Singapore Local News, 2010-12-31

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Full text of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's New Year message 1. The Singapore economy recovered strongly in 2010. It grew 12.5% year-on-year in the 4th quarter, and 14.7% for 2010 as a whole. This is a dramatic rebound from the negative growth last year. We should rejoice in this exceptional performance, but p.....     Body of 5th Mersing boat tragedy victim identified by family SINGAPORE : The body of the fifth victim of the Mersing boat accident has been identified by his family...... Akon's concert in Singapore cancelled Hip-Hop artist Akon's concert in Singapore scheduled for 8 January has been cancelled...... MUIS grants help 1,900 families The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has made a year-end bonus disbursement of S$722,000 to almost 1,900 families under its tithe assistance scheme...... M'sia, S'pore to approve draft Written Instrument The Malaysia-Singapore Joint Implementation Team (MSJIT) has submitted a draft Written Instrument to the respective governments for consideration and approval......

NEA steps up anti-littering efforts The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it would be stepping up its enforcement efforts at various New Year's Eve countdown events held Friday evening......     RWS gets letter of censure SINGAPORE : The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) has taken disciplinary action against Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) for making changes to surveillance plans that were previously approved...... MDA gets new chairman, members The Information, Communications and the Arts Ministry (MICA) has appointed Mr Niam Chiang Meng as Chairman of the Media Development Authority (MDA) for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011...... This year, in Singapore politics... Election talk, new political parties, changes to the Constitution, and a historic deal sealed with neighbour Malaysia. These were some issues which took centrestage on Singapore's political scene in 2010...... Resorts World Sentosa gets letter of censure RESORTS World Sentosa (RWS) has received a letter of censure from the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore (CRA) for making changes to its surveillance system without prior approval. RWS was reprimanded after it was judged to have broken the rule..... Singapore economy grows by 14.7 per cent in 2010 PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday flagged the widening income gap as an issue the Government is trying to tackle, even as the economy grew a record 14.7 per cent last year in a dramatic rebound from negative growth in 2009.He noted in his New ..... 4 industrial sites on sale in 1st half of 2011 FOUR sites have been confirmed on Friday under the Industrial Government Land Sales Programme for the first half of 2011. They are: Ang Mo Kio Street 62; Fusionopolis Link; Irving Place and Woodlands Avenue 12 (Parcel 2), with tenders to be announced..... Akon's Jan 8 show in S'pore 'unexpectedly cancelled' THE planned concert of popular Senegalese-American pop star Akon, slated for Jan 8 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, has been cancelled due to 'recently developed, unforeseen and unexpected circumstances'. In an official released statement, Entangle P..... Malaysia and S'pore complete 6th and final meeting THE Sixth and final meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Implementation Team (MSJIT) was held in Singapore from Dec 29-30.As mandated by the prime ministers of both countries, the MSJIT has submitted a draft Written Instrument to the respective go..... Party-goers urged not to buy from illegal hawkers AS SINGAPORE gears up for end-of-year bashes, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is also preparing to deal with the litter and illegal hawkers that come with the parties. On New Year's Eve, the NEA warned that its officers will be on duty to catch..... 6 months jail for selling passport THE very day she flew in, Renuka Sanjeewani Maddumage, 38, sold her passport to another Sri Lankan woman along Serangoon Road for $600. Six days later on Wednesday, Dec 29, she was arrested when she went to report its loss to the Immigration & Checkp..... Singaporean women love their hair A RECENT survey done by London-based dating website Badoo.com revealed that women of different countries have different preferred compliments.Singaporean women have spoken up and they have revealed that they enjoy being complimented on their luscious..... Brit businessman fined for Christmas shoplifting HE WAS caught stealing four bottles of Heineken beer from a 7-Eleven store in River Valley Road on Christmas Day.Released on bail, Antony Karl Pugh, 32, was at it again a day later...... Road bully jailed for causing hurt to motorcyclist A HAWKER who punched a motorcyclist in a road rage incident was jailed for three weeks on Friday.Lee Keng Leong, 53, admitted to causing hurt to Mr Janatulfirdauz Yusuf, 26, along Tampines Avenue 1 on Sept 7, 2009...... First charge for using fake casino chips in MBS FIVE Indian nationals were charged in a district court on Friday with using fake casino chips.This is the first case of its kind since Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands opened in February and April 2010...... Negligent taxi driver charged with causing death A TAXI driver was charged on Friday with causing the death of his front seat passenger and injuring another.Ong Poh Hin, 47, allegedly failed to keep a proper lookout while driving along the Pan-Island Expressway on Oct 2, resulting in his cab hittin..... MDA appoints new chairman and members THE Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) has appointed Mr Niam Chiang Meng, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports as Chairman of the Media Development Authority (MDA) for a two-year term..... Through the Lens multimedia: Second Try NICHOLAS Yap, 17, is a Normal (Academic) student from Si Ling Secondary School.He had to retake his GCE 'N' Level examinations this year because he did not score well enough last year to progress to Secondary 5......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-30

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210 property agents barred Come Saturday, 210 property agents will not be able to practise their trade. Their applications to register with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) were rejected as they were found to have criminal records or records of offences involving fraud or.....

