Singapore Local News, 2012-03-31

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One missing after collision at sea off Jurong Rescuers are searching for a person who is missing, following a collision at sea off the waters of Penjuru Terminal on Saturday morning. The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said it received a report at about 9.30am that a number........     NEA sets up public feedback hotline From Sunday, members of public can call the National Environment Agency's (NEA) hotline to report any public cleanliness problems. The number to call is 1800 600 3333. The agency's new Department of Public Cleanliness........ No kidnap cases so far, say police Police said there are no cases of kidnapping or abductions so far, following investigations. Police said on Saturday that they're aware that postings are still being circulated online, alleging that young children have been led away........ Start of Circle Line train service delayed The start of train service along a section of the Circle Line was delayed earlier this morning. A SMRT spokesperson said the delay of train service between Caldecott and Seragoon MRT stations - in the direction of Dhoby Ghaut - was........ Earth Hour to take Singapore into world record books The world will get a little darker, but much greener on Saturday as nations and landmarks around the globe, from the Sydney Opera House to Taipei 101, and Singapore's Orchard Road turn off the lights for one hour to mark Earth Hour......

Court reserves judgment on Hougang by-election application Judgment has been reserved on the application by a Hougang resident for the High Court to declare that the Prime Minister does not have "unfettered discretion" in deciding whether and when to call for by-elections. This was after........     Brunei Education Minister to visit S'pore Brunei's Education Minister, Pehin Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, will visit Singapore as the 33rd Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow (LKYEF)...... NTU honours calligraphy artist Pan Shou The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has honoured one of Singapore's most respected calligraphy artists, Pan Shou...... Aga Khan in S'pore for working visit The Iman of world's Shia Ismaili community, the Aga Khan, is in Singapore for a four-day working visit...... Lim Swee Say urges students to take greater interest in Chinese Having a good command of Chinese is increasingly important in an environment where the use of Chinese becomes more pervasive...... 10 motorists arrested for suspected drink-driving Traffic Police arrested 10 motorists for drink-driving in a three-hour islandwide Anti-Drink-Driving operation on Saturday...... No cases of kidnapping or abduction so far, say police Police said there are no cases of kidnapping or abductions so far, following investigations...... One missing, another feared dead in collision off Penjuru Terminal Rescuers are searching for a man who's missing after the pleasure craft he was in collided with another craft in the waters off Penjuru Terminal on Saturday morning...... Woman found dead in Jurong West flat A woman was found dead in a flat in Jurong West on Saturday morning...... Stalled vehicle delays start of Circle Line train service Train service on the Circle Line between Caldecott and Serangoon stations towards Dhoby Ghaut started later than usual on Saturday morning...... Table Tennis: S'pore women through to semi-finals Defending women's champions, Singapore, are through to the semi-finals of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Germany...... Earth Hour to take Singapore into world record books The world will get a little darker, but much greener on Saturday as nations and landmarks around the globe, from the Sydney Opera House to Taipei 101, and Singapore's Orchard Road turn off the lights for one hour to mark Earth Hour......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-30

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Changi General Hospital to manage 30 beds in Parkway East Hospital To better handle its patient load, Changi General Hospital (CGH) will manage 30 beds in Parkway East Hospital (PEH). Operations are expected to begin in the second quarter of this year, with the 30-bed ward to have a mix of single........     Scientists embark on multi-nation study on heart failure Scientists across 10 countries will be embarking on a five-year study on heart failure. Focusing on 5,000 patients, aged 18 and above, the study will gather and analyse data from these 10 countries to better understand sudden........ Electricity tariffs to increase by 4.3 per cent Electricity will cost more starting Sunday, as higher fuel prices have resulted in higher power generation costs, said water and gas supplier SP Services in a statement today. The average fuel oil price over the last three months -........ Judgement reserved in Hougang by-election application Judgement has been reserved over an application by a Hougang resident on a by-election at the single-seat constituency. Lawyers today spent more than two hours in Justice Philip Pillai's chambers presenting their arguments...... Six charged with having sex with underaged sex workers Six men have been charged with having sex with underage girls who are believed to be sex workers. The six are: Seah Seng Kok, 59; Chan See Sean, 40; Low Kian Ann, 55; Justin Guo Zhijia, 24; Yee Yew Seng, 45; and Wee Lian Kee,........ URA appoints new chairman Former head of civil service Peter Ho will take over as chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Sunday. He will take over from Mr Alan Chan, who will step down on Saturday when his term ends. Mr Ho is currently........ Multicultural ties in S'pore stronger: Study Multiculturalism in Singapore has grown stronger, according to a study by researchers at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University. The report, titled The Ties that Bind and Blind: A........ NUS appoints new members to board of trustees The National University of Singapore has appointed four new members to its Board of Trustees. The new members are Professor Chan Heng Chee, Singapore's Ambassador to the United States; Mr Andrew M Lim, partner of law firm Allen &........

