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Nineteen US soldiers were killed in Iraq in May, the lowest monthly toll since the US-led invasion of 2003, figures maintained by the independent icasualties.org showed Sunday. — AF
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Google challenges Microsoft with new browser
The California-based Web search leader said the new browser, called Google Chrome, would "add value for users and, at the same time, help drive innovation on the web."
Blodget said Google is attempting to drive more people to Google search and other applications and away from Microsoft.
Blodget said Google is attempting to drive more people to Google search and other applications and away from Microsoft.
China to charge $6 a barrel to develop Iraq field
Workers man a drill at an exploration site in the Longgang gas field in Lishan, in southwest China's Sichuan province. Iraq on Tuesday cleared a plan to develop an oil field by China Petroleum National Corp. at a service fee of six dollars a barrel, giving Beijing a foothold into the world's third largest oil reserves.
Singapore growth slows as US woes take toll
The city state's economic growth slowed to an annual 2.1 percent in the second quarter, the government has announced.
The 2008 economic growth target had also been cut to four to five percent from four to six percent previously, the city-state's ministry of trade and industry said.
Projecting a similar level of expansion in the second half, it said "weaker demand in the major economies, coupled with the need to contain inflationary pressures, will dampen growth in the fast growing Asian economies."
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first announced a lower 2008 economic growth target on Friday during his National Day message. The government's lower predictions represent a sharp slowdown from last year's 7.7 percent expansion.
The 2008 economic growth target had also been cut to four to five percent from four to six percent previously, the city-state's ministry of trade and industry said.
Projecting a similar level of expansion in the second half, it said "weaker demand in the major economies, coupled with the need to contain inflationary pressures, will dampen growth in the fast growing Asian economies."
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first announced a lower 2008 economic growth target on Friday during his National Day message. The government's lower predictions represent a sharp slowdown from last year's 7.7 percent expansion.
NKorea to remain on terror blacklist: US
A North Korean soldier looks at the South side at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing North and South, in 2007. The United States Monday insisted North Korea would remain on its terrorism blacklist until it fully complied with a deal on disclosing its nuclear program, sidestepping the first chance to remove the hardline communist state from its watch list.
Opposition would ruin Singapore: Lee Kuan Yew
The Singapore opposition would ruin the wealthy city-state's achievements in five years if they ever gained power, the country's founding father Lee Kuan Yew said.
Lee, 84, warned Singapore voters against putting the opposition at the helm of government "in a moment of fickleness or just sheer madness" when they get "bored" at some point in the future.
Lee, widely credited for shepherding the underdeveloped port into one of Asia's wealthiest nations in one generation, said younger Singaporeans often tell him he is "playing the same old record" when he delivers his message.
Despite its economic success, local and international civil rights groups have criticised the government for cracking down hard on dissenters and political activists.
Lee has maintained that Western-style liberal democracy is not the right model for Singapore.
Lee, 84, warned Singapore voters against putting the opposition at the helm of government "in a moment of fickleness or just sheer madness" when they get "bored" at some point in the future.
Lee, widely credited for shepherding the underdeveloped port into one of Asia's wealthiest nations in one generation, said younger Singaporeans often tell him he is "playing the same old record" when he delivers his message.
Despite its economic success, local and international civil rights groups have criticised the government for cracking down hard on dissenters and political activists.
Lee has maintained that Western-style liberal democracy is not the right model for Singapore.
Yahoo reorganizes in face of rebellion and desertion
Yahoo on Thursday announced a corporate overhaul in the face of stockholder rebellion and executive desertions.
"These moves accelerate the ability of our deep and talented team to build great products, grow our audiences and improve monetization globally," Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang, CEO.
The re-organization comes as Yahoo fights off an attempted coup by corporate raider Carl Icahn and watches dozens of high-ranking executives dash for the exits.
Microsoft offered to buy Yahoo for 44.6 billion dollars in stock and cash on January 31, but withdrew the offer on May 3, saying Yahoo refused to budge despite the software giant upping its bid to nearly 48 billion dollars.
"These moves accelerate the ability of our deep and talented team to build great products, grow our audiences and improve monetization globally," Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang, CEO.
