Singapore Local News, 2011-09-30

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Former teacher allegedly had sex with 14-year-old student 18 times A former teacher was charged today with having under aged sex with his 14-year-old student between November 2007 and June 2009. The teacher cannot be named to protect the girl's identity. The 41-year-old teacher was........     RTC escapee jailed, fined, caned for chopping off man's fingers Sentenced to a reformative training centre (RTC) in 2009 for various offences, Ho Beng Hing, 21, was concerned about his girlfriend. He was upset that one of her friends, whom he knew, might have touched her. Furious, he........ MOF accepts 11 suggestions from public for draft GST amendment bill The Ministry of Finance has accepted for implementation 11 of the 22 suggestions on the draft Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill 2011. The suggestions were received during the public consultation exercise held from July 8 to 28........ Special, Medisave and Retirement Account rate to remain 4% Savings in the Special, Medisave and Retirement Account (SMRA) of Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to earn a minimum four per cent interest until the end of next year. The CPF Board said this is because of the........ Roads in Kallang to be widened With the Singapore Sports Hub being built, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be widening roads in the Kallang area. LTA will be widening stretches of Kallang Road, Sims Avenue, Geylang Road, Sims Way, Mountbatten Road and Fort........ Hired as artistes, worked as prostitutes A bar manager was fined S$8,000 today for living off the earnings of his pub's performing artistes who doubled up as prostitutes. Balamurugan Thiyanamuthi, 30, pleaded guilty to one charge of living off the earnings of three........ 21 bus services improved Twenty one bus services have been improved between July and September, said the Land Transport Authority, SBS Transit and SMRT. They released their latest quarterly review of bus services. They said improvements made........

Search for missing S'poreans to end today Search-and-rescue efforts for the two missing Singaporeans in the waters off Mersing will stop today - some six days after the boat they were on sank following a collision with a tanker.Malaysian maritime officials said yesterday that........     Collection of Lee Kuan Yew's speeches launched A collection of former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's speeches, interviews and dialogues over four decades has been launched on Friday...... Ex-news director Perera leaves behind wealth of memories He is known as someone who would not miss his TV news bulletins - this best sums up the passion that the former Director of News of the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Ananda Perera, had for his craft...... Fishermen continue Mersing search The last day of the official search for the two missing Singaporeans lost in the waters off Pulau Aur has come to an end. But the family of Mr Keith Peck, one of the missing men, has started to seek help elsewhere...... Changes to Evidence Act proposed The Ministry of Law is proposing amendments to the Evidence Act (EA) to allow computer output evidence to be treated just like all other forms of evidence...... DPM Teo visits Bukom refinery Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean visited the Shell oil refinery to assess the situation there on Friday morning...... New Permanent Secretary post at MTI The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced on Friday changes to its permanent secretary appointments...... S'pore leaders congratulate China on its 62nd National Day President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have written to congratulate China's President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on China's 62nd National Day...... MOF accepts 11 suggestions from public for draft GST amendment bill The Ministry of Finance has accepted for implementation 11 of the 22 suggestions on the draft Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) (GST) Bill 2011...... Special, Medisave and Retirement Account rate to remain 4% Savings in the Special, Medisave and Retirement Account (SMRA) of Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to earn a minimum four per cent interest until the end of next year...... Loanshark suspects arrested with stack of "hell" notes Police arrested six suspected members of a loanshark syndicate. One of them is a 45-year-old man who's believed to be running the syndicate...... Man fined for living off prostitutes' earnings A former bar manager was fined S$8,000 on Friday for living off the earnings of his pub's performing artistes who doubled up as prostitutes...... Road works near Singapore Sports Hub With upcoming developments such as the Singapore Sports Hub, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is embarking on a series of road works to improve the overall road connectivity and capacity in the Kallang area...... Shell refinery fire in S'pore to affect Asian supply SINGAPORE - A fire that disrupted production in Shell's largest refinery will affect regional supplies of gasoline and other products in the short term, analysts said on Friday...... Toa Payoh Lor 8 market, food centre to reopen The newly refurbished market and food centre at Blk 210 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 will re-open for business on Saturday after undergoing an 11-month facelift...... 16 maid agencies fined for price fixing Sixteen employment agencies in Singapore have been fined S$152,563 for price fixing...... More rides, shorter wait time for commuters Twenty one bus services have been improved between July and September 2011...... Organisers of Deepavali Fair regret mishap The organisers of Deepavali Fair 2011 said they regret the "mishap" at the site in the early hours of Wednesday......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-29