Dead fish found in another river Hundreds of dead fish, measuring 5cm long each and similar to the ones found earlier, were washed up ashore yesterday along Sungei Tampines, making it the second incident to have occurred in the Pasir Ris estate in the past 10 days......     Not "I Do" at Earth Hour, but "I will" This year's theme for Earth Hour that happens on Saturday at 8.30pm is "I Will If You Will", a challenge-based platform that encourages people to go 'beyond the hour' to preserve and protect the planet...... ESM Goh visits Hainan Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong is on a five-day visit to Hainan province, China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference...... Table Tennis: Singapore's men crash out Singapore's men lost 1-3 to Japan in the quarter-finals at the World Table Tennis Team Championships in Dortmund, Germany on Friday...... NEA sets up 'public feedback' hotline From Sunday, members of public can call the National Environment Agency's (NEA) hotline to report any public cleanliness problems...... Australian FM meets PM Lee Singapore and Australia have reaffirmed the strong ties between the two countries, with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr's official visit to Singapore...... Electricity tariffs to go up 4.3% Electricity tariffs will increase by 4.3 per cent for the next three months beginning this Sunday...... URA appoints new chairman Former head of civil service Peter Ho will take over as chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Sunday...... Court charges nine men involved with underage sex workers case Nine men have been charged in court on Friday, in connection with a case involving underage sex workers...... NUS appoints four new members to its board of trustees The National University of Singapore has appointed four new members to its Board of Trustees......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-29

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Achieving better accessibility in Singapore's built environment Almost all public buildings in Singapore have achieved some level of basic accessibility, such as having a toilet on the first floor that can be used easily by a wheelchair-bound person. These include community clubs, government........     Teen gets reformative training for raping schoolmate An 18-year-old boy who raped his good friend four years ago has been sent for reformative training. He will spend between 18 months and three years at the reformative centre. The court heard that in February and March........ Baggage system fault causes flight delays at Changi Thirty outbound flights at Changi Airport's Terminal 2 were delayed this morning after a computer system fault disrupted the baggage sorting system. The affected flights had been scheduled to take off between 6am and 8.30am...... CCTV images now on PUB website to show road conditions during storms Singapore - From today, Singaporeans will be able to view images from 24 closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed in flood-prone areas and hotspots across the island, via the PUB's website.The CCTV images will be updated every five minutes, and........ Upgraded Eunos hawker centre re-opens in April From next month, Eunos residents could enjoy their meals at a more spacious and hygenic environment as the newly-refurbished Blk 4A Eunos Crescent Market & Food Centre re-opens for business. The centre was closed for nine months,........ SBS Transit extends bus, train services on Good Friday eve SBS Transit will extend the operating hours of its bus and train services on the eve of Good Friday, Apr 5. On the North East Line, the last train in the direction of HarbourFront will depart Punggol Station at 12.02am, Serangoon........ National Wages Council seeks views from public on wage guidelines The National Wages Council (NWC) will be meeting next month and in May to consider wage and wage-related guidelines for 2012/2013. The NWC today called for the public and relevant stakeholders to submit their views and suggestions........

Train disruptions report completed, submitted to inquiry committee The SMRT's internal investigation team has completed its investigation into the disruptions to train services in December, said the public transport operator yesterday. The SMRT Board has, in turn, submitted the team's report to........     Schools going beyond Earth Hour Singapore will be observing Earth Hour for the fourth time on Saturday, March 31st but students from 18 months to 18 years, are doing their bid for the environment beyond just 60 minutes...... Needy seniors gain from skipping project In the past month, schools and organisations in the South East district have been skipping for a good cause -- and their record three million skips has managed to raise S$60,000 worth of hampers for needy seniors...... Community Chest sees increase in donations from wills, estates, condolence money SINGAPORE : The Community Chest saw a three-fold increase in donations received from wills, estates and condolence money for the financial year ending 31 March 2012...... Scholarships worth S$31,000 given to good science students Scholarships worth S$31,000 have been given to 31 science students for their outstanding academic and co-curricular achievements...... Man jailed for maid abuse A man has been sentenced to eight weeks' jail for maid abuse...... New eduLab to provide ICT learning platform for teachers Teachers now have a one-stop centre to collaborate on projects using infocomm technology...... Baggage system fault causes flight delays at Changi Thirty outbound flights at Changi Airport's Terminal 2 were delayed on Thursday morning after a computer system fault disrupted the baggage sorting system...... Accessibility Code for new buildings under review SINGAPORE : New buildings in Singapore will soon be required to go beyond creating a barrier-free environment, and be fitted with universal design features...... View CCTV images of flood-prone areas on PUB's website From Thursday, the public can find out which areas have been hit by floods by checking closed-circuit television (CCTV) images on national water agency PUB's website...... Teen gets reformative training for raping schoolmate An 18-year-old boy who raped his good friend four years ago has been sent for reformative training...... Eunos market & food centre to reopen on Sunday The market and food centre at 4A Eunos Crescent will reopen on Sunday after nine months of upgrading...... National Wages Council seeks views on wage guidelines The National Wages Council is meeting over the next two months to consider wage guidelines for 2012...... Table Tennis: Singapore's women to play N. Korea or Germany in quarter-finals Singapore's women will play either North Korea or hosts Germany in the quarter-finals of the World Team Table Tennis Championships...... Table Tennis: Singapore men's paddlers to play Belarus Singapore's men's table tennis team will next play Belarus in the round of 16 at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Germany......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-28