The re-organization comes as Yahoo fights off an attempted coup by corporate raider Carl Icahn and watches dozens of high-ranking executives dash for the exits.
Microsoft offered to buy Yahoo for 44.6 billion dollars in stock and cash on January 31, but withdrew the offer on May 3, saying Yahoo refused to budge despite the software giant upping its bid to nearly 48 billion dollars.
$134 million in utility rebates this fiscal year
More than 780,000 eligible HDB households will receive $134 million worth of utility rebates over the fiscal year 2008, with the first tranche to be given out next month.
One- and two-room households will get $220 worth of rebates, which is equivalent to as much as 30 per cent of their average utility bill. Three- and four-room households will receive $200 and $190 worth of rebates respectively.
The rebates are part of the $4 billion GST Offset Package announced in Budget 2007 to help Singaporeans,especially low and middle-income households, adjust to the GST increase in July last year.
The second tranche of utility rebates will be disbursed in January. — Channel NewsAsia
One- and two-room households will get $220 worth of rebates, which is equivalent to as much as 30 per cent of their average utility bill. Three- and four-room households will receive $200 and $190 worth of rebates respectively.
The rebates are part of the $4 billion GST Offset Package announced in Budget 2007 to help Singaporeans,especially low and middle-income households, adjust to the GST increase in July last year.
The second tranche of utility rebates will be disbursed in January. — Channel NewsAsia
Indians, Chinese top world’s rich list
INDIA and China have the world’s fastest-growing populations of millionaires, with a penchant for luxury travel, gems and designer clothes, a study released yesterday revealed.
Singapore saw a 15.3 per cent rise to 77,000 millionaires, it added.
Singapore saw a 15.3 per cent rise to 77,000 millionaires, it added.
Oil prices surge after OPEC predicts new record highs
Oil prices soared Thursday after the president of OPEC, Algerian Energy Minister Chakib Khelil, said crude could hit a record 170 dollars this year owing to a weak US currency and geopolitical unrest.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to death from all causes: study
A new study has linked vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of death, especially from cardiovascular disease, in the latest evidence of the important role the vitamin plays in human health.
Possible causes are a decline in outdoor activity, aging and atmospheric pollution.
The chief source for vitamin D is sun exposure, since the ultraviolet rays of the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis within the human body. Ten to fifteen minutes a day in the sun is sufficient.
Considered key to bone health, it is naturally present in very few foods, fish, beef liver and egg yolks among them. Eighty-five grammes of canned tuna has 200 international units (IU) of vitamin D.
Possible causes are a decline in outdoor activity, aging and atmospheric pollution.
The chief source for vitamin D is sun exposure, since the ultraviolet rays of the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis within the human body. Ten to fifteen minutes a day in the sun is sufficient.
Considered key to bone health, it is naturally present in very few foods, fish, beef liver and egg yolks among them. Eighty-five grammes of canned tuna has 200 international units (IU) of vitamin D.
Petrol prices up by 5 cents; diesel prices rise 10 cents
JUST one month after prices were last increased, petrol pump prices were on the move again.
Petrol prices at Caltex, ExxonMobil and Shell were upped by 5 cents a litre, while diesel prices rose by 10 cents to $1.933.
The latest increases bring the price of a litre of92-octane fuel to $2.203 before discount, 95-octane to $2.236 and 98-octane to $2.31.
As of press time, the Singapore Petroleum Company was the only remaining pump operator not to have raised pump prices.
Yesterday’s latest round of increases marked the 13th consecutive increase since last July.
Petrol prices at Caltex, ExxonMobil and Shell were upped by 5 cents a litre, while diesel prices rose by 10 cents to $1.933.
The latest increases bring the price of a litre of92-octane fuel to $2.203 before discount, 95-octane to $2.236 and 98-octane to $2.31.
As of press time, the Singapore Petroleum Company was the only remaining pump operator not to have raised pump prices.
Yesterday’s latest round of increases marked the 13th consecutive increase since last July.
Be wary of ‘save petrol’ gadgets
KUALA LUMPUR — With the rise in world oil prices, a Malaysian academic has advised vehicle owners to be wary of products that claim to save on petrol.
