant with their first child.

The wedding was a simple affair with just four tables, and no wedding dress or photography.

Pamela, now 43, runs a digital marketing business but is still over $400,000 in debt.

"We are paying [it] off bit by bit," said Eric, now an operations manager in a local IT company.

Despite that, the couple has a happy life together and live with their three sons in a four-room flat in Punggol.

In 2015, Pamela decided to write her autobiography, Love Heals: How I Turn My Life Around.

"I started thinking about it in 2011, but it was a struggle for me because it was so personal," Pamela told Stomp in a phone interview.

"It took me a long time to shed my emotional baggage."

Pamela said that many people told her that they were inspired by her story and she decided to finally write it for her 10th wedding anniversary.

"I never got the opportunity to have a wedding photo shoot when I got married so I wrote to several wedding studios about how I was writing a book and if any of them would be interested in sponsoring me.

"Beautiful Love Wedding got back to me after a few days and offered to sponsor my photo shoot.

"The photos are featured in my book and are on the cover as well."

After her book was published last year, she said several people have come up to her to thank her for sharing her life struggles and journey.

Despite her earlier hesitation, she believes her story has a bigger purpose: To bring hope to women who are forced into the prostitution trade.

To read the full interview, go to Happiness Notebook.