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Jay Chou to stage race-themed concert at 2012 F1 Singapore Grand Prix Organisers announced today that Taiwan superstar Jay Chou will stage a one-night only, race-themed concert at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 21, as part of the entertainment lineup for the 2012 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand........     SMRT completes investigation on breakdowns, submits report to Govt SMRT's internal investigation team has completed its investigation into the disruptions to train services in December, said the transport operator today. The SMRT Board has, in turn, submitted the team's report to the Committee of........ Gen Y more gracious now: survey Young people under the age of 30 appear to have become more gracious, according to the Singapore Kindness Movement's 2012 Graciousness Index. The group of youths, commonly called Gen Y, showed marked improvement in graciousness,........ HDB tweaks rules to protect serious buyers, will launch 4,640 flats in May The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has tweaked its rules to discourage buyers who book a flat but subsequently cancel their booking, in a move designed to better protect serious home buyers. Such applicants who cancel their........ Experts worried about high rate of stroke patients who drop out of therapy The high rate of stroke patients dropping out of supervised therapy after discharge from hospital is a worrying trend, according to a study by the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. The study........ SGX reorganises business units The Singapore Exchange (SGX) announced today a new organisation structure which will enable better leverage of growth opportunities in the region. In a statement, SGX said it will be reorganised into five business units -........

Two initiatives to promote volunteerism, social enterprises Two initiatives will be launched to encourage Singaporeans to use their time and talent, as well as their business acumen, to help the less fortunate. One is the President's Challenge Volunteer Drive later this year. It wants to........     S'pore, M'sia drug agencies sign MOU to protect public health The drug regulatory agencies of Singapore and Malaysia will work together to protect public health and safety after both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Singapore on Wednesday...... CNB foils drug supply chain The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has foiled would-be drug offenders throughout the supply chain - from importers to traffickers to small-time drug pushers and abusers - in Singapore...... SMRT completes inquiry into December service disruptions The SMRT Internal Investigation Team (IIT) has completed work on the December service disruptions and submitted its report to the Committee of Inquiry convened by the government...... Arts development to get S$8.2m boost The National Arts Council (NAC) will be committing about S$8.2 million to support arts development at the organisation-level in the financial year (FY) 2012...... Tharman to attend talks in Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 16th ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting...... Police looking for 3 men to assist in loan shark investigations Police are looking for three men to assist with investigations into two separate loan shark harassment cases in Bishan...... Cooking course improves nutrition quality in nursing homes As part of efforts to improve the quality of nutrition in nursing homes, several nursing home cooks on Wednesday showed off new culinary skills they picked after attending a culinary course in October...... Singapore appoints new ambassadors to Japan and Russia Singapore will appoint new ambassadors to Japan and Russia in April...... Culinary campaign raises international profile of Singapore food Singapore's culinary scene has gained greater international prominence after almost a year of extensive exposure under the Singapore International Culinary Exchange (SPICE) programme...... Awards to recognise best practices in charity governance launched The Charity Council is extending its efforts to promote good governance in the charity sector with the launch of governance awards for charities...... Stroke therapy 'dropouts' a concern Experts in Singapore have said they are worried about the high rate of stroke patients who drop out of supervised therapy after being discharged from hospital...... ACRES & Lao Zoo set up Vientiane centre to curb illegal wildlife trade Singapore animal welfare group ACRES and Lao Zoo have set up the first Wildlife Rescue and Education Centre in Vientiane, Laos...... Gen Y more gracious now: survey Young people under the age of 30 appear to have become more gracious, according to the Singapore Kindness Movement's 2012 Graciousness Index...... Holistic care focus helps Singapore face health care challenges Focusing on holistic care instead of episodic care will help Singapore face heath care challenges like managing the rise of chronic diseases, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said at the "Healthcare in Asia" conference on Wednesday...... HDB tweaks rules to protect serious buyers, will launch 4,640 flats in May The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has tweaked its rules to discourage buyers who book a flat but subsequently cancel their booking, in a move designed to better protect the interests of serious home buyers......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-27