World's first ArtScience Museum to open in February The world's first ArtScience Museum (picture), located at Marina Bay Sands, will open its doors on Feb 17 next year......     Organisers putting final touches on year end celebrations Final touches are underway to usher in the new year in Singapore with organisers of several new year's eve parties looking to break new ground to give revellers a memorable night...... Overstayer caught trying to leave S'pore SINGAPORE : A 38-year-old China national who had overstayed in Singapore was caught when he tried to leave the country illegally on Wednesday...... Postmen playing hard to get Singapore Post (SingPost) is finding it tough to recruit postmen to boost its staff strength...... MBS casino croupier charged SINGAPORE : A Marina Bay Sands casino croupier has been charged in a district court with dishonestly converting cash chips amounting to S$13,000...... Body of 5th Mersing boat tragedy victim found The body of the fifth Singaporean victim of the Mersing boat accident has been found...... Visitor arrivals up 16.1% in November The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said visitor arrivals rose 16.1 per cent to reach 963,000 in November...... HSA recalls mouth rinses, skin cleansing wipes Authorities have found bacteria that can affect those with weak immune systems in three products. Care Wipes disposable skin cleansing wipes, Trihexid Chlorhexidine Mouth Rinse and Pearlie White Fluoride Mouth Rinse...... Motorists can exchange parking coupons from Jan 3 The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Housing & Development Board (HDB) would like to remind motorists that parking coupons which are only valid up to December 31, 2010 can no longer be used from January 1, 2011...... Employers now more family-friendly More employers are providing other leave benefits aside from the statutory leave benefits to help their employees cope with family commitments...... Man pleads guilty to giving S$2.4m bribe A businessman pleaded guilty to 12 counts of giving bribes worth S$2.4 million to a former food and beverage manager of Swedish furniture giant Ikea...... Adulterated whisky: 5 charged Five men, aged between 32 and 36 years, have been charged with adulterating 'Johnnie Walker' whisky...... Ex-SLA deputy director faces another 70 charges Former deputy director at the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Koh Seah Wee, who stands accused of cheating the government of more than S$12 million, was slapped with another 70 charges on Thursday...... Govt to give out S$80m of Utilities-Save rebates in 2011 About 800,000 Singaporean HDB households can expect to receive about S$50m worth of Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates in January 2011...... Learn english and maths at Mendaki Sense THOSE looking to learn basic english and maths skills under the national Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system can look to one more training provider - the Mendaki Social Enterprise Network Singapore, or Mendaki Sense.Since December 1, it has ..... Busted: Suspected illegal overstayer in car trunk A MAN hiding in the trunk of a Malaysian-registered car was discovered by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officials as the car tried to exit Singapore at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Thursday. Preliminary investigations revealed that the M..... S'pore visitor arrivals up 16.1% year-on-year in Nov VISITOR arrivals to Singapore registered 16.1 per cent growth to reach 963,000 in November 2010.This is the highest number of arrivals recorded for the month of November...... Tune into emotions via the 'Emocube' WHEN the going gets tough, plug in your earphones, listen to a track by Gwen Stefani, and feel better. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is offering young people a musical way to deal with everyday troubles from weariness to blind love...... HSA issues recall of 3 personal hygiene products THE Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is alerting the public to three consumer products recall: -'Care Wipes' by Tai Sun Paper -'Trihexid Chlorhexidine 0.2% Mouth Rinse' by Trident Pharm -'Pearlie White Fluorinze Fluoride Mouth Rinse' by Corlison..... More companies offering work-life balance MORE employers are offering work-life arrangements such as part-time work and staggered hours. This is the main finding in the latest Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Conditions of Employment Survey...... SLA fraud case: Koh slapped with additional 70 charges FORMER senior government executive Koh Seah Wee, facing multiple charges of defrauding the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) of more than of $12 million, was slapped with 70 more cheating charges in the Subordinate Courts this morning.Some 63 of the cha..... Get up to $190 worth of HDB utility rebates in 2011 ABOUT 800,000 HDB households can expect to receive $50 million worth of utility rebates early next year, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) revealed on Thursday. The payout is part of the $80 million of U-Save rebates the Government will give out in 2011,..... Ikea's ex-food supplier admits to 12 graft charges A BUSINESSMAN who faced 80 corruption charges involving $2.4 million has admitted to 12 counts of giving a total of $761,020 to the then-food services manager of Ikano, the franchisee of a company which owns and operates Ikea.Andrew Tee Fook Boon, 44..... Through the Lens multimedia: Second Try NICHOLAS Yap, 17, is a Normal (Academic) student from Si Ling Secondary School.He had to retake his GCE 'N' Level examinations this year because he did not score well enough last year to progress to Secondary 5......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-29

