Singapore Local News, 2011-10-31

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Man jailed 6 weeks for Swissotel bomb hoax A Swedish former chef of Swissotel the Stamford was jailed six weeks today for making a bomb hoax call. 42-year-old Erik Halvard Halvardsson called police on Sept 20 last year, claiming there was a bomb at the Swissotel......     Singapore stocks close 1.7% lower Stocks in Singapore closed 1.7 per cent lower today amid new concerns about the United States economy. Dealers noted that investors are keeping an eye on central bank policy meetings in the US, Europe and Australia this week, and........ Singapore consumer confidence lowest in two years According to the Nielsen Index, Singapore's consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest in two years, to 94 points, in the third quarter of this year. This is even lower than the previous low, which was 96, in the third quarter of 2009...... Flash flood due to rain A Kranji Expressway slip road towards Woodlands Road has been affected by flash floods today afternoon. National water agency PUB had began posting updates to water levels in the many canals and waterways around Singapore from........ Discriminatory practices have no place in S'pore: Tan Chuan-Jin Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Tan Chuan-Jin said discriminatory practices have no place in Singapore. Speaking at the Singapore Tripartism Forum today, he said tripartite partners are aware that many........ LTA cuts ERP rate at Braddell CTE gantry The Land Transport Authority is cutting Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates by S$1 at the CTE gantry north of Braddell Road. The ERP rates from 8am to 9am will come down from S$2 to S$1 from next Tuesday. The rates for other........ Singapore considering importing electricity: S Iswaran In a bid to diversify Singapore's electricity sources even further, Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran yesterday announced that the city state is exploring importing electricity from the region as an option for the medium-term at........ MICA wants your views on Do-Not-Call registry Following the first public consultation for a data protection regime, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) is now launching a second exercise to gather feedback on a national Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry...... Employment up in Q3, thanks to services sector Services continued to contribute to strong employment growth in the third quarter of this year. Preliminary estimates from the Manpower Ministry show that total employment grew by more than 32,000. Nearly two-thirds of........ Singapore considering importing electricity Singapore is seriously considering the option of importing electricity as an alternative source of energy supply. By the end of this year, the Energy Market Authority will commence a public consultation exercise on the regulatory........

Top marks for programme to train domestic workers Holding up the training programme for Indonesian foreign domestic workers (FDWs) here as a role model, an Indonesian official said yesterday that the Indonesian government hopes it can be replicated in other countries where its citizens work as........     Police, civil defence personnel take part in Exercise Heartbeat Some 250 police and civil defence personnel took part in an emergency preparedness exercise with businesses in the heart of Singapore's financial district...... S'pore consumer confidence lowest in two years According to the Nielsen Index, Singapore's consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest in two years, to 94 points, in the third quarter of this year. This is even lower than the previous low, which was 96, in the third quarter of 2009...... Man jailed 6 weeks for Swissotel bomb hoax SINGAPORE : A Swedish former chef of Swissotel the Stamford was jailed six weeks on Monday for making a bomb hoax call...... Australian Chief of Defence Force & Secretary of Defence visit S'pore SINGAPORE : Australian Defence Force (ADF) Chief of Defence Force General (GEN) David Hurley and Australian Secretary of Defence Duncan Lewis met Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Ministry of Defence on Monday morning as part of their introdu..... S'pore appoints President of Shimano Inc as Honorary Consul-General Singapore has appointed Mr Yozo Shimano as Singapore's Honorary Consul-General in Osaka, Japan...... New advertising rules for licensed moneylenders New rules to regulate advertising and marketing activities of licensed moneylenders kick in from Tuesday...... Man jailed for splashing thinner, setting colleague on fire A 65-year-old former carpenter was sentenced to four years jail on Monday for splashing thinner on a new staff in his company and setting him on fire...... Flash floods due to rain A Kranji Expressway slip road towards Woodlands Road has been affected by flash floods on Monday afternoon...... F&B, tourism sectors make strong gains in customer satisfaction Customers of the food and beverage (F&B) and tourism sectors are happier with service in Singapore...... ITTF opens Asia Pacific HQ in S'pore The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has opened its Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore...... Malaysian Defence Minister meets S'pore leaders The Malaysian Minister of Defence Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and inspected a Guard of Honour contingent at the Ministry of Defence Monday morning...... Family Court to start night sessions on Tuesdays From November 1, there will be night court sessions for the Family Court on Tuesdays from 6pm...... Feedback sought on scope of Do-Not-Call Registry The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) is seeking public feedback on the proposed scope and implementation of a national Do-Not-Call (DNC) Registry...... K Shanmugam now permanent Member of Presidential Council for Minority Rights Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law Mr K Shanmugam has been appointed a permanent Member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights...... Morning ERP rates cut at CTE gantry north of Braddell Road The Land Transport Authority is revising Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates by S$1 at the CTE gantry north of Braddell Road...... First Qantas flight from S'pore delayed The Changi Airport Group said the first Qantas flight - QF32 that was scheduled to leave Singapore for Sydney at 11:00 am (Singapore time) on Monday - has been re-timed to depart at 12:15 pm...... Discriminatory practices have no place in S'pore: Tan Chuan-Jin Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Tan Chuan-Jin said discriminatory practices have no place in Singapore...... EMA appoints S'pore-based consortium for micro-grid test bed The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has appointed a Singapore-based consortium to design, build and operate a micro-grid test-bed incorporating clean and renewable energy resources at the jetty area on Pulau Ubin...... S'pore considering importing electricity SINGAPORE : Singapore is seriously considering the option of importing electricity to diversify its source of energy supply...... Singapore's Q3 unemployment rate unexpectedly drops Singapore's unemployment rate edged lower in the third quarter following a larger-than-forecast increase in jobs......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-30