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Housewife gets 13 months' jail for abusing maid A housewife has been sentenced to 13 months' jail for abusing her Indonesian domestic helper for more than four months, resulting in an ear deformity. Norhanita Sulaiman was found guilty of three charges of attacking her maid over........     HDB announces bumper launch of 8,000 flats The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will launch a bumper crop of 8,000 flats in Build-to-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises tomorrow, covering the full range of flats in mature and non-mature estates. The HDB........ National Art Gallery moves into next phase of development The National Art Gallery, Singapore has moved into its next phase of development, with Singapore's largest permanent display of local art. It is working on exciting programmes in preparation for its grand opening in 2015, where it........ SIA flight turns back after encountering engine problem Nearly three hours into the flight, a Singapore Airlines A380 plane bound for Frankfurt returned to Changi Airport this morning due to an engine problem. The flight, SQ26, departed early this morning at 12:05am. About 2 hours and 55........

Register of Electors to be updated The Elections Department of Singapore (ELD) will be updating the Register of Electors based on their latest NRIC address as of March 19 this year. It said the names and addresses of electors will be removed and transferred to the appropriate Register.....     Initiatives to promote volunteerism, social enterprises SINGAPORE : Two initiatives will be launched to encourage Singaporeans to use their time and talent, as well as their business acumen, to help the less fortunate...... NTU journalism school to get facility boost The journalism school at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is getting a new S$0.5 million training centre, to prepare students for newsrooms of the 21st century...... Engine problem forces Singapore Airlines A380 to turn back A Singapore Airlines (SIA) Airbus A380 superjumbo heading for Frankfurt was forced to turn back to Singapore on Tuesday due to a problem with one of its four engines, the carrier said...... Over 150 cheongsams featured at National Museum For the first time, the National Museum will present its own collection of cheongsams from the 1920s to present day...... Massive art display to raise awareness of Mother Nature Some 250 Singaporeans and residents from schools and community groups have created a massive land art display named "Beginnings"...... Housewife gets 13 months' jail for abusing maid A housewife has been sentenced to 13 months' jail for abusing her Indonesian domestic helper for more than four months, resulting in an ear deformity...... HDB announces bumper launch of 8,000 flats The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will launch a bumper crop of 8,000 flats in Build-to-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises on Wednesday...... New scheme makes continuing education compulsory for lawyers From 1 April, new lawyers will have to spend at least eight hours on learning activities by December before they can renew their practising certificates in 2013...... National Art Gallery moves into next phase of development The National Art Gallery, Singapore has moved into its next phase of development, with Singapore's largest permanent display of local art...... Table Tennis: S'pore men's paddlers lose to host Germany DORTMUND: Host nation Germany continued their perfect record in the 2012 World Team Table Tennis Championships with a 3-0 win over Singapore......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-26

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CPE warns ex-private school managers The former managers of private school Cambridge Business School have been warned by the Council for Private Education for failing to keep proper student records. Mr Tan Cheng Hoe, Mr Tan Cheng San and Mr Guo Qiaoli admitted to........     Town Council Management Report may get 2 new indicators The Ministry of National Development (MND) may include two new indicators in its Town Council Management Report. The two are "need for corporate governance" and "financial adequacy", derived after survey and consultation efforts........ National Bonus for political appointment holders Political appointment holders from Parliamentary Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister will get a pro-rated National Bonus of 1.618 months in March, announced the Public Service Division today. The National Bonus was a recommendation........ StarHub releases UEFA EURO 2012 price plans StarHub has unveiled its price plans for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship. From tomorrow, viewers can purchase the UEFA EURO 2012 pay-per-view pack at the early bird price of S$58.85 (before Apr 30) or S$69.55 (from May........ Singapore's Feb manufacturing output up 12.1% on-year Singapore manufacturing output last month rose 12.1 per cent from a year earlier, rebounding from a contraction in January of 9.6 per cent. Excluding the biomedical industry, output rose by 7.1 per cent on-year in February,........ Tests on snapped cables which caused NEL disruption still ongoing Tests are still under way to find out why a pair of steel cables snapped, causing a 10-hour disruption of the North East Line (NEL) MRT train service, according to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew. He said NEL operator SBS Transit is........ NUS scholar Sun Xu disciplined for online remarks The National University of Singapore (NUS) has taken disciplinary action against undergraduate scholarship holder Sun Xu, the Chinese national who came under fire in February for making offensive remarks about Singaporeans online...... Home test kit for cervical cancer now available Women can now screen themselves for cervical cancer with a newly introduced home test kit. The Delphi Screener allows women to self-screen against cervical cancer by collecting cervical and vaginal cells with a sterile, saline........ PM Lee heads to Seoul nuclear summit SEOUL - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul starting today at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. The meeting is a follow-up to the inaugural Nuclear Security........ Higher GST relief for S'poreans returning from overseas From April 1, Singaporeans returning from overseas and tourists can enjoy more Goods and Services Tax (GST) relief. Those who spend more than 48 hours abroad will be able to enjoy GST relief of up to S$600 - double the current amount of........ Three new bus hubs completed ahead of schedule Three new bus hubs have been completed, four months ahead of schedule, announced the Land Transport Authority (LTA) this morning. Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew, visited the bus hub at Bedok Reservoir Road to observe how it........