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Boat declared seaworthy a month before mishap MERSING (Johor) - The boat that capsized on Sunday - leaving four Singaporeans dead and one missing - was inspected and declared seaworthy only a month before the mishap......     Busy year for politics in 2010 Election talk, new political parties, changes to the Constitution, and a historic deal sealed with neighbour Malaysia. These were some issues which took centre-stage on Singapore's political scene in 2010...... Jobless man cheats stallholders SINGAPORE : An unemployed man has preyed on the honesty of stallholders by claiming he had been short-changed, a District Court heard on Wednesday...... ArtScience Museum at MBS to open on Feb 17 The latest attraction at the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort will open on February 17...... Singapore's next ambassador to France SINGAPORE : The government has appointed Mr Tan York Chor as Singapore's next Ambassador to France...... ICA to implement double-barrelled race options From Saturday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will implement the registration of double-barrelled race options for Singaporean children born to parents of different races...... Electricity tariffs to go up next year After falling this quarter, electricity tariffs for households will go up by 3.3 per cent for the first three months of next year......

Sembawang flasher arrested SINGAPORE : Police have arrested a 20-year-old man who is believed to be involved in at least four cases of indecent exposure in the Sembawang estate this month......     210 property agents disqualified 210 property agents have had their registration applications rejected and will no longer be allowed to practise from Saturday...... Woman who endangered plane out on bail An Irish woman, charged with endangering the safety of a Singapore Airlines plane, was released on Wednesday morning, on a S$5,000 bail...... Mersing boat crew shorthanded MERSING: The boat that sank in Mersing, claiming the lives of four Singaporeans, requires two deckhands and a driver to operate, according the Malaysian Authorities...... Ex bus driver charged with dangerous driving A former SMRT bus driver was charged on Wednesday morning in a district court with allegedly driving in a dangerous manner which killed a pedestrian...... Delayed SIA plane leaves NY A Singapore Airlines flight delayed for more than 34 hours in New York because of weather woes is finally making its way back to Singapore...... New bus direct to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal TRAVELLERS heading to popular holiday destinations, such as Bintan or Batam, will soon be spared the cumbersome task of making their own way to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. From Jan 1, SMRT will introduce its Premium Bus Service 570, a non-stop servic..... Two loanshark runners arrested TWO men, aged 30 and 62 , have been arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in two separate cases. On Tuesday, the 30-year-old suspect was arrested in Sengkang at night...... Sembawang flasher arrested POLICE arrested a man on Tuesday allegedly responsible for at least four cases of indecent exposure in the Sembawang estate.In December 2010, the 20-year-old suspect prowled around void decks in the Sembawang estate, exposing himself and committing o..... Double-barrelled race option to take effect on Jan 1 THE registration of 'double-barrelled' race options for Singaporean children born to parents of different races will be implemented by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority with effect from Jan 1.The new ruling gives parents of different races fu..... The girls are not so innocent: Readers React THE two girls who were aged 12 and 15 when they were involved in the case where a National Institute of Education (NIE) trainee had sex with them a few years ago, are not as innocent as they seem. This is the overall view of straitstimes.com readers ..... Soccer bookie jailed, fined for taking bets during World Cup IT WAS a busy time in June 2010 for Lai Theng Hooi with the World Cup kicking off in South Africa and football club matches in Europe, South America and Japan. The soccer bookie's luck ran out before the World Cup came to a close on July 11.The 30-ye..... Higher electricity costs for the start of 2011 THE average cost of electricity is expected to increase by 3.3 per cent from Jan 1 to Mar 31 2011.For example, families in four-room HDB flats will on average pay about $3.15 more a month on electricity charges...... 210 denied property agent licences THE Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) announced on Wednesday that 210 people applying to be property estate agents did not meet the proper criteria and were not granted registration as they were mainly found to have criminal, fraud or dishonesty reco..... More vantage points for Marina Bay NYE fireworks MARINA Bay is gearing up for its biggest New Year's countdown yet.The Urban Redevelopment Authority and Esplanade, which are organising the sixth annual countdown there, expects 250,000 to 300,000 revellers to show up for the event, which includes li..... Out on bail: Woman who tried opening plane door A YOUNG woman charged with trying to open a plane door in mid-flight was allowed out on bail of $5,000 on Wednesday, after spending nearly a month in remand.Diana Mary Scanlon, 28, a passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight from Munich to Singapore, ..... Ex-bus driver charged with causing maid's death A MAID crossing a road in April 2010, was hit by a SMRT bus but a split second before the collision, Ms Puji Astutik flung the baby she was carrying, to safety. The one-year-old infant, her employer's daughter, survived. Ms Puji, 28, died.Former bus ..... Big girls strip for charity THIS nude calendar has been grabbing headlines not just because it featured pictures of naked women, but for another reason entirely: Because it celebrates curves.Featuring 11 women completely nude, the photos were taken over two weekends by photogra..... Landlord jailed for swinging hammer at tenant A MAN who swung a hammer at his tenant and struck him on the head with the weapon was jailed for nine months on Wednesday.Lawrence Chng Teck Kok, 62, pleaded guilty to causing hurt to Chinese national Liu Hua, 26, at his Pasir Ris Street 72 flat on S..... Strong growth in Singapore office rents: DTZ OFFICE rentals in Singapore gathered momentum in Q4 2010, according to DTZ Research. Average prime gross rents in Raffles Place rose 7.1 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QOQ) in Q4 2010 to $9 per sq ft per month. This reflects an increasing rate of renta..... New appointments for Singapore Totalisator Board THE Minister for Finance (MOF) has appointed two new members and re-appointed six members to the board of the Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board). Mr Tan Soo Nan has also been re-appointed as the chief executive of the Tote Board. The appointmen..... Unemployed man jailed for making bomb hoax call AN UNEMPLOYED man was jailed for six months and two weeks on Wednesday for making a bomb hoax call and disorderly behaviour.Teng Boon Piew, 50, who pleaded guilty, made a false call to the police on Aug 8 that he suspected a bomb or terrorist(s) at t..... Through the Lens: 2010's Top 15 pictures EVERY picture tells a story and conveys a myriad of emotions.From forest fires, to accidents, to the Singapore Grand Prix and an Indonesian tsunami, Through the Lens picked the best 15 pictures of 2010 and interviewed our photojournalists who shot th..... World's 1st ArtScience Museum to open in S'pore THE world's first ArtScience Museum will open at Marina Bay Sands on the 'auspicious' date of Feb 17, 2011 at 1.18pm. With an 'iconic' lotus-inspired design, the ArtScience Museum is set to become the heart of the growing ArtScience movement as well ..... Air Macau joins Changi Airport network CHANGI Airport will welcome Air Macau as the first new carrier of 2011 to its growing network of airlines next month.From Jan 3, 2011, Air Macau will operate passenger services to Macau twice a week, and it - along with Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways.....