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Elim Chew to chair hawker centre 'feedback unit' A public consultation panel will be set up to gather feedback on the 10 new hawker centres that will be built over the next decade. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said the panel will be headed........

Young PAP debate: Are policies made with Singaporeans' interests at heart? Are government policies crafted with Singaporeans' interests put first? That was the subject of a debate organised by the People's Action Party's youth wing yesterday. The team for the opposition argued that it was impossible because........     Parliament's for "serious discussion, not just criticism" PERTH, AUSTRALIA: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that Parliament is a place for serious discussion and not just criticism...... Cat owners may need registration Authorities are looking into better ways of encouraging responsible cat ownership and are exploring a pilot project that may involve registering the animal...... SCDF puts out fire at Sungei Kadut The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had extinguished a fire in Sungei Kadut industrial estate which broke out on Sunday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-29

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SPF to conduct emergency preparedness exercise The Singapore Police Force will be conducting an emergency preparedness exercise codenamed "Exercise Heartbeat" on Monday, Oct 31, at Shenton Way, Marina Bay Link and Bayfront Avenue areas from 9am to 12pm. The police said the........     MediaCorp's Subaru Impreza Challenge kicks off MediaCorp's Subaru Impreza Challenge - an annual endurance event into its 10th year - kicked off today at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. Four hundred contestants from 10 territories including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam - and for the........ SAF donates motor boats to Thailand The Singapore Armed Forces has donated 45 motorised boats to the Royal Thai Army to help with the ongoing flood relief efforts in Thailand. The boats will be transported by two C-130 aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force........ Clean and Green Singapore campaign launched A nationwide initiative to increase awareness on environmental issues was launched today. The Clean and Green Singapore campaign, co-organised by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and North West Community Development Council,........ Weekly day off policy for maids must be flexible, say stakeholders Advocacy groups have welcomed the Manpower Ministry's move to study a mandatory weekly day off for maids. But along with employers and maid agencies, they said the policy needs to build in a large degree of flexibility. Responding........ HDB's Pinnacle@Duxton wins global award The Housing & Development Board's (HDB) Pinnacle@Duxton has won the 2011 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence. The prestigious award is open to real-estate developments from around the world. It........ Mutual support, fortitude vital in crises: DPM SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean has said mutual support and fortitude are key elements that will stand Singapore in good stead, in a crisis. Speaking at a Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) event, Mr........ Hawker centre 'feedback unit' formed A public consultation panel will be set up to gather feedback on the 10 new hawker centres that will be built over the next decade. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said the panel will be headed........ Singapore urges UNESCO to review operations Singapore has urged the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to review its operations and programmes in order for its work to be impactful. Speaking at the UNESCO's General Conference in Paris........ MHA thanks Home Team partners The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held its annual appreciation lunch today to thank its Home Team Connection partners serving on the boards, councils and committees of MHA and the Home Team departments. During the event, 53........ Breakthrough discovery in lung regeneration Scientists at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) have made a breakthrough discovery in the understanding of lung regeneration. Their research showed that for the first time,........