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Rotavirus top cause of stomach flu in children The rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis (GE) in children below the age of five in Singapore, according to a hospital-based study by KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH). It accounted for close to 40 per........     Three accused of over-declaring workers' salaries Three people are facing a total of 74 charges related to the over-declaration of salaries in applications for Employment and S Passes. This followed investigations by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) into complaints in June this year by S Pass........ Woman charged with stabbing hubby, attempting suicide A 37-year-old woman has been charged with stabbing her husband while he was warded at the Singapore General Hospital. Quek Chin Fern allegedly used a knife to hurt Lim Peng Kiang in the neck and shoulder at Ward 43 Room 24 of the........ Banks warn about new computer virus The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) has issued a warning against a new computer malware dubbed, SpyEye, that targets local Internet banking applications. It says there have been a few such cases. It said whenever........ Shell still trying to contain Bukom fire Shell is still working with the........ Pulau Bukom refinery blaze 'under control', says SCDF A chemical fire which broke out at 1.15pm yesterday and had spread to other parts of the Royal Dutch Shell refinery on Pulau Bukom burned long into the night, as 100 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers and 250 of the company's........

A report card that's more than just grades Parents will soon be privy to a lot more information about their children, beyond grades and generic comments by teachers on their school report cards. In the report cards of the future, teachers will also provide parents with a........     No review into detention of ex-ISA detainees: MHA Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry said it sees no reason to conduct a review into the detention of the 16 ex-ISA detainees via a Commission of Inquiry...... Former SBC news director Ananda Perera dies Ananda Perera, former news director of then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), has died...... Mersing search to end Friday Malaysian maritime officials have announced search efforts for the two missing Singaporeans would continue on Friday, but with fewer resources...... Young kids to benefit from govt boost The government is giving the early child care and development sector a boost...... My Waterway@Punggol to open from Oct 23 Singapore's longest man-made waterway will be open to visitors from October 23...... S'pore defence minister makes introductory visit to M'sia Singapore's defence minister, Dr Ng Eng Hen, and his Malaysian counterpart, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have reaffirmed the good cooperation between the countries armed forces...... Nationwide well-wishing campaign for Team Singapore The Singapore Sports Council (SSC), in partnership with NTUC FairPrice, has launched a drive to gather well-wishes for Team Singapore...... Electricity tariffs to drop from Oct to Dec Electricity tariffs will decrease by an average of 1.2 per cent from October to the end of the year...... Three face charges over salary scam Three people are facing a total of 74 charges related to the over-declaration of salaries in applications for Employment and S Passes...... Man fined for committing obscene act inside nightspot An Australian man was fined S$1,500 on Thursday for committing an obscene act in a Prinsep Street nightspot at around 11pm on Tuesday...... Jalan Besar Stadium to get more seats The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is looking to increase the seating capacity of Jalan Besar Stadium...... Woman charged with stabbing husband A 37-year-old woman has been charged with stabbing her husband while he was warded at the Singapore General Hospital...... SUTD introduces new entry criterion Singapore's fourth university, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), will be making provisional offers from next month, to GCE 'A' Level students based on their preliminary results...... Reward for finding S'porean increased Family members and friends of 31-year-old Keith Peck, one of the Singaporeans still missing after an accident at sea at Pulau Aur, off Mersing, have increased the reward money for his return...... Rotavirus the top cause of severe stomach flu in children The rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis (GE) in children below the age of five in Singapore...... Foreign-qualified lawyers' exams to start 2012 The Singapore Institute of Legal Education said the first examinations for foreign-qualified lawyers would be conducted in the first half of next year...... Explosions heard at Pulau Bukom refinery Fresh explosions were heard at the Pulau Bukom Shell refinery around noon on Thursday...... New malware threat to Internet banking applications The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) has issued a warning against a new computer malware dubbed "SpyEye" that targets local Internet banking applications...... Enhancing care and development of young children Some 25,000 children aged three years and under are expected to benefit from the Early Years Development Framework introduced on Thursday...... Fire fighting efforts continue on Pulau Bukom The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said fire fighting operations are still under way at Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery, but the situation is under control...... Haze not caused by Pulau Bukom fire: NEA The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it has not detected the presence of any toxic gases on the mainland as a result of the fire at the Shell Refinery in Pulau Bukom......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-28

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Search for missing anglers to continue on Thursday The Malaysian authorities have said they would extend by a day, search-and-rescue operations for the two missing Singaporeans in the waters around Pulau Aur. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, who is leading the operations, said the........     No one hurt in Pulau Bukom fire Fire broke out at the manufacturing site of oil company Shell on Pulau Bukom this afternoon. A spokesperson from Shell said the fire started at about 1.15pm. The fire has been contained and no injuries were reported...... Three face death penalty after latest CNB raids The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) carried out two operations on Tuesday, arresting five people and seizing about 1.26kg of heroin and other drugs worth nearly S$200,000. Three face the death penalty if convicted. In the........ Singapore's population grew 2.1 per cent this year Singapore's total population stood at 5.18 million as at end-June this year. According to the latest statistics from the Population Trends 2011 report, there were 3.79 million Singapore residents. Of these, 3.26m were........ HR scholarship launched to raise profile of profession Minister of State for Manpower, Brigadier-General (BG) (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, launched the inaugural National Human Resource Scholarship and Book Prize today. BG Tan noted that human resource (HR) was not a popular career option among........ Right human capital strategies needed to exploit growth: ESM Goh Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said the growth of Asia's business landscape presented tremendous opportunities for companies. He said taking advantage of these opportunities required the right human capital strategies......