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-28

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We all need a reason to belong As we come up to the final year of the Enabling Masterplan 2007-2011, this might be a good time to point out an interesting, little-known fact: Singapore, Myanmar and North Korea are the only three countries in all of South, South-east and North-eas.....     Maintaining vigilance on national security SINGAPORE : Maintaining vigilance is key in ensuring the safety and security of the Singapore community...... PM Lee congratulates Iraqi PM Al-Maliki Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has conveyed his congratulations to Mr Nouri Al-Maliki on his appointment as Prime Minister of Iraq...... Trainee teacher convicted of sexual offences Another member of the teaching profession has been convicted of sexual offences...... Youth crime in the spotlight Deadly gang fights, troubled teens and community safety were issues that cropped up in 2010 and which the public would expect to have addressed in 2011...... SIA diverts plane after closure of Newark Airport SINGAPORE : Three Singapore Airlines flights between Singapore and New York have been affected by severe weather in New York...... Second Solicitor-General named Mr Lionel Yee Woon Chin has been appointed as the Second Solicitor-General...... Sentosa Cove death a misadventure State Coroner Victor Yeo has recorded a verdict of misadventure on the death of a China national, whose naked body was found in a pool at Sentosa Cove in March...... Capsized Mersing boat "seaworthy" MERSING: The boat that capsized in Mersing on Boxing Day last Sunday, taking the lives of four Singaporeans, was deemed seaworthy......