HDB resale flat prices up In defiance of the expected economic slowdown, prices of the HDB resale flats and private residential properties continued to march upward. And while private home prices increased at a slower rate in the third quarter - compared to........     New immigrants, S'poreans bond at Integration Carnival More than 2,500 new immigrants and Singaporeans came together for the inaugural Integration Carnival at the Singapore Discovery Centre...... SPF to conduct "Exercise Heartbeat" The Singapore Police Force will be conducting an emergency preparedness exercise codenamed "Exercise Heartbeat" on Monday, October 31, at Shenton Way, Marina Bay Link and Bayfront Avenue areas from 9.00am to 12.00pm...... SAF donates motor boats to Thailand The Singapore Armed Forces has donated 45 motorised boats to the Royal Thai Army to help with the ongoing flood relief efforts in Thailand...... Clean and Green Singapore campaign launched A nationwide initiative to increase awareness on environmental issues was launched on Saturday...... Weekly day off policy for maids must be flexible, say stakeholders Advocacy groups have welcomed the Manpower Ministry's move to study a mandatory weekly day off for maids. But along with employers and maid agencies, they said the policy needs to build in a large degree of flexibility...... Hang in there - you can win a car! MediaCorp's Subaru Impreza Challenge -- an annual endurance event into its 10th year -- kicked off on Saturday at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza...... Hawker centre 'feedback unit' formed A public consultation panel will be set up to gather feedback on the 10 new hawker centres that will be built over the next decade...... S'pore urges UNESCO to review operations Singapore has urged the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to review its operations and programmes in order for its work to be impactful...... Pinnacle@Duxton wins global award The Housing & Development Board's (HDB) Pinnacle@Duxton has won the 2011 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence...... Mutual support, fortitude vital in crises Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean has said mutual support and fortitude are key elements that will stand Singapore in good stead, in a crisis...... Mrs Josephine Teo to visit Japan Minister of State for Finance and Transport Josephine Teo will visit Tokyo, Japan from Sunday to Thursday......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-28

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MOM to announce review outcome of entry requirements for maids The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will be announcing, by year end, the outcome of its review of the entry requirements, including the mandatory written entry English test for foreign domestic workers (FDWs). Responding to media queries........     Singapore to provide relief package worth US$50,000 to Turkey The Singapore Government will provide a humanitarian relief package worth US$50,000 to Turkey, following the earthquake that struck the province of Van on Sunday (Oct 23), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday. The funds...... Duo accused of stealing from SLA convicted The two former Singapore Land Authority employees accused of pilfering S$12.2 million from the statutory board less than two years ago have been convicted of cheating and money laundering charges. The duo had pleaded guilty to the charges...... They queued for hours for an iPhone 4S Resale Price Index for HDB up The HDB's Resale Price Index (RPI) for the third quarter 2011 expanded to 187.2 from 180.3 in the second quarter. In a press release today, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said this was an increase of 3.8 per cent over the........ Prices of private houses moderate Prices of private residential properties increased by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2011, lower than the 2.0 per cent rise in the previous quarter. This was the eighth consecutive quarter in which the rate of increase in........

S'pore to safeguard integrity, reputation as financial centre The Republic will consider a "tougher penalty regime" and boost enforcement against money laundering and terrorist financing, Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Ravi Menon said yesterday. Mr Menon was speaking at an........     MOM to announce maids' entry test review outcome Singapore's Manpower Ministry will announce the outcome of its review on the foreign domestic worker (FDW) entry requirements by the end of the year...... S'pore to send relief package to quake-hit Turkey Singapore will provide a humanitarian relief package worth US$50,000 to Turkey, following the earthquake that struck the province of Van on Sunday, October 23...... Six winners for this year's Defence Technology Prize Five teams and an individual have received the Defence Technology Prize (DTP) this year. The award recognises those who have made significant contributions to strengthen Singapore's defence capabilities...... Former SLA employees plead guilty in S$12.2m fraud case Two former Singapore Land Authority (SLA) employees, who pilfered S$12.2 million from the statutory board over a span of less than two years, have pleaded guilty to cheating and money laundering charges...... Breakthrough discovery in lung regeneration Scientists at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) have made a breakthrough discovery in the understanding of lung regeneration...... NYAA honours 153 youths with gold award The National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council has honoured 153 young people for their development and actions as community leaders...... Construction education schemes announced Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin has announced new education funding schemes to attract and retain entrants to the construction industry...... France, S'pore underscore strong defence relationship French Under-Secretary of Defence for Policy Michel Miraillet's three-day visit to Singapore underscores the strong defence relationship between Singapore and France, said the Ministry of Defence on Friday...... Games Solution Centre launched Aspiring game developers now have a one-stop resource centre to turn to in Singapore...... iPhone 4S debuts in Singapore The iPhone crowds are back......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-27

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More support for childcare teachers The Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry today announced that childcare centres will now be able to recruit and train para-educators and para-educarers to support childcare teachers. Para-educators and para-educarers........     Economic growth next year could slow: MAS The Singapore economy will see stalled growth over the next few quarters, followed by a modest recovery - probably in the second half of next year - the Monetary Authority of Singapore forecast in its half-yearly macroeconomic review this........ New Transformers ride to launch at Universal Studios Singapore Universal Studios Singapore will launch the world's first theme park attraction based on Hasbro's iconic Transformers brand on Dec 3. Director and executive producer Michael Bay - who also served as the attraction's creative........