Preparing for next gen of IT security professionals Three tertiary institutions are enhancing their collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to prepare the next generation of IT security professionals, from developing courseware for IT security modules to undertaking joint research........     Getting a feel of the dark Helping the public to understand what it feels like to be blind. That is what social enterprise Dialogue in the Dark tried to do...... Ho Chi Minh statue unveiled Singapore and Vietnam have reaffirmed their cultural and bilateral relations, with the unveiling of a statue of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of modern Vietnam...... MDA streamlines funding schemes Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) has streamlined its suite of funding programmes to provide a more systematic approach to support an increasingly sophisticated media industry...... Mersing search extended The Malaysian authorities have said they would extend by a day search-and-rescue operations for the two missing Singaporeans in the waters around Pulau Aur, off Mersing in Johor...... Teenagers arrested for alleged bicycle theft Two teenagers, aged 13 and 14 years old, were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly stealing at least four bicycles...... CNB seizes drugs, arrests suspects The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has arrested five people and seized 1.26 kilogrammes of heroin and other drugs in two simultaneous operations carried out on Tuesday...... Ex-MUIS chief Ridzwan Dzafir dies Former MUIS chief and community leader Ridzwan Dzafir died on Wednesday at age 84...... Fire at Shell manufacturing site A fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at the manufacturing site of oil company Shell on Pulau Bukom...... S'pore population trends released Latest statistics from the Population Trends 2011 report released Wednesday showed Singapore's total population stood at 5.18 million as at end June this year...... 5 awarded MOM's first National Human Resources Scholarship The Ministry of Manpower gave out the first batch of its National Human Resources Scholarship to five undergraduates...... S$52m to boost precision engineering workforce Singapore's precision engineering industry is set to get a S$52 million dollar boost to upgrade skills over the next 10 years...... Invest, develop human capital for business opportunities Singapore's Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said the growth of Asia's business landscape presents tremendous opportunities for companies...... Critical inflamation and cancer link found by Singapore scientists Singapore: New insights into how cancer cells spread have been uncovered by scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), highlighting the need for new cancer therapies that target the body's immune system to combat cancer...... UN needs to adjust processes to new global environment Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister, K Shanmugam, has urged the United Nations to adjust its processes to the new global environment...... Search continues for 2 missing S'poreans off Mersing It's day three of the search and rescue operations for two missing Singaporeans off Mersing, Johor......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-27

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SMRT driver jailed over hit-and-run accident An SMRT bus driver was today jailed six weeks and fined $6,000 for a fatal hit-and-run accident along Woodlands Avenue 7 on Oct 5, last year. Tan Joo Ngang, 60, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing the death of a 73-year-old........     Licensed moneylender fined A licensed moneylender has been fined S$6,000 for breaching the Moneylenders Act and the Moneylenders Rules. Goh Siong Kiat of Bez One Credit pleaded guilty to three charges. They include failing to provide a statement of account to........ Search for missing S'poreans continues MERSING - Search and rescue operations are continuing for two missing Singaporeans after their boat sank off Mersing, Johor, following a collision with a tanker on Saturday night. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Authority identified them as....... Six employers charged with not paying workers' salaries Six employers from various industries were charged in the Subordinate Courts, today, with not paying their workers' salaries. A cleaning company, Service Partners, faced the most number of charges and had allegedly defaulted on........ More cyber sleuths to be trained by tertiary institutions The Home Affairs Ministry is enhancing its collaboration with various institutes of higher learning to prepare the next generation of IT security professionals. The Singapore Infocomm Technology Security Authority, (SITSA), an........