MOE unveils student-nurturing plans Secondary school students will be given greater social-emotional support and career guidance to nurture them through their adolescence, and better prepare them for learning, for post-secondary education and also for life......     Suspected church burglar caught Police have arrested a 25-year-old man who is believed to have broken into the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd along Victoria Street, last week..... Sentosa Cove death no foul play The dead China national, whose naked body was found in a pool at Sentosa Cove in March, was paid S$800 by a businessman to accompany him at a nightclub and to have sex with him...... HPB promotes mental wellness with "EmoCube" The Health Promotion Board (HPB) has a new initiative to promote mental wellness among the young - through song...... 4 nabbed in anti-loansharking raid Police on Monday arrested four men for their suspected involvement in loansharking activities, in a 10-hour operation...... Mersing tragedy: Survivor's account MERSING, Johor: As efforts were intensified on Monday to find the sole Singaporean still missing after the Boxing Day tragedy in Malaysia, the first accounts have emerged from survivors of the boat mishap that has now claimed the lives of four Singap..... Yuhua Village wins cleanest toilets in South-West District YOU can't eat off the floor, but Yuhua Village Market and Food Centre has the cleanest hawker centre toilets in the entire South-West district.The reigning champion for the past three years emerged tops again this year in the South-West Community Dev..... MOE to add student-nurturing programmes SECONDARY school teachers will be expected to get to know their students better to help them discover their strengths and mould their characters during their teenage years. As part of a review of secondary education, more measures will be introduced ..... Sentosa Cove drowning an accidental death AT THE inquiry on Tuesday, State Coroner Victor Yeo returned a finding of misadventure on the death of Chinese national who drowned in the pool of a bungalow at Sentosa Cove on March 24 this year.Ms Li Hong Yan, 24, died after an evening of drinking ..... Cathedral of the Good Shepherd thief arrested INSTEAD of waiting to receive the Christmas spirit, one man decided to help himself.A 25-year-old man allegedly broke into Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, along Victoria Street...... Singaporeans cancel Mersing fishing plans THE tragedy in Mersing which left 4 Singaporeans dead and one still missing has had a ripple effect among tourists in the area.Two Singaporeans staying at the Tunjuk Laut beach resort near the jetty where the tragedy struck told RazorTV that they hav..... First air-conditioned wet market to open at Elias Mall SINGAPORE's first air-conditioned government wet market will soon open at Elias Mall in Pasir Ris.The Housing & Development Board (HDB), which owns the premises that Sheng Siong took over earlier this year, gave the supermarket chain the green light ..... Loanshark-related arrests up 88% in 1st half of 2010 THE total number of people arrested for loansharking and harassment increased by 88 per cent in the first half of 2010, seeing 789 people arrested. The same period last year saw 419 people arrested...... Going to Sentosa on NYE WITH vehicular traffic around Sentosa expected to be higher than normal for New Year's Eve festive celebrations on Friday, visitors are encouraged help curb traffic congestion by taking public transport.Visitors taking the MRT to Sentosa are recommen..... Come clean, Internet Service Providers: Readers React INTERNET service providers (ISPs) in Singapore should just come clean and stop 'deceiving' customers, claim straitstimes.com readers.SingTel, Starhub and M1 objected to a Government proposal for ISPs to market broadband plans based on average surfing..... Man jailed for selling non-existent Jay Chou tickets A SALES executive who cheated victims into believing that he had iPhones and Jay Chou concert tickets for sale was jailed for 11 months on Tuesday for cheating and criminal breach of trust.Yeo Poh Kwee, 39, who faces 12 charges in all involving $16,8..... Singapore Zoo breeds more giant river terrapins THE Singapore Zoo has successfully bred four giant river terrapins. These terrapins are native to Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Sumatra, with more expected to join the family of eight in the months to come. Both female terrapins at the ..... Tune into your emotions with HPB's 'EmoCube' THE Health Promotion Board (HPB) has developed the EmoCube to promote mental wellness among the young.It is a repository of 200 popular songs to engage youth...... 4 caught in anti-loanshark operation FOUR men suspected of being involved in loansharking activities were arrested during a 10-hour operation on Monday.Officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted the anti-loansharking operations in Sengkang and Yishun housing estates, a polic..... Man jailed for sex with 2 underage girls, 15 & 12 A MAN who had sex with two underage girls a few years ago was sentenced to 15 months' jail on Tuesday.But Aaron Kok Chun Cheong, 23, will only start his sentence on Tuesday, Jan 4, 2011, as he wanted to spend the New Year with his family......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-27

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'Help works best in tailored measures' Instead of a "blanket approach", the best way to help the lower income group - in the face of rising costs of living next year - is still through targeted measures......     Top chinese drama producer dies MediaCorp's Senior Vice-President for regional Chinese drama productions, Victor Lau, died on Sunday evening. He lost his battle with an illness...... 'Rubbish' scam lands man in jail His ruse was a load of rubbish...... Five new sites gazetted as national monuments The Singapore Conference Hall and the adjoining Trade Union House which was the former home of the labour movement, have been gazetted as National Monuments by the Preservation of Monuments Board (PMB)......

Police arrests two for loansharking activities Police arrested a 62 year-old man and a 27 year-old woman for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in two separate cases on Monday......     New residency system for specialist doctors Residency programmes for specialist doctors - at SingHealth, National Healthcare Group and National University Health System - are now more structured since a US-based system was adopted in July...... Croupier to plead guilty to misappropriating chips SINGAPORE : A Taiwanese celebrity's daughter who was working as a croupier at Resorts World Casino faces charges of stealing casino chips worth more than S$110,000...... Body of 4th Singaporean found after boat sank in Johor The body of one of the Singaporeans missing after a fishing boat capsized off Mersing, Johor in Malaysia has been recovered and identified by family members...... SGX to give foreign brokers remote access THE Singapore Exchange (SGX) wants to make it easier for foreign brokers based overseas to trade here.The move will help the local bourse extend its reach into the international securities market...... Jailed and fined for 'dead-garbage-man' scam AN UNEMPLOYED man would tell residents in the Bukit Timah area that he was with the garbage collection company and there would be no waste collection the next day as the truck driver had died. Vijayakumar Ramalingam, 47, would then claim that he was ..... 4 buildings declared national monuments AN OLD conference hall and three memorials on Monday have been declared national monuments by the Preservation of Monuments Board (PMB).They are the Singapore Conference Hall, located in Shenton Way; and the three memorials in Esplanade Park, namely ..... S'poreans not put off by coach accidents IT'S cheaper, more comfortable and convenient.That was what Singaporeans told RazorTV when asked if they were concerned with travelling to Malaysia via coach instead of taking an airplane or train...... Two arrested for illicit moneylending activites THE police on Monday arrested a 62-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman for suspected involvement in loansharking activities in two separate cases.The male suspect was arrested in the vicinity of Kitchener Road...... Former Supreme Court and City Hall get $413.8m facelift THE former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings will be restored to the tune of $413.8 million.The restoration project, commissioned by the National Heritage Board, will begin in January 2011...... SPH sponsors floorball championships SINGAPORE Press Holdings (SPH) will be the title sponsor for the 5th National Primary Schools Floorball Championships 2011. Organised by the Singapore Floorball Association, supported and sanctioned by the Co-curricular Activities Branch of the Minis..... MFA confirms deaths of 4 Singaporeans off Mersing THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that three Singaporeans - three male, one female - have died after a boat en route to Mersing capsized.They are Adrian Tan Kook Yong, Chua Lim Khoon, Tor Soon Kwee and Ms Low Li Jun...... Easier way to detect dangerous flu A NEW, fully automated method to detect potentially dangerous changes in the flu virus has been developed in a joint collaboration between the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the University of Maryland......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-26