Firms to keep E-Pass holders despite new salary criteria Despite the new salary criteria that will kick in next year, companies Channel NewsAsia spoke to said they are likely to retain skilled, professional foreign workers. They said Employment Pass (E-Pass) holders who have undergone........     New platforms to help strengthen marriages in S'pore To strengthen marriages in Singapore, Marriage Central will be establishing new platforms like community-based activities to reach out to couples...... Zainul Abidin Rasheed appointed non-resident Ambassador to Kuwait The government has appointed former Senior Minister of State, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, as Singapore's next Ambassador to the State of Kuwait...... Many families in S'pore have no life insurance: HSBC study Many families in Singapore, including those with children, have not recognised the risks of not having life insurance protection, according to a global study on retirement and financial planning by HSBC...... MediaCorp, Japan's TBS to co-produce TV drama MediaCorp and Japan's TBS Television have signed a bilateral agreement to co-produce a television drama...... International public broadcasters discuss challenges facing industry Over 200 members of the global public broadcasting industry gathered in Singapore for the 20th Public Broadcasters International Conference on Thursday...... Govt warns against violating international sanctions Singapore Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, said authorities will commence proceedings against anyone who is believed to have acted in violation of international sanctions...... Employment growth slowing in 2011: MAS The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said employment growth is expected to slow further this year as the economy cools...... Thundery showers ahead, flash flood reported The National Environment Agency warned of thundery showers with gusty winds over many parts of Singapore between 12.50pm and 3.20pm on Thursday...... Singapore inflation will remain high: MAS Inflation is likely to remain elevated until mid-2012 before easing as the economy slows, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said...... Economic outlook clouded by uncertainties: MAS The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the domestic economy is likely to be confronted with "strong cyclical headwinds" in the immediate quarters ahead...... Transformers The Ride debuts Dec 3 Universal Studios Singapore will launch the world's first theme park attraction based on the Transformers movie franchise on 3 December...... More support for childcare teachers The Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry on Thursday announced that childcare centres will now be able to recruit and train para-educators and para-educarers to support childcare teachers...... Football: Former Gunner looks the pick of the pack Englishman Oliver Nicholas looked well at ease throughout the centralised trials for foreign hopefuls looking to sign on with clubs here for the 2012 Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League season......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-26

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Singaporeans charged with selling parts used in bombs WASHINGTON - An Iranian and four people from Singapore have been charged by a United States grand jury with smuggling thousands of radio transmitters to Iran, some later found in bombs in Iraq, the US Justice Department said yesterday. The five......

Six Malaysian films given the go-ahead in S'pore A political association, Singaporeans for Democracy (SFD), has been given the go-ahead by the Media Development Authority (MDA) to screen six films, all relating to rights, at what it described as its human rights event this Friday......     Playing table tennis without arms The lack of forearms and having only one leg didn't stop German Rainer Schmidt from winning several gold medals in table tennis...... MFA urges S'poreans to hasten return from Bangkok Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Singaporeans visiting Bangkok to consider bringing forward their departure from Bangkok while Suvarnabhumi International Airport remains open, unless they have pressing reasons to remain there...... Deepavali celebrations get underway Worshippers streamed into temples across the island for an auspicious start to Deepavali on Wednesday...... New DBSS project launched in Clementi Strong application rates are expected for a new Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project in Clementi launched on Wednesday...... Lee Kuan Yew memoirs now available in French PARIS: The memoirs of Singapore's former Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew are now available in French for the first time...... PM Lee to attend 3-day Commonwealth meeting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia, from October 28-30...... North East CDC to reach out to troubled individuals Mayor of North East District, Mr Teo Ser Luck said his CDC staff will take a closer look at their database in order to reach out to troubled individuals...... Woman arrested for stealing taxi drivers' phones Police have arrested a 34-year-old woman who is believed to be responsible for stealing the mobile phones of taxi drivers...... SATS trains F&B students from Assumption Pathway School It's a training restaurant manned by teenage students learning to cook, bake and serve customers...... Firms likely to retain foreign workers despite new salary criteria Companies Channel NewsAsia spoke with said they are likely to retain skilled, professional foreign workers, despite the new salary criteria that will kick in next year...... Police nab three for mobile phone scam Police have arrested three Vietnamese aged between 25 and 33 for their suspected involvement in at least six cases of cheating where genuine mobile phones were swapped with imitation China-made phones at mobile phone shops...... Migrant workers given free rides on S'pore Flyer To celebrate Deepavali, some 100 migrants workers in Singapore were given complimentary rides onboard the Singapore Flyer on Wednesday...... Defence Minister visits SAF troops in Afghanistan Singapore's Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen has emphasised the importance of Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) role in contributing to the multinational efforts in Afghanistan......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-25