No conclusive findings on body in ship's container The body of a Bangladeshi man who was found dead in a locked metal shipping container at Pasir Panjang was too badly decomposed for any conclusive findings to be made. State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid recorded at an inquest yesterday........     Asia-Pacific sports market booming Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing has said Singapore wants to ride on the growth of the Asia-Pacific sports market, which could be worth US$20.2 billion in 2013...... Losing one GRC not "disaster" for S'pore: Lee Kuan Yew Singapore's former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew does not think a more populist form of government would have to emerge as a result of the general election in May...... Bus driver jailed for hit-and-run An SMRT bus driver was jailed Tuesday for six weeks and fined S$6,000 for a fatal hit-and-run accident along Woodlands Avenue 7 on 5 October last year...... ComChest Award recipients contributed S$48.9m last FY The latest batch of Community Chest (ComChest) Award recipients contributed some S$48 million in the last financial year, more than 85 per cent of the total fund raising target...... Employers charged over pay default Six employers from various industries were charged on Tuesday in the Subordinate Courts with not paying their workers' salaries...... Council, public to stamp out bad hygiene practices The National Environment Agency (NEA) has set up a public hygiene council in its latest effort to keep Singapore clean...... Licensed moneylender fined S$6,000 A licensed moneylender has been fined S$6,000 for breaching the Moneylenders Act and Rules...... S'pore ranked 3rd most competitive IT market worldwide Singapore has risen six places to become the most competitive IT market in Asia Pacific...... Yam Ah Mee's debut musical Former chief executive of Land Transport Authority (LTA), now People's Association chief executive director, Yam Ah Mee, will make his stage musical debut on Sunday, October 2...... Distinguished Fellowship awarded to French official The former Deputy Director-General of DGA, the armaments branch of the French Defence Ministry, Patrick Auroy, has been conferred the Singapore Defence Technology Distinguished Fellowship by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen...... New undergraduate course to beef up pool of IT professionals The Singapore Management University's (SMU) School of Information Systems (SIS) is tying up with the Home Affairs Ministry (MHA) to develop a new undergraduate course on information security management...... Search under way for 2 missing S'poreans off Mersing Search and rescue operations are currently on-going for two missing Singaporeans after their boat sank off Mersing, Johor, following a collision with a tanker on Saturday night, September 24, at 10pm...... S'pore to groom IT security experts Three tertiary institutions are enhancing their collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to prepare the next generation of IT security professionals......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-26

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Drunk driver who caused collision jailed for attempted bribery A 35-year-old housewife was jailed eight weeks for attempting to bribe police officers with S$20,000 to let her off for causing a four-car collision. Doris Lim Wee Fern, who has four children aged between five and 17 years old, was........     Non-voters' names to be expunged from register Eligible voters who failed to cast their votes in the Presidential Election last month will have their names expunged from the Registers of Electors in accordance with Section 26 of the Presidential Elections Act. Non-voters will........ Myths about contraception abound A global survey found that one-third of respondents here have erroneous information about contraception. Usage of contraception is also found to be low here: Eight in 10 respondents did not use a contraception while having sex with a new........ Manufacturing up in August, thanks to biomedical sector The country's manufacturing output expanded 21.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis last month, boosted by a surge in biomedical output. The increase compared with a 7.6-per-cent revised expansion in July, according to data released........

Borders Parkway sale lures many Book lovers here will mourn today's closure of the Borders store in Parkway Parade.But up till about a week ago, there was still a scramble behind the scenes to keep the retailer afloat, in Singapore.Meanwhile, thousands of........     Missing 3-year-old drowned during family outing A 3-year-old girl who went missing during a family outing at Changi Beach in June, drowned. State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid arrived at that conclusion on Monday...... Non-voters' names to be expunged from register Eligible voters who failed to cast their votes in the Presidential Election last month will have their names expunged from the Registers of Electors in accordance with Section 26 of the Presidential Elections Act...... More deaths at workplaces The number of workplace fatalities went up 20 per cent in the first half of the year to 30, according to the latest Workplace Safety and health (WSH) Report...... Drunk driver who caused collision jailed for attempted bribery A 35-year-old housewife was jailed eight weeks for attempting to bribe police officers with S$20,000 to let her off for causing a four-car collision...... Young Singaporeans clueless about unprotected sex Eight in 10 respondents in Singapore have reported not using any form of contraception when having sex with a new partner...... Cleaners benefit from job redesign More than 600 sanitation and vector control employees from the National Environment Agency (NEA) have benefited from a job redesign initiative that gives them better career advancement and higher salaries, while it also increases productivity...... No conclusive findings on badly decomposed body The body of a Bangladeshi man, who was found dead in a locked metal shipping container at Pasir Panjang, was too badly decomposed for any conclusive findings to be made...... NTU's Nanyang Business School gets S$3m gift Banker Wee Cho Yaw has made a S$3 million gift to Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Nanyang Business School...... Calling all creative minds Registration starts Monday for the "Creative Video Award" competition which returns for the third year......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-25

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Tan Jee Say to form alliance with Opposition parties Presidential candidate, Tan Jee Say, plans to build up a coalition of forces, reaching out to those dissatisfied with the ruling party. He said this at his thank you lunch, this afternoon, for about 200 of his volunteers at Big........