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114 students receive vouchers to get ready for new school year SINGAPORE : School starts in just over a week's time, and on Sunday, 114 primary and secondary students living in Serangoon got a little helping hand to get ready for the new academic year......     3 S'poreans believed to have died after boat capsizes off Mersing SINGAPORE : Three people are dead after a boat carrying about 30 passengers sank off Mersing, Johor...... 3D animation puts S'pore on world map A small production company from Singapore is making ripples around the world with its animation project "Dream Defenders"...... 'Kerbing' the floods NOTICE the kerb is a little higher along parts of Orchard Road now?Work began by night with no fanfare, almost by stealth. But 30 days later, the long-anticipated project to help Singapore's premier shopping belt stand 50cm taller is well under way......

Ferry capsizes, 3 dead THREE people died while two went missing when a ferry carrying 29 passengers from Sibu Island towards the Tanjung Leman ferry terminal in Mersing Johor capsized, according to the Bernama News Agency.The incident occurred at 1.30pm on Sunday......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-25

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150 Filipino domestic workers treated to Christmas celebration SINGAPOREE : Some 150 Filipino domestic workers were treated to a Christmas celebration on Saturday......     Designer cakes are the craze this festive season SINGAPORE : This festive season, get set for cakes that not only look good, but also sound great!..... Thousands gather at churches to ring in Christmas SINGAPORE : Thousands of Christians in Singapore gathered at churches late Friday night to ring in Christmas...... Christian ethnic minority groups set to end year with festivities SINGAPORE : Churches in Singapore are preparing to round off the year with large-scale festive gatherings...... Govt continues to take small steps to regulate property market SINGAPORE : The threat of a property bubble forming in Singapore saw the government intervening in the market twice in 2010......

Cancer patient's 'last Christmas' IF THIS were your last Christmas, how would you celebrate it?For a young woman living with cancer, the answer is to watch a show - about herself......

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-24

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Almost a done deal KUALA LUMPUR - With the Dec 31 deadline less than a week away, Singapore's Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs) Bilahari Kausikan is confident that the Republic and Malaysia can finalise terms on the implementation of the 20-year-old Points of Agree.....     Onion prices double The price of onions in Singapore has gone up by as much as 100 per cent, following steep hikes in prices of onions in India...... More volunteers helping out in charities this year SINGAPORE : More Singapreans are coming forward to give their time to help others. Charities across the island are seeing more volunteers helping to organise Christmas celebrations...... SIA says no major delays between S'pore and Paris Singapore Airlines (SIA) said flight SQ333 from Paris to Singapore was delayed by an hour...... Inaccurate readings from diabetes test strips If you are diabetic and using the Abbott MediSense Optium Blood Glucose Test Strips, you should get them checked to see if they should be replaced...... Major transport issues in year 2010 Overcrowding in public transport, implementation of distance-based fares and surging COE prices were some major issues that dominated the Singapore transport scene in 2010...... Maid likely to escape gallows if found guilty SINGAPORE : The Indonesian maid who allegedly caused the death of her employer's 12-year-old disabled daughter is likely to escape the gallows if found guilty......