MOE: S'poreans to get absolute priority in Pri 1 registration balloting A major annual school exercise that often gets some Singaporean parents anxious will be tweaked this year to give them greater assurance of their children's admission into schools of their choice. The Ministry of Education (MOE)........     Shanmugam to visit Laos Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam will make an introductory visit to Laos on Tuesday at the invitation of Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith...... Registers of electors to be updated The Elections Department of Singapore will be updating the registers of electors based on their latest NRIC address as of 19 March 2012...... CPE warns ex-private school managers The former managers of private school Cambridge Business School have been warned by the Council for Private Education for failing to keep proper student records...... Town Council Management Report may get 2 new indicators The Ministry of National Development (MND) may include two new indicators in its Town Council Management Report...... National Bonus for political office holders Ministers and other political appointment holders, from Parliamentary Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister, will get a pro-rated National Bonus of 1.618 months in March...... Yaacob Ibrahim to visit Saudi Arabia Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from March 26 to 30...... 160 Sri Lankan specialist trainers graduate from NYP International Singapore's Nanyang Polytechnic International has trained 160 Sri Lankans to lead the country's technical and vocational education and training (TVET) reform...... NUS scholar Sun Xu disciplined for online remarks The National University of Singapore (NUS) has taken disciplinary action against undergraduate scholarship holder Sun Xu, the Chinese national who came under fire in February for making offensive remarks about Singaporeans online...... Cervical cancer home test kits launched Singapore women can now screen themselves for cervical cancer with a home test kit...... Tests on snapped cables which caused NEL disruption still ongoing Tests are still under way to find out why a pair of steel cables snapped, causing a ten-hour disruption of the North East Line (NEL) MRT train service, according to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew...... Higher GST relief for S'poreans returning from overseas From April 1, Singaporeans returning from overseas and tourists can enjoy more Goods and Services Tax (GST) relief. Those who spend more than 48 hours abroad will be able to enjoy GST relief of up to S$600 - double the current amount of S$300...... More measures ahead to improve bus travel More measures have been announced to improve commuters' experience when travelling by bus......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-25

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Increased differentiation between citizens and PRs for Primary One registration exercise There will be increased differentiation between citizens and permanent residents (PRs) for this year's Primary One (P1) registration exercise, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat announced today after a community visit to Ayer Rajah. PRs will........

S Iswaran appointed to represent Eurasians Singapore - His "formal association" with the Eurasian Association began some 20 years ago, when he was the chief executive of Indian self-help group SINDA and was approached to collaborate on various projects and education programmes......     Lim Hwee Hua & Cynthia Phua to step down as grassroots advisers Former PAP MPs for Aljunied GRC Mrs Lim Hwee Hua and Mdm Cynthia Phua will step down as grassroots advisers to Aljunied grassroots organisations on 30 April...... IPTO to enhance online bankruptcy platform The Insolvency and Public Trustee's Office (IPTO) will launch an enhanced version of its 24-hour online platform to give bankrupts and their creditors to access information on the bankruptcy estate...... Diabetes is major risk factor for chronic kidney disease: study A study conducted in Singapore shows that people with diabetes are much more likely to have chronic kidney disease...... HPB aims to stub out shisha smoking 12 local and international youth volunteers prowled the lanes of Kampong Glam on Friday evening to spread the word on the harmful effects of shisha smoking...... S'poreans to get priority for P1 places during balloting: MOE From this year, Singaporeans will get absolute priority over permanent residents when it comes to balloting for primary school places......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-24

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Three callers to MediaCorp's news hotline rewarded for tip-offs Three callers to MediaCorp's hotline have been rewarded for their contributions to news stories. Mr Mark Lee walked away with the top prize of S$1,000 and a one-year Sentosa island membership. He had tipped off the........