New corneal transplant for patients with ageing corneas Patients suffering from ageing corneas can benefit from a new form of corneal transplantation in Singapore......     Vietnam president to make state visit to Singapore Vietnam's President Truong Tan Sang will make a state visit to Singapore from September 26-28...... Borders bookstore at Parkway Parade to shut Thousands of bargain-hunters were at the Borders bookstore at Parkway Parade mall, lured by the 70 per cent sale this weekend ahead of its closure on Monday...... Govt mulls F1's future in Singapore The Singapore government has engaged independent consultants to review the value proposition of continuing with the Formula One Night Race here...... Tan Jee Say plans book on political experiences Mr Tan Jee Say and his ex-Singapore Democratic Party General Election teammates will be penning their political experiences about the May General Election...... Shanmugam attends informal ASEAN meet in New York Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K Shanmugam, who is in New York for the 66th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, attended the informal Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting on Saturday......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-24

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Self-storage business booming in Singapore Singapore's self-storage business is booming - and not just because home and office space is getting more expensive. Industry players said it's a young, but fast-growing market driven by the storage needs of individuals and........     More help for youths at risk The government is beefing up its Pods Youth Mentoring programme, an initiative where youths help to support their peers who're completing their rehabilitation programmes. Minister of State for Community Development, Youth & Sports,........ New network for nature lovers The National Parks Board (NParks) is starting a network for Singaporeans who are keen on nature conservation. It'll be similar to the successful Community in Bloom programme, which has nurtured some 400 gardening groups........ Train fault caused 8.5-minute delay at peak hour A train fault caused an 8-and-a-half minute delay for passengers at peak hour yesterday evening reported the Straits Times today. The report said about 2,880 passengers were affected by the delay on the East-West line towards Pasir........

Task force to look carefully at high number of first-time drug abusers An area of particular concern for the new committee tasked to take a fresh look at drug abuse in Singapore is the high number of first-time drug abusers. Responding to media queries a day after it emerged that drug arrests had been........     Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sam Tan to visit Italy for meetings Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Community Development, Youth and Sports Sam Tan will visit Italy from September 26 to October 1, as part of his attendance at the Second World Regions Forum...... North West CDC raises S$1.2m to help needy The North West Community Development Council (CDC) has raised S$1.2 million to help needy families in the district...... Self-storage business booming in Singapore Singapore's self-storage business is booming - and not just because home and office space is getting more expensive...... Independent bookstores bucking e-book trend When America's second largest bookstore chain Borders went belly up this year, some analysts predicted that the era of bookstores may be over, replaced by the emergence of e-books...... More help for youths at risk The government is beefing up its Pods Youth Mentoring programme, an initiative where youths help to support their peers who're completing their rehabilitation programmes...... Network and connect with nature The National Parks Board (NParks) is starting a network for Singaporeans who are keen on nature conservation...... K Shanmugam attends Green Group meeting Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K Shanmugam, who is in New York for the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, attended the Green Group Ministerial Meeting on Friday......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-23

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Rising number of drug abusers forces Govt to re-look anti-drugs strategy Minister of State (Home Affairs), Mr Masagos Zulkifli, has said the rising trend of drug abusers over the past three years was a cause for concern. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Mr Masagos said he was particularly......     MHA's response to statement issued by 16 ex-ISA detainees MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT: Sixteen ex-ISA detainees issued a joint statement on 19 Sep 2011 taking issue with the length of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and also the ISA Advisory Board process...... Ex-PKMS president to plead guilty The former president of the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), Ali Asjadi, told a district court today he intended to plead guilty to six of the 12 charges involving contraband cigarettes. But the case has been adjourned........ President Tony Tan reveals First Couple's official portraits President Tony Tan Keng Yam today posted on his Facebook page the photographs he and his wife Mary have chosen to be used as the official portraits of the First Couple, a spokesperson from the Istana confirmed today. On his Facebook page, Dr........ Prosecution case against armed robbery suspect stalls The prosecution has made an application for a man, accused of armed robbery at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal. Octavius Tok Tien Howe had been charged earlier this year with robbing a........ McLaren to set up Asian sales hub in Singapore A wholly-owned McLaren subsidiary based in Singapore will manage the Asia-Pacific network for sports car maker McLaren. Confirming this at a press conference earlier today, the company also said Singapore investor Peter Lim will be........ Nuclear summit to be held in S'pore Singapore will host a nuclear safety seminar next year. The seminar will address regional cooperation on emergency preparedness and response capabilities, said Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam. He........ 136 accidents involving young children in first half of year There were 136 accidents involving children under the age of 12 in the first half of the year. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, and Second Home Affairs Minister, S Iswaran, said 45 were pedestrians at the time of the........