Lorry driver arrested after attempting to bribe officer SINGAPORE : A 65-year-old lorry driver has been arrested after he attempted to bribe a Traffic Police officer......     MRT vandal suspects nabbed Police have arrested three suspected vandals in Simei...... Countdown at your nearest CC If you're still looking for a party to usher in the new year, try your nearest community club...... MSJIT wraps up 5th meeting The Malaysia-Singapore Joint Implementation Team (MSJIT) has wrapped up its fifth meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur over the last two days on December 22 and 23...... Singaporeans affected by snowstorms THIRTY-YEAR-OLD Tan Chiew Ling has only one wish this Christmas - to spend the holidays with her husband's family in London, but her travel plans were put on hold due to bad weather.She is among thousands of travelers affected by the snowstorms in Eu..... Abbott recalls diabetes strips THE Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is overseeing the voluntary recall of 43 Abbott MediSense Optium Blood Glucose Test Strips. But the blood monitoring device is not affected by the recall.The affected test strips may give inaccurate results to diab..... ASA's 4 cent-a-share exit offer A FIRM that was told in March to delist will offer minority investors four cents per share for their holdings - double the counter's last traded price on March 31.The offer was made on Friday by Shanghai Jinming Investment Group, the major shareholde..... Factories' Nov 39.8% growth MANUFACTURING continued its strong comeback in the fourth quarter, as factory output surged 39.8 per cent in November from a year ago, the fastest in six months.The manufacturing figure beat the consensus estimate of a 32.8 per cent gain...... Man accused of molesting girl A 28-YEAR-OLD man was charged in court on Thursday (dec 24) with molesting a seven-year-old girl at a swimming pool.Li He Lai allegedly threatened and demanded that the girl touch his private parts at a swimming pool in the Tiong Bahru area on two oc..... MBS explains near-drowning incident ON DEC 19, a little girl nearly drowned in the infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands.STOMPer Eric, who was at the Skypark when the incident happened, posted this: 'A little girl was drowning in the pool. The lifeguard didn't know how to perform CPR. Luck..... Singaporeans prefer traditional greeting cards COLD, impersonal, little effort required. These are the words Singaporeans associate with electronic Christmas cards.Better known as e-cards, this electronic form of greeting has been around since the infant days of the Internet. Present day e-cards ..... Maid only 16, not 24 THE Indonesian maid who allegedly killed her employer's 12-year-old disabled daughter in Hougang is only 16.An amended charge stating Nurhayati's actual age, was tendered in court on Friday. The age of the maid, who goes by one name, was originally g.....

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-23

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Singapore to showcase its education technology SINGAPORE - Imagine learning all about financial management by simply playing a game......     South Korean national charged with housebreaking A South Korean national was yesterday charged with housebreaking...... COE surge raises eyebrows Questions have arisen on whether there were speculative elements behind the recent sharp rises in COE premiums...... Ex-staff of plastic surgeon Woffles Wu jailed for CBT A former employee of the Woffles Wu Aesthetic and Laser Centre was on Thursday jailed a year and three months for committing criminal breach of trust of.....