Jurong Lake District gets global grant to become business node The Jurong Lake District is getting some help to lead the way in Singapore's efforts to become a smarter business city in the delivery of municipal services, citizen engagement and the optimal use of resources. It has been selected........     Active ageing products and services showcased at 50plus Expo 2012 147 exhibitors are showcasing their products and services which promote active ageing at the 50plus Expo 2012...... Three callers to MediaCorp's news hotline rewarded for tip-offs Three callers to MediaCorp's hotline have been rewarded for their contributions to news stories...... Yaacob Ibrahim to visit Sultanate of Oman Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, will visit the Sultanate of Oman from March 25 to 26...... S'pore, Thailand and US conclude trilateral air exercise Singapore, Thailand and the United States have concluded a trilateral air exercise, Cope Tiger, at Korat Air Base in Thailand...... Workshop fire at Tannery Lane Fire gutted a workshop at Tannery Lane, near Macpherson on Saturday morning...... Lee Yi Shyan to lead business delegation to China Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Lee Yi Shyan will lead a business delegation to Tianjin and Beijing to increase the understanding among Singapore companies of business opportunities in Tianjin and in priority project..... Singapore commemorates World Water Day Singapore launched its largest World Water Day commemoration at the Marina Barrage Saturday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-23

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Rise in TB cases in S'pore last year There was a rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in Singapore last year compared to 2010. The Health Ministry reported 1,533 new cases of TB in 2011, compared to 1,478 the year before, ahead of World Tuberculosis Day tomorrow......     Man gets 12 years' jail for molesting young girls A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years' jail for sexual offences that included outraging the modesty of primary school girls. Ng Ban Keong had pleaded guilty to three charges of outraging the modesty of primary school........ SingTel signs five-year deal with SNOC It is the biggest sponsorship deal to date for the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). SingTel has inked a five-year partnership, worth an estimated seven-figure sum, with the council. For a start, the money will go towards........ Bus operators improved 22 services in Q1 2012: LTA report SBS Transit and SMRT have improved 22 bus services and added 180 bus trips weekly between January and March, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The findings were part of a quarterly review of bus services by LTA and........ Headwinds holding back US recovery: Steve Forbes There have been positive signs of recovery from the United States economy, but there are headwinds holding it back from recovering as quickly as it could, said Forbes Media chairman Steve Forbes. And chief among these is the US'........ Woman suspect arrested for selling fake student IDs Police arrested a 47-year-old woman suspected of selling fake foreign student identification cards. On Mar 18, police received information about a printing shop at Bencoolen Street that was reportedly selling fake student cards......... Jurong Lake District to get global grant to become smarter commercial node The Jurong Lake District will help to lead the way in Singapore's efforts to become a smarter business city in the way it delivers municipal services, engages citizens and optimises use of resources. It has been selected as a........ Singapore's inflation rate eases to 4.6% in February Singapore's inflation rate eased to 4.6 per cent year-on-year last month, from 4.8 per cent the previous month. The rise in the consumer price index is well below the 4.9 per cent predicted by economists. Data from the........ Chinese national alleged to have caused cleaner's death faces 3 more charges The Chinese national who allegedly hijacked a taxi and caused the death of a cleaner at Budget Terminal on March 17 now faces three more charges. Thirty-year-old technician Yuan Zhenghua was charged in court today with dangerous........ Shortlisted designs for Subordinate Courts Complex open for viewing Members of the public can view the shortlisted designs of the new Subordinate Courts Complex next week, from Mar 26 to 31. Stage one of the Open Design Competition for the new Subordinate Courts Complex was launched on Sept 15 last........ Singapore in global 'green growth' effort as C40 observer city Singapore signed today a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) to participate in the international climate action group as an observer city. The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) said........ Singapore woman award: MediaCorp recognises three outstanding women It was a night of glitz and glamour to honour three women for their extraordinary contributions to society, at the Singapore Woman Award 2012 held at the Shangri-La Hotel last night. Organised by MediaCorp, it was the first time in the award's histor..... NSP stays mum on Hougang by-election plans The National Solidarity Party this morning put up a blogpost saying it would not reveal its hand on whether it would contest the Hougang seat vacated by former Workers' Party MP Yaw Shin Leong, and added that it is "inappropriate" for the party........ STB projects 10% increase in visitor growth this year The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) expects more visitor arrivals for Singapore this year. It has projected an increase of up to 10 per cent, from 2011, at between 13.5 and 14.5 million arrivals. But this will be slower........