Bodies of woman and boy found in Bedok Reservoir The bodies of a woman and a young boy were found floating in Bedok Reservoir yesterday morning. They are believed to be those of 32-year-old Tan Sze Sze and her three-year-old son Jerald Chin Le Hui (picture). They were last seen........     Get ready to party this F1 weekend Formula One is synonymous with parties and year after year, more are staged to draw in the crowds...... Time to review approaches to fight drug problem: Masagos SINGAPORE : Minister of State for Home Affairs, Masagos Zulkifli, has said it is time to review enforcement and engagement approaches to combat the drug scourge...... Ex-PKMS chief to plead guilty to charges involving contraband cigarettes SINGAPORE : The former president of the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), Ali Asjadi, told a district court on Friday that he intends to plead guilty to six of the 12 charges he currently faces involving contraband cigarettes...... MHA refutes ex-ISA detainees' statement The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has refuted a joint statement by 16 ex-ISA detainees on September 19 which took issue with the length of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and with the ISA Advisory Board process...... F1 fever grips racing fans in Singapore F1 fever has gripped racing fans, as Singapore plays host again to the drivers and their fast cars...... Would-be robber who got cold feet convicted of lesser charge A waiter's last-minute decision to back out of an armed robbery at a Burger King outlet saved him from a heavier punishment...... Showtime at Science Buskers Festival It's show-and-tell time at the Singapore Science Centre as aspiring scientists gave a creative spin to their topics and performed to a live audience in the Science Buskers Festival...... Application for discharge in MBS armed robbery case The prosecution has made an application for a man, accused of armed robbery at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal...... Japan, S'pore enhance cooperation in creative industries Singapore and Japan discussed opportunities for stronger bilateral cooperation in the creative industries...... Singapore to host nuclear safety seminar in 2012 Singapore will host a nuclear safety seminar next year...... Look before you cross the street The number of traffic accidents involving children showed a slight drop in the past three years......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-22

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S'pore drug problem worse than reported Since 2008, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) had reported that the number of drug abusers arrested had been declining. This was wrong. Their officers were later telling them they were arresting more, not fewer,........     True Spa customers finally find relief The winding-up order application sought by a group of True Spa customers was settled in the High Court today, after the customers agreed for their unused credit to be serviced by nine other spas. Under the arrangement, True Spa........ Taking the stress out of school In a move to steer schools towards an education system that is more student-centric, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will move away from a results-oriented culture, to practices that are more "holistic and balanced", said Minister for Education........ Two bodies found in Bedok Reservoir The bodies of a woman and a young boy were found floating in the waters of Bedok Reservoir this morning. The bodies are believed to be that of 32-year-old Tan Sze Sze and her three-year-old son Jerald Chin Le Hui, who were last seen........ Largest flat launch ever, with 8,262 units on offer HDB this morning announced the launch of more than 8,200 flats under the joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) Exercises - the largest supply of flats in a single launch. There was an added bonus for first-time........

More time for property agents to pass exam Property agents who are still struggling to pass the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination will have more breathing space, as the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) has extended the December deadline to June next year......     F1: A race for the tourism dollar It's been four years since Singapore first hosted the inaugural Formula One night race. And the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is convinced that the iconic event is reaping in benefits for the country...... CNB reports error in drug arrests Singapore's drug enforcement agency, Central Narcotics Bureau has discovered an error in the statistical computation of drug abuser arrest statistics for the period 2008 to 2010 after it moved to a new IT system...... 14 arrested for suspected loansharking activities Police have arrested 14 people - 10 men and four women - in an islandwide crackdown on loansharking activities on Wednesday...... 20% increase in drug abusers arrested in H1: CNB There has been a 20 per cent increase of the number of drug abusers arrested between January and June this year compared to the same period last year...... MP Hri Kumar to take over GPC for law and home affairs MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, Mr Hri Kumar Nair, has taken over as the Chairman for the Government Parliamentary Committee for Law and Home Affairs...... President Tony Tan visits NCSS President Tony Tan Keng Yam has visited the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) on Thursday, his first as its patron-in-chief...... True Spa customers finally find relief The application for a winding-up order sought by a group of True Spa customers was settled in the High Court on Thursday, after the customers agreed for their unused credit to be serviced by nine other spas...... A student-centric education system in the pipeline The next phase for Singapore's education system will be one that is student-centric and focused on values...... Call for thorough probe on Circle Line disruption Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said he understands the frustrations of Singaporeans affected by the recent disruption of MRT service on the Circle Line...... Shanmugam stresses to Romania importance of Ionescu case to S'poreans Singapore's Foreign Minister K Shanmugam has stressed to his Romanian counterpart that Singapore takes the hit-and-run case of former diplomat Silviu Ionescu, currently taking place in Romania, seriously...... Two bodies found in Bedok Reservoir The bodies of a woman and a young boy were found floating in the waters of Bedok Reservoir on Thursday morning...... HDB announces bumper launch of 8,200 flats The Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Thursday announced a bumper launch of 8,200 flats under the joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) Exercises......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-21