KL-S'pore rail talks on track "to be finalised by Dec 31" SINGAPORE : Singapore's top foreign affairs official is confident that Singapore and Malaysia can meet the December 31 deadline to finalise the agreement on the implementation of the Points of Agreement agreed by the leaders of both countries in May......     Look who's controlling traffic If you have driven along the East Coast Parkway (ECP) recently, you might have noticed a worker standing near the KPE exit, diligently working away -- rain or shine...... Emergency landing in Romania after Singaporean ill BUCHAREST: A Royal Dutch Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Bucharest on Tuesday afternoon when a pregnant Singaporean onboard fell seriously ill...... New school term starts on 4 Jan 2011 Parents have been reminded that the new school term for primary and secondary schools will start on Tuesday 4th January 2011...... Singapore braces for climate change In 2010, climate change made its presence clearly known in Singapore...... 25 drink-drivers nabbed Police arrested 25 drink-drivers in a five-hour ring-fence operation on Thursday...... S'pore to showcase latest in education technology Imagine learning all about financial management by simply playing a game and being able to zoom in on your teacher's handwritten notes on the board as you watch a recording of a lecture...... 9 bus services to be improved Nine public bus services will run more frequently or have their capacity increased during peak periods...... 'Kiasu' parents appeal to top schools PARENTS flocked to secondary schools within an hour of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) posting results being released.Those whose children failed to get into a secondary school of their choice, wasted no time in making an appeal at top-..... 30 bags grabbed in 10 seconds CHRISTMAS came early for 8 girls, who were chosen to be part of a 'grab all you can' event by fashion boutique BagAge.The rules of the game? 10 seconds to take as much as they can from the store for free!..... Later feeder bus operating hours BUS commuters can now party till morning this festive season without worrying about how to get home.Transport operator SBS Transit will be extending the operating hours of 21 feeder buses that ply 12 heartland routes on the eve of Christmas and New Y..... Pump prices up $0.04 THE retail prices of all grades of Caltex and Shell petrol and diesel have gone up by $0.04 a litre.The move brings Caltex's 98-octane petrol to $2.095 a litre, and Shell's 98-octane petrol to $2.050 a litre...... 25 drink-drivers arrested THE Traffic Police arrested 25 drink-drivers in a five-hour operation on Thursday morning.Road blocks were set up along Church Street, South Bridge Road, New Bridge Road and North Canal Road to fence the cluster of entertainment outlets and drinking ..... Jailed for illicit cough syrup A MYANMAR national, who ordered canisters of cough syrup from an agent here and repacked it for sale in Geylang, had nearly 10,000l of it without a licence.Tin Ko Oo, 40, was jailed nine months on Thursday by a district court. A Health Sciences Autho..... S'pore scientist gets prestigious fellowship PROFESSOR Boris Lukiyanchuk, a senior scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Data Storage Institute (DSI), has been elected a Fellow of Optical Society of America (OSA). The OSA is a prestigious scientific society with at leas..... Singapore official responds to 'leaks' issue KUALA LUMPUR - SINGAPORE'S top foreign ministry official, implicated in damning remarks on Malaysia and its leadership after a leak by a whistleblower website, has finally responded to the issue.Hounded by Malaysian and Singaporean press at a Malaysi..... Aliff, you've hit 'all-time low' REACTIONS of straitstimes.com readers to jailed footballer Aliff Shafaein's call for fans to help him settle $10,500 worth of traffic fines came fast and furious.And they echoed the sentiments of S-League fans when the story broke on Wednesday...... Embezzling Woffles Wu FOR more than four years, Teresa Wong Chui Sheung, 49, would pocket money paid by clients of Woffles Wu Aesthetic and Laser Centre. But the 49-year-old was on Thursday, jailed a year and three months for committing criminal breach of trust of $111,71..... Ex-jockey fined for corruption A FORMER apprentice jockey was fined a total of $9,500 and ordered to pay a penalty of $2,470 for corruption on Thursday.Mohamad Azrull Mohamad Sani, 24, had admitted to six charges of receiving bribes totalling $1,470 from Cogan Swee Yong Huat, a re..... Best and worst Christmas gifts EVERYONE loves the joy of unwrapping Christmas presents.When presents have been carefully chosen, the recipients are often overjoyed. But sometimes, you don't always get what you wish for...... Robertson Quay site for sale THE Urban Redevelopment Authority will put up the hotel site at Robertson Quay for sale via public tender in two weeks.The land parcel, made available for sale through the Reserve List system on April 22, was announced after a developer committed to ..... Highest since Jan 2009 CONSUMER prices in Singapore climbed by 3.8 per cent in November from a year ago due to higher costs of transport, housing and food, according to figures released by the Department of Statistics on Thursday. That is above the 3.7 per cent increase re..... Improving nine bus services NINE bus services have been identified for service improvements during peak periods.The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the SBS Transit and SMRT identified them as part of improvements...... Diamond swap accused faces more charges A 38-YEAR-OLD man accused of swapping diamonds with replicas at jewellery shops was charged with two more cheating offences and one of fraudulent possession on Thursday.This brings the total number of charges against Loh Han Kok to six...... S.Korean burglar charged A SOUTH Korean was charged in a district court on Thursday with housebreaking and theft of a laptop at Science Park Drive.No plea was taken from 35-year-old Choi He Su...... More buses diverted on X'mas SMRT bus services will be temporarily diverted due to road closures for two major events - 'Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2010' and 'Marina Bay Countdown 2010/2011'.What: Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2010.....

Singapore Local News, 2010-12-23

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New service rules for telcos Soon, consumers will no longer be charged for telco services they are unaware of. Telcos will need to get the customer's agreement first before charging them for services after the trial period ends......

BK leads the fast-food pack with CEPAS Fast food just got faster at Burger King. The burger chain announced yesterday, with immediate effect, that it will accept concession and ez-link card payments at its 43 outlets islandwide - making it faster and more convenient for customers to make .....     S'pore to showcase latest in education technology Imagine learning all about financial management by simply playing a game and being able to zoom in on your teacher's handwritten notes on the board as you watch a recording of a lecture...... 9 bus services to be improved Nine public bus services will run more frequently or have their capacity increased during peak periods...... Robertson Quay site for sale THE Urban Redevelopment Authority will put up the hotel site at Robertson Quay for sale via public tender in two weeks.The land parcel, made available for sale through the Reserve List system on April 22, was announced after a developer committed to ..... Nov inflation hits 3.8% CONSUMER prices in Singapore climbed by 3.8 per cent in November from a year ago due to higher costs of transport, housing and food, according to figures released by the Department of Statistics on Thursday.Compared to October 2010, it rose by 0.3 pe..... Improving nine bus services NINE bus services have been identified for service improvements during peak periods.The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the SBS Transit and SMRT identified them as part of improvements...... Diamond swap accused faces more charges A 38-YEAR-OLD man accused of swapping diamonds with replicas at jewellery shops was charged with two more cheating offences and one of fraudulent possession on Thursday.This brings the total number of charges against Loh Han Kok to six...... S.Korean burglar charged A SOUTH Korean was charged in a district court on Thursday with housebreaking and theft of a laptop at Science Park Drive.No plea was taken from 35-year-old Choi He Su...... More buses diverted on X'mas SMRT bus services will be temporarily diverted due to road closures for two major events - 'Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2010' and 'Marina Bay Countdown 2010/2011'.What: Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2010.....