SIT may be further developed As the Government looks for ways to create more degree opportunities for Singaporeans, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) may be further developed as an institution, Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong signalled........     73 arrested for vice, immigration offences in overnight raid A total of 73 suspects were arrested in an overnight operation on entertainment outlets...... Rise in TB cases in S'pore last year SINGAPORE : There was a rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in Singapore last year compared to 2010...... Part-time jobs offered at JobsDB.com Career Expo SINGAPORE : Exhibitors are offering part-time jobs at this year's JobsDB.com Career Expo for the first time...... Singapore, Italy reaffirm bilateral ties Singapore and Italy have reaffirmed the positive and broad-based nature of the bilateral relationship...... Man gets 12 years' jail for molesting young girls A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years' jail for sexual offences that included outraging the modesty of primary school girls...... Construction of new Subordinate Courts complex to start in 2013 Construction work on the new Subordinate Courts complex will start in 2013 and it is expected to be completed in 2019...... SingTel signs five-year deal with SNOC It is the biggest sponsorship deal to date, for the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC). SingTel has inked a five-year partnership deal with the council...... Bus operators improved 22 services in Q1 2012: LTA report SBS Transit and SMRT have improved 22 bus services and added 180 bus trips weekly between January and March, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA)...... Singapore's first book on local weather launched The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) launched on Friday Singapore's first book on local weather and unveiled a new weather observation station as part of its World Meteorological Day celebrations...... Private school fined for not registering for GST A private school has been ordered to pay about S$70,000 in penalty for failing to register for Goods & Services Tax (GST)...... Australian Navy chief on 4-day visit to S'pore The Chief of Navy of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Vice-Admiral Ray Griggs, called on Singapore's Minister of State for Defence and Education, Lawrence Wong at the Ministry of Defence on Friday...... Jurong Lake District to get global grant to become smarter commercial node The Jurong Lake District will help to lead the way in Singapore's efforts to become a smarter business city in the way it delivers municipal services, engages citizens and optimises use of resources...... More charges against Chinese national in Budget Terminal death The Chinese national who allegedly hijacked a taxi and caused the death of a cleaner at the Departure Hall of Budget Terminal on March 17 now faces three more charges...... 12 suspects caught for series of commercial crimes Police have arrested 12 suspects for a series of commercial crimes, including cheating, forgery and criminal breach of trust...... Woman suspect arrested for selling fake student IDs Police arrested a 47-year-old woman suspected of selling fake foreign student identification cards...... Singapore in global 'green growth' effort as C40 observer city Singapore signed on Friday a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) to participate in the international climate action group as an observer city...... Singapore expects up to 10% rise in 2012 visitor arrivals SINGAPORE : Singapore hopes to attract up to 10 percent more visitors this year......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-22

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CRA awards licences to two junket operators The Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore awarded the first batch of licences to two junket operators or International Market Agents (IMAs) on Thursday, as part of efforts to target the overseas market. CRA said the regime to........     Singapore ranked most prolific in Asia Pacific for research articles Singapore has emerged as the most prolific publisher of research articles in Asia Pacific, according to a report by the Nature Publishing Group. Singapore also maintains its fifth-place ranking, after Japan, China, Australia and........ Job fair at Nee Soon South CC sees some 800 openings Close to 800 job vacancies were available at a career fair at Nee Soon South Community Club today. Organised by the North West Community Development Council, it showcased jobs in five sectors namely retail, hospitality, food &........ Build rock caverns, tunnels under reservoirs to solve water problems: expert The solution to water shortage and flooding could lie in building rock caverns and tunnels under reservoirs, according to an academic don. This would not only capture excess storm water and alleviate flooding but also reduce energy........ Govt to consider diversity when expanding university sector As the Government studies expanding university places for Singaporeans, one of the areas it will look at is diversity, in terms of a broader range of programmes, said Minister of State (Education) Lawrence Wong today. Mr Wong, who........ New drug for patients with type 2 diabetes A new drug to treat adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus was launched by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lily alliance today. The Health Science Authority has approved Trajenta as a monotherapy, or to be used in combination in patients........ Singapore, HK office rents to fall by at least 15 per cent: Report Hong Kong and Singapore commercial property rents and prices will drop by more than 15 per cent this year as financial services companies keep a lid on growth or shrink, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. Hong Kong rents will drop by........ Formula One warming up for Singapore IPO LONDON - Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone said yesterday he had recommended Singapore as the best place to float the motor racing business, seeking to tap Asian enthusiasm for international sporting brands. Mr Ecclestone, 81, stressed that........