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Fall in COE prices across all categories, except one COE prices are down in all but one category in the second bidding exercise in September. The largest drop was in the open category where it dropped by S$3,087 from S$65,589 to S$62,502. In the small cars category........     Four teens nabbed for armed robbery Police have arrested four teens, aged between 15 and 18 years old, for armed robbery. The group is believed to have confronted two China nationals with a knife on Sept 16 at 11.20pm at Blk 313 Hougang Ave 5. One of the........ Man admits to displaying secret society banner at mother's wake A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty in a district court today to displaying a secret society funeral banner during his mother's wake. Kelvin Gan Boon Wah, an office boy, admitted doing this at the void deck of Block 91 Henderson Road........ S'poreans have taken ownership of their lives: DPM Teo Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean says Singapore's Community Engagement Programme, whose job is to enhance racial and religious harmony, has inspired many to take ownership of their future. Addressing experts at the International........ Changi Airport's passenger numbers soar in August Changi Airport handled 3.86 million or 11.2 per cent more passengers in August. Changi Airport Group (CAG) said aircraft movements grew in tandem by 14.9 per cent with 25,700 movements recorded during the month compared to a year........ Seven hurt in morning Bishan fire Seven people were taken to hospital, this morning, after they suffered minor smoke inhalation from a fire at a provision shop at Blk 150A at Bishan Street 11. They included two children aged three and six years old. The........ Local scientists work on predicting heart attacks and strokes before they happen For the first time, a study will be done here to screen the population to develop a diagnostic tool that can predict if a person is at risk of a heart attack or stroke. A team of scientists here have discovered how to use a blood........

Masterplan to leverage on the general practitioner community With chronic diseases on the rise, the Health Ministry is now developing a primary care masterplan to leverage on the general practitioner (GP) community. The ministry said that two in five Singaporeans, aged 20 and above, have........     UN Human Rights Council adopts S'pore report The Working Group Report on Singapore's first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) will be adopted at the 18th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland on September 22...... DPM Tharman to attend finance meetings in Washington Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Manpower Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be in Washington to attend the meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), G20 Finance Ministers and related roundtables...... One more Guinness World Record for S'pore? Singapore looks set to enter the Guinness World Records after a 25-year-old Singaporean man clocked the fastest time in an SMS texting competition held on Sunday at Tampines Mall...... ASEAN to advance regional energy cooperation ASEAN energy ministers have agreed to concrete proposals to advance regional energy cooperation at their meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei...... New Miss Universe to visit S'pore The newly-crowned Miss Universe will be at the Marina Bay Sands to meet fans from Thursday ahead of the Formula One weekend...... Parties aplenty in S'pore as F1 weekend beckons The upcoming Formula One Grand Prix is heating up the off-track action in Singapore as party-goers look set to splurge at luxurious after-parties around town...... COE prices mostly down COE prices are down in all but one category in the second bidding exercise in September...... Slight haze ahead for Singapore Singapore may be affected by occasional slight haze in the week ahead...... S'pore sets up terrorism research centre Singapore's International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research will explore non-military approaches and community engagement to reduce the idealogical threat of terrorism...... Man pleads guilty to displaying secret society-related banner A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty in a district court on Wednesday to displaying a funeral banner issued by a secret society during his mother's wake...... Test kit set to predict heart-attack risk Singapore researchers are working on a blood test kit that can predict the chance of a person having a heart attack in the future...... 4 teens arrested for Hougang armed robbery Police arrested four teens, aged between 15 and 18, for their suspected involvement in a case of armed robbery...... Changi Airport registers 11.2% growth in passenger traffic Singapore Changi Airport registered a 11.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic to 3.86 million for the month of August...... 7 taken to hospital after Bishan fire Seven people were taken to hospital after they suffered minor smoke inhalation from a fire at a provision shop at Blk 150A at Bishan Street 11 on Wednesday morning...... Singapore Global Dialogue 2011 kicks off The Singapore Global Dialogue 2011 opens on Wednesday and will see world-renowned speakers discuss contemporary global strategic concerns...... DPM Teo urges more participation in CEP Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, Teo Chee Hean, said the Community Engagement Programme (CEP), launched in 2006 to enhance racial and religious harmony, has inspired many to take ownership of their future......