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Case against cosmetic surgeon reached settlement The case between Dr Martin Huang, a famous cosmetic surgeon and his former teenage patient reached settlement in the High Court today. The 17-year-old patient, whose name has to be withheld because she is a minor, had alleged that........     Consortium to bring NFC shopping to Singapore by 2012 You may be able to pay for your purchases by "tapping" your mobile phone at more than 20,000 retail points and taxis by mid-2012. This is made possible through a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC). It uses........ Scammers target the lovelorn A 34-year-old woman was asked to transfer about S$14,000 to someone's bank account to secure the release of a friend she met on a dating website. But sensing something was amiss, the woman called police first to check and found out........ What are Singaporeans happiest about? Singaporeans have rated their personal savings as the area in which they are most unhappy with, according to a study titled The Happiness Report. Conducted by Grey Group, a global communications firm, the study was designed to........ Another body found in Bedok Reservoir A body of a Chinese woman in her late 50s was found floating in Bedok Reservoir this morning. The body, clothed in a red dress, was found floating in the Reservoir opposite Damai Secondary School. Police received a call........

Doctor's toilet break after liposuction lands him in hot water A doctor's five-minute toilet break after performing a liposuction procedure came under the spotlight at a coroner's inquiry yesterday. The procedure caused the death of Mr Franklin Heng, 44, who was then the chief executive officer........     MOH investigates TB cases in Bedok Town Secondary School The Ministry of Health is advising residents living near Bedok Town Secondary School to see a doctor if they have a cough or are feeling unwell...... French art works on display at National Museum of S'pore Over 140 renowned art works from the Musee d'Orsay museum in Paris are on display at the National Museum of Singapore...... Tap your phone to shop in 2012 You may be able to pay for your purchases by "tapping" your mobile phone at more than 20,000 retail points and taxis by mid-2012...... iPhone 4S available in S'pore on Friday iPhone 4S will be available at SingTel stores in Singapore from Friday...... Temasek Cares donates S$1.1m for mental health programmes Temasek Cares is contributing S$1.1 million to fund new mental health programmes that will help more than 300 beneficiaries and their caregivers...... Fewer Singaporean women at the top Women make up just 6.9 per cent of board members of listed companies on the Singapore Exchange (SGX)...... Woman nearly scammed by dating website A 34-year-old woman was asked to transfer about S$14,000 to someone's bank account to secure the release of a friend she met on a dating website...... Help for Type 1 diabetes diet plan The Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has launched a programme that gives Type 1 diabetes patients more freedom to manage their diets...... Malaysian jailed for smuggling cigarettes in tyres A Malaysian man has been jailed seven months for trying to smuggle cigarettes into Singapore in the tyres of his jeep...... S'pore, China sign deal to expand maritime co-operation Singapore has signed a maritime deal with China to expand scope of co-operation with China...... S'pore, Malaysia PMs to meet in December The Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore are likely to have another retreat meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December...... Doctor suspended for prescribing hypnotic medicine The Singapore Medical Council has suspended Dr Goh Ching Luck for three months for inappropriately prescribing hypnotic medication and cough mixtures to his patients...... Body found in Bedok Reservoir again The body of a Chinese woman in her late 50s was found floating in Bedok Reservoir on Tuesday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-24