Shipyard worker sentenced to death for murder of prostitute An Indian national was yesterday sentenced to death for killing a Filipino prostitute in a frenzied knife attack. Bijukumar Remadevi Nair Gopinathan (picture), 36, had initially tried to pin the murder of Roselyn Reyes Pascua on........     CRA awards licences to two junket operators The Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore awarded the first batch of licences to two junket operators or International Market Agents on Thursday, as part of efforts to target the overseas market...... Ng Eng Hen makes introductory visit to Australia Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen met his Australian counterpart Mr Stephen Smith in Canberra on Thursday as part of Dr Ng's introductory visit to Australia...... Underground reservoir could solve flood problems: Prof Lui Pao Chuen An underground reservoir 100 metres beneath the surface could be one way to solve Singapore's flood problems. This was a suggestion by Professor Lui Pao Chuen, an adviser to the Underground Master Plan Task Force...... Celebrating young local talents in digital media Elias Park Primary School emerged tops in the School Digital Media Awards...... Singapore ranked most prolific in Asia Pacific for research articles Singapore has emerged as the most prolific publisher of research articles in Asia Pacific, according to a report by the Nature Publishing Group...... Job fair at Nee Soon South CC sees some 800 openings Close to 800 job vacancies were available at a career fair at Nee Soon South Community Club on Thursday...... PUB's water management capabilities recognised by WHO National water agency PUB has scored another milestone in Singapore's continuing collaboration with the World Health Organisation in water management...... Search on for Singapore's strongest woman For the first time, the HomeTeamNS Strongman Challenge will have a female category...... 200 AVA officers take part in bird flu exercise Some 200 officers from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) took part in a bird flu exercise Thursday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2012-03-21

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HPB uses peer pressure to get smokers to quit The health promotion board (HPB) will be tapping on the power of community in its fight to get smokers to quit the habit. At the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health at Suntec today, HPB CEO Mr Ang Hak Seng elaborated on the........     COE prices cross S$80,000 mark in big car, open categories Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices have mostly risen across the board, breaching S$80,000 in the latest bidding exercise today. Premiums for big cars rose by S$2,699 to reach a high of S$82,003, while premiums for the open........ Passenger traffic at Changi Airport up 11.2% in Feb Passenger traffic at Changi Airport increased 11.2 per cent year-on-year to 3.77 million last month. According to the Changi Airport Group (CAG) today, there was "strong travel demand across all regions" last month. In........ 25,000 people to participate in Singapore's World Water Day activities Singapore's commemoration of World Water Day this year will see a record 25,000 people gathering at 15 locations islandwide in support of water this Saturday. 10,000 of these participants will walk, cycle and paddle across........ New mall orchardgateway stretches across Orchard Road A new 500-room hotel with six floors of retail space as well as office space will open in Orchard Road in the second half of next year. Called orchardgateway, the development will straddle the sites formerly occupied by Hotel........ Man charged with ill-treating toddler A man has been charged with ill-treating a child. The 24-year-old man is the boyfriend of the victim's aunt. He allegedly abused his position while the two-year-old child was under his care. The man, who........ New York City awarded LKY World City Prize The City of New York has been awarded the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize this year, beating out more than 60 nominations received from all over the world. The prize was awarded to the mayor of New York City Michael........ Skilled Singaporeans core to companies' competitive advantage: Tharman Companies must actively look out for and groom local talents, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said yesterday night. He said companies can build lasting competitive advantage, an advantage that rests on a skilled and........ Govt unveils measures to tackle human trafficking The Government will be setting up specialised enforcement teams to combat sex and labour trafficking.It will also train 10,000 police officers over the next four years to identify trafficked persons. These were some of the........

Time to move forward on Bukit Brown: Tan Chuan-Jin A proverbial line has been drawn in the sand on the Bukit Brown issue. Minister of State (National Development) Tan Chuan-Jin - the Government's point man on the matter - signalled yesterday that it was time to move on with the redevelopment,........     UN chief Ban to visit Singapore United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is making an official visit to Singapore...... Suspected loanshark runner arrested Police have arrested a 43-year-old man for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... Four nabbed for suspected loanshark activities Police have arrested four men, aged between 19 and 45, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... Almost 6 million people died from tobacco use in 2011 Tobacco use killed almost six million people in 2011, and nearly 80 per cent of these deaths occurred in low and middle income countries...... COE prices cross S$80,000 mark in big car, open categories Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices have mostly risen across the board in the latest bidding exercise, with premiums for big cars reaching S$82,003...... WHO pushes for global support in fight against tobacco industry Galvanising global support and solidarity from all sectors including civil society, researchers, experts, advocates to fight the tobacco industry...... National Plan of Action launched to combat human trafficking Singapore has launched its National Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons aimed at taking a more holistic fight against human trafficking...... Man charged with ill-treating toddler A man has been charged with ill-treating a child...... New York City awarded LKY World City Prize The City of New York has been awarded the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize this year, after beating more than 60 nominations received from all over the world...... 25,000 people to participate in Singapore's World Water Day activities Singapore's commemoration of World Water Day this year will see a record 25,000 people gathering at 15 locations islandwide in support of water this Saturday......