Singapore Local News, 2011-09-20

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Halloween Horrors fiasco: Why 'sorry' isn't quite enough Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) CEO Isabella Loh announced the decision to cancel the Night Safari's award-winning Halloween Horrors event on Sept 14, just two weeks before the event was due for launch. Amid the public fallout and vocal calls for a.....     Former auxiliary officer jailed for keeping Euro note The amount he took was not large. But because Muhammad Zulkhairi Hamim was on duty as an auxiliary police officer when he committed the offence, he was today jailed six weeks for misappropriating a 50-Euro note, worth about........ Remorseless cabby killer sentenced to death Not only did the murderer of a taxi driver not feel guilty, he also tried to exploit the situation by trying to extort money from the dead man's wife. Justice Lee Seiu Kin came to this conclusion in the High Court, today, and........ Faulty SMRT cable left nearly 27,000 stranded SMRT said this morning's power failure, which paralysed its Circle Line, was due to a faulty cable beneath the platform level at Dakota station. It said about 26,600 passengers were affected by the incident. SMRT is checking the........ Out of jail after 20 years, then back in again for threatening doctor Just months after his release from prison for rape, Abdul Nasir Abdul Rahim got in trouble again when he threatened to slit a doctor's throat. The 45-year-old jobless man also admitted he had used abusive language on a police........ Thousands affected by Circle Line disruption Thousand of commuters were stranded during rush-hour after a power fault disrupted train services on all 16 stations on the Circle Line today morning. SMRT said the disruption started at about 5.30am. Train services were gradually........ Public feedback sought on MCYS five-year Masterplan A committee comprising representatives from the people, private and public sectors will develop the next round of the Enabling Masterplan, said the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports today. The Masterplan is a national road map...... Heavy rain expected in Singapore The National Environment Agency (NEA) said moderate to heavy thundery showers are expected over many areas of Singapore between midday and 1.30pm. National water agency, PUB, said flash floods may occur in low-lying areas in the........ MOH to work with GPs on improving healthcare The Health Ministry wants to further strengthen partnership with the community of general practitioners (GPs) to manage chronic diseases. A primary care workplan seminar will be held on Oct 8 to engage the GP community and........ Circle Line crippled by 'power fault' Commuters attempting to take the SMRT Circle Line to work or school today were dismayed to find trains not in service, in both directions from Dhoby Ghaut to Marymount station, for most of the morning.Train operator SMRT said in a........

Ranking drops but 'NTU life sciences improved' The sharp fall in an international ranking of Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) life sciences faculty over the last two years has prompted concerned undergraduates to request a meeting with the faculty head, which will be held tomorrow.........     MFA envoy to attend Ionescu trial Wednesday The trial of former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu resumes in Bucharest on Wednesday...... Ex-auxiliary police officer jailed A former auxiliary police officer was sentenced on Tuesday to six weeks' jail for misappropriating a 50-euro note, worth about S$86, while he was on duty...... Murderer also tried to extort money from family Not only did the murderer of a taxi driver not feel guilty, he also tried to exploit the situation by trying to extort money from the dead man's wife...... Curtain up for S'pore Kallang Theatre Singapore's Kallang Theatre is slated to re-open with an accompanying musical - after much delay...... Faulty cable led to Circle Line disruption A faulty cable beneath the platform level at Dakota Station caused a power fault on Tuesday morning that affected train services at all 16 stations on the Circle Line...... Man jailed again for threatening doctor Just months after his release from prison, Abdul Nasir Abdul Rahim landed himself in trouble again when he threatened to slit a doctor's throat on March 15 this year...... New plan drawn to aid disabled The disabled in Singapore can look forward to more opportunities and programmes to better meet their needs over the next five years...... Thousands affected by Circle Line disruption Thousand of commuters were stranded during rush-hour after a power fault disrupted train services on all 16 stations on the Circle Line on Tuesday morning...... MOH to work closer with GPs to manage chronic diseases The Ministry of Health wants to further strengthen partnership with general practitioners (GP) to manage chronic diseases...... Heavy rain expected over parts of S'pore The National Environment Agency (NEA) said moderate to heavy thundery showers are expected over many areas of Singapore between midday and 1.30pm...... Fan queues 29 straight hours for latest video game "Gears of War 3" 29 hours. That was how long Nanyang Polytechnic student William Ten queued at Funan DigitalLife Mall, to be the first gamer in Singapore to own the latest game release "Gears of War 3", on Monday night...... 80 retail and food services projects receive S$6.7m funding Eighty projects in the retail and food services sector have been supported by a government fund aimed at improving productivity...... Power fault disrupts Circle Line MRT services on the Circle Line (CCL) between Dhoby Ghaut and Marymount stations were disrupted on Tuesday morning......