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Environmental awareness is not enough: Campaign organisers The Clean and Green Singapore 2012 campaign will appeal to Singaporeans' emotional ties with the environment. Organisers said environmental awareness among Singaporeans is high, but the challenge was to get them to put this into........     Dr Amy Khor appointed chair of national HIV committee Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor has been appointed to chair the National HIV/AIDS Policy Committee. The appointment took effect at the start of the month. The 16-member committee includes representatives from........ 50 more childcare centres to open Singapore's biggest childcare chain, NTUC First Campus (NFC) will open 50 more childcare centres over the next two years. That would mean one new centre every two weeks. Enrolment capacity will also increase by 50 per........ New DBSS to be launched in Clementi A new Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project, Trivelis, will be launched this week at Clementi Ave 4, about five minutes from Clementi Mall and the MRT station. The developer of the project, EL Development Pte Ltd, has also........ Train services will run till late for Deepavali: SMRT SMRT is extending train service hours on the eve of the Deepavali holiday. The transport operator said train services on the North-South, East-West and Circle Lines will be extended into the early morning hours of Wednesday for........ Inflation dips slightly, but holds above 5% Singapore's inflation rate held above 5 per cent for a fourth month as housing and transportation costs surged - but still stayed marginally below economists' forecasts. The consumer price index rose 5.5 per cent in September from a........

Singaporean youths spend more time gaming than American youths: Study An inaugural study of 3,000 youths here has found that Singaporean adolescents spend more time than American youths on video gaming. On average, gamers here spend about 20 hours per week on gaming, as compared to about 13 hours for........     S'pore sends condolences after Saudi Crown Prince's death President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have sent their letters of condolence to Saudi King Abdullah Abdul Aziz on the passing of Crown Prince Sultan Abdul Aziz, Minister of Defence and Aviation of Saudi Arabia...... 3 nabbed for trying to enter RWS casino using fake identity SINGAPORE : Three people were arrested between June and September this year for trying to enter the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) casino using another person's identification...... Shanmugam to attend meetings in Perth ahead of CHOGM Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam will be in Perth, Australia, to attend a series of meetings ahead of the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which starts this Friday...... Tourism professionals, biz leaders attend TravelRave SINGAPORE : More than 9,500 tourism professionals and business leaders attended this year's TravelRave 2011 which ended on Sunday...... Insufficient savings put the frowns on S'poreans Singaporeans rate their personal savings as the area they are most unhappy with, according to a study called "The Happiness Report"...... Inspiring S'poreans to take ownership of conservation The Clean and Green Singapore 2012 campaign will appeal to Singaporeans' emotional ties with the environment...... New DBSS to be launched in Clementi A new Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project, Trivelis, will be launched this week at Clementi Ave 4, about five minutes from Clementi Mall and the MRT station...... SMRT extends train services on Deepavali eve SMRT is extending train service hours on the eve of the Deepavali holiday...... NTUC First Campus to open 50 more childcare centres Singapore's biggest childcare chain, NTUC First Campus (NFC), will open 50 more childcare centres over the next two years. That would mean one new centre every two weeks...... Changi Airport sees 12.5% more passengers in September Singapore Changi Airport handled 12.5 per cent more passengers in September compared to the same period a year ago...... Amy Khor appointed chair of national HIV committee Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor has been appointed to chair the National HIV/AIDS Policy Committee......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-23

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A bright future for youths in Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said youths in the country will have a bright future - and they will be given ample opportunity to do well in their studies and jobs, as well as contribute to society. The message came on the back of........

Malaysia's DPM to visit Singapore Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will be in Singapore on October 24 for a two-day official visit......     Thai floods hit S'pore businesses Some Singapore businesses in Thailand have not been able to escape the brunt of the nation's worst flooding in decades with their factories reportedly being completely destroyed...... LTA completes enhancement to MRT stations The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has completed its enhancement works to MRT stations to improve barrier free accessibility...... Ramped up supply of BTO flats easing market imbalance National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan made a commitment in Parliament on October 19, that every newlywed couple earning below S$10,000 dollars will be able to afford and get their first Build-To-Order (BTO) flat...... Govt needs to acknowledge segments of populations left behind: Shanmugam Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that even as the government continues to push for growth, it must acknowledge there is a segment of the population which feels it is left behind...... Mr Lawrence Wong to visit Finland and France Minister of State for Defence and Education Lawrence Wong will lead a delegation to study the higher education systems in Finland and France from Monday to Saturday...... SCDF to hold drills at Century Square Mall The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be conducting a ground deployment exercise at Century Square Mall in Tampines on Tuesday morning, from 1am to 4am...... Teen "loansharking runners" nabbed Two 17-year-old youths have been arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... Ms Grace Fu to visit Geneva Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts Grace Fu will be in Geneva, Switzerland, from Sunday to Thursday...... Mr Lui Tuck Yew to visit China Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Lui Tuck Yew will be leading the Singapore delegation to the 2nd Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Transport Ministers' Meeting (TMM) from Monday to Wednesday in Chengdu, China......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-22

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A promising start, but the hard work's just started It is still early days yet but this past week, Singaporeans got a glimpse of what the 12th Parliament would be like. It augurs well. The debate on the President's Address did not disappoint, but it also highlighted the realities, some harsh,........

Police launch iPhone app The police have launched a new iPhone application to give users up-to-date crime alerts and crime prevention advisories. Users can also view crime statistics around their neighbourhood and get information on missing persons via the free........     S'pore will provide bright future for youths to do well: PM Lee Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said youths in the country will have a bright future - where they will be given ample opportunity to do well in their studies and jobs, as well as contribute to society...... McDonald's holds career fair to attract mature workers Fast-food giant McDonald's wants to reach out to more senior citizens in its latest recruitment exercise...... Can S'pore buildings go "green" by 2030? The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said the goal of "greening" 80 per cent of Singapore's buildings by 2030 is an "ambitious target"...... Grassroots leaders to get training The People's Association (PA) has come up with a comprehensive training plan to help grassroots leaders offer better service to the community...... Social day care centre opened in Fengshan NTUC Eldercare has opened its eighth social day care centre -- Silver Circle (Fengshan) -- at the East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC)...... HPB launches "health network" Singapore's Health Promotion Board (HPB) is initiating a sweeping social movement by tapping on something as simple as the personal networks of people from all walks of life to spread the "stay healthy" message......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-21

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Rice importers have 'healthy' stockpile The price of Thai fragrant rice may have risen by 9 per cent since January, but Singapore's stockpile and its strategy of diversifying its rice supply sources have mitigated the effects of price spikes and supply disruptions, Minister of State........     2 programmes to help bankrupts, debtors The Ministry of Law is rolling out two new programmes to help bankrupts and debtors. These are the Financial Counselling Programme, which includes a workshop on financial education, and the Job Referral and Skills Upgrading........ StarHub mobile services affected by power outage this morning A power outage this morning affected some of StarHub's mobile services. StarHub spokesperson, Ms Genette Koh, said: "Due to a power outage this morning, our mobile services were affected in limited parts of Singapore. All services have since........ Price, supply of Thai rice in Singapore to stay stable Despite severe floods in Thailand, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said the price and supply of rice in Singapore will remain stable. Responding to a question by MP Foo Mee Har in Parliament on Friday, Minister of State........ Police launch crime alert iPhone app The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has launched a new iPhone application to give users up-to-date crime alerts and crime prevention advisories. Users can also view crime statistics around their neighbourhood and get information on........

New integrated care programme for elderly launched The Singapore Programme for Integrated Care for the Elderly (SPICE), which provides integrated centre and home-based care services, was rolled out at the newly-renovated Tembusu Rehabilitation and Day Care Centre yesterday. The programme allows......     Look beyond GDP measure of growth, urges MP MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Penny Low, has called on the government to aim beyond the GDP measure of growth and look at a more holistic national measurement system...... Extending DPS beyond age 60 will mean higher premiums Extending the Dependants' Protection Scheme (DPS) beyond age 60 will mean substantially higher premiums, said Minister of State for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin...... 11 arrested for helping loansharks open bank accounts Police have arrested 11 men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... S'pore's success lies in being "relevant", says Education Minister Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said to succeed in the global arena, Singaporeans must be aware of the relationship between Singapore and the world...... NCPG to expand services to gambling addicts The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is expanding its services to include not just counselling, but also financial and credit services...... WP MPs will scrutinise policies for loopholes: Low Thia Khiang Making his first speech in the new session Parliament on Friday, Workers' Party (WP) Secretary General and MP for Aljunied GRC Low Thia Khiang, said while the lack of resources and information may hamper his party from developing alternative policies..... Govt urged to rethink policies for women Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts, Grace Fu, focused on women issues in her speech in Parliament on Friday...... IAC accepts SIA's position against pilots on flight allowance A dispute between SIA and SilkAir pilots and their company over flight allowance went before the Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC) on Friday...... MCYS to expand early intervention programme By next April, the average waiting time for a child to be enrolled into an early intervention centre will be halved - from six months to three...... Singaporean hawker in casino dispute over jackpot SINGAPORE : A Singaporean food seller claims a casino is trying to deprive her of her rightful winnings after it said a slot machine jackpot message only popped up because of a glitch, a report said Friday...... No tightening of foreign worker quotas: MOM Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) emphasised on Friday that it has not tightened foreign worker quotas. What it has done is to tighten the entry criteria for the various work passes to raise the standards and quality of the workers...... Singapore sends humanitarian relief aid to Thailand Singapore has sent emergency equipment and supplies to Thailand to assist with flood relief efforts...... More can be done to enhance home-based care for elderly: MCYS The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said more can be done to enhance home-based care for the elderly...... Too early to establish link between casinos and moneylending: Iswaran Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it is too early to establish a clear link between the two casinos and trends in unlicensed moneylending...... Vladivostok Air lands in Changi Airport Singapore Changi Airport welcomes a new airline on Friday that will connect it to the Russian Far East. Vladivostok Air, will be operating twice-weekly services between Singapore and Vladivostok via Hong Kong...... Nude squat case has to be resolved according to Malaysian laws The recent case where two Singaporean women were detained and made to do nude squats at a Johor detention centre for alleged immigration offences would have to be resolved in accordance with Malaysian laws and rules, said Law and Foreign Affairs Mini..... Police launch crime alert iPhone app The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has launched a new iPhone application to give users up-to-date crime alerts and crime prevention advisories...... Price, supply of Thai rice in S'pore to stay stable Despite severe floods in Thailand, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said the price and supply of rice in Singapore will remain stable...... New programmes to assist bankrupts and debtors The Ministry of Law is rolling out two new programmes to help bankrupts and debtors...... New 'Healing Garden' in Singapore Singapore Botanic Gardens has launched 'Healing Garden', the largest garden in Singapore showcasing a collection of healing plants...... Motorbike catches fire along PIE A motorbike caught fire Friday morning along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) towards Changi, just before the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) exit...... Flash floods hit several areas around Singapore Flash floods hit several roads in Singapore, with heavy rain falling over many areas on Friday afternoon...... New bus service for Bukit Panjang Town residents From Monday, a new supplementary bus service will operate on weekday mornings to take residents at Bukit Panjang Town to their nearest train station at Choa Chu Kang MRT station......

Singapore Local News, 2011-10-20

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PM confident of 'providing a better life for all' Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is confident of achieving the vision of providing a better life for all in the country as stated in the President's Address at the opening of the 12th Parliament. Speaking in Parliament........     Shell refinery fire likely to have minimal impact on economy: Trade Minister Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said the fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery is likely to have minimal impact on the overall economy. It took fire fighters 32 hours to put out the blaze which engulfed the oil........ YouTube launches Singapore site YouTube has officially arrived in Singapore, which means that artistes or other content creators here finally have a chance to earn revenue through the world's largest video creation platform. At its launch of the........

Govt urged to look into ERP charges, improve bus services Even as the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) operating hours for gantries along the north-bound Central Expressway and south-bound Singapore River Line were shortened with effect from yesterday, Member of Parliament Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC) is........     Japan will remain key ASEAN partner despite leadership change Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli said he expects Japan to remain a key ASEAN partner despite a recent change in prime minister...... Character development, competitive sports important in holistic education Will character development, sports and friendship play an equally important role as academic results in the development of children?..... Dinosaurs invade Science Centre 50 life-sized dinosaurs with moving bodies, eyes and even stomachs... this realistic experience awaits visitors at the latest exhibition at Science Centre Singapore...... Strengthen safety net for self-employed, urges MP Including self-employed people in the CPF scheme was the focus of Mr Seng Han Thong's speech in Parliament...... Unregistered property agent charged A second person was charged on Thursday with representing himself as a property agent without being registered with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)...... Locals form over 80% of private home buyers, foreign ownership up The number of foreigners owning private property in Singapore has grown to 16 per cent in the first half of this year, compared to 12 per cent for the whole of last year...... PM Lee's key priorities to achieve better life for Singaporeans Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is confident of achieving the vision of providing a better life for all in the country as stated in the President's Address at the opening of the 12th Parliament...... Equal treatment for all NSmen: Ng Eng Hen Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said his ministry is acutely aware that all NSmen must be treated equally, regardless of their background...... Shell refinery fire likely to have minimal impact on economy Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said the fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery is likely to have minimal impact on the overall economy...... Two MPs appointed chairpersons for House committees Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer has appointed two Members of Parliament as chairpersons of two committees of the House...... MOM on managing inflow of foreign workers Managing the inflow of foreign workers into Singapore remains a stringent and finely balanced exercise, said Minister of State for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin...... Brunei's energy minister visits Singapore Brunei's Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office will be in Singapore for three days from October 20 at the invitation of Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts...... Chemical experts to share ideas on green innovations Chemical experts from Singapore and Japan are meeting at a two-day conference starting Thursday to share ideas on green innovations......