Most gadgets in the market that claim to reduce petrol consumption have so far not been effective.
“Consumers should choose products based on their performance and reliability, as well as whether there is a warranty for the products.”
Only a small number of the products are value for money, in the sense that they are able to save up to 5 per cent of petrol consumption.”
Most gadgets in the market that claim to reduce petrol consumption have so far not been effective.
“Consumers should choose products based on their performance and reliability, as well as whether there is a warranty for the products.”
Only a small number of the products are value for money, in the sense that they are able to save up to 5 per cent of petrol consumption.”
‘I’d like a pizza and some :satay:, please’
Twenty delegates from 18 leading food industry players from the United States, Canada and Mexico are in Singapore for the Tasty Singapore Culinary Mission (TSCM) which starts today.
According to IE Singapore, the export of food products last year from Singapore to the US, Canada and Mexico — which have a combined population of 446 million — topped $314 million, an increase of15 per cent from 2006.
IE Singapore is encouraging these manufacturers to break into mainstream retail markets as a long-term expansion strategy.
Besides tasting their way on a “culinary discovery tour” and visiting local food manufacturing facilities, they will also participate in a “cookout”.
Local food celebrities such as Violet Oon and Devagi Shanmugam will also be holding cooking demonstrations.
According to IE Singapore, the export of food products last year from Singapore to the US, Canada and Mexico — which have a combined population of 446 million — topped $314 million, an increase of15 per cent from 2006.
IE Singapore is encouraging these manufacturers to break into mainstream retail markets as a long-term expansion strategy.
Besides tasting their way on a “culinary discovery tour” and visiting local food manufacturing facilities, they will also participate in a “cookout”.
Local food celebrities such as Violet Oon and Devagi Shanmugam will also be holding cooking demonstrations.
New rules for BTOapplications have helped genuine public housing buyers:: Mah:
Launched last month by the Housing and Development Board (HDB), Compassvale Pearl in Sengkang and Punggol Sapphire attracted 4,050 applications for 1,485 flats — half the number of applications than before the new rules kicked in.
Under the new ruling, a first-time buyer who twice rejects an offer to buy a flat at a Built-To-Order or balloting sales exercise will lose his first-timer priorities for a year.
“The intent is really to encourage people registering for flats to take their applications seriously and, in that sense, the changes had some positive impact. That will ensure that those who really need a flat will be able to get a flat,”.
Under the new ruling, a first-time buyer who twice rejects an offer to buy a flat at a Built-To-Order or balloting sales exercise will lose his first-timer priorities for a year.
“The intent is really to encourage people registering for flats to take their applications seriously and, in that sense, the changes had some positive impact. That will ensure that those who really need a flat will be able to get a flat,”.
Chikungunya case at Farrer Road
A case of the mosquito-borne disease has been reported at Farrer Road, coming about a week after two people in Teachers’ Estate off Upper Thomson Road were found to carry the virus, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in an update yesterday.
The National Environment Agency is carrying out inspection and fogging operations in the areas that the Farrer Road housewife has visited recently, while the MOH will continue to monitor the situation.
A total of 24 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported so far this year. Including the Farrer Road infection, 16 of these were local cases, of which 13 were from the Little India cluster early this year.
The National Environment Agency is carrying out inspection and fogging operations in the areas that the Farrer Road housewife has visited recently, while the MOH will continue to monitor the situation.
A total of 24 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported so far this year. Including the Farrer Road infection, 16 of these were local cases, of which 13 were from the Little India cluster early this year.
I’ve been issued this Nets-free debit card – NOW what?
WHAT happens when a bank sends you a card to replace the one you already have, with different features, and imposes an annual charge that you feel you have to accept no matter what?
The United Overseas Bank (UOB) last month sent out NOW debit cards to replace its old Visa debit cards, introducing some changes that have left some users annoyed.
The accompanying promotional material boasts: “The UOB NOW Card is an ez-link card, a debit card and an ATM card all rolled into one. Do without the hassle of carrying different cards for different occasions.”
However, one important old feature is now missing: Nets.
“I can’t make pay my bills with this new card. This means I have to get another Nets card from the bank, which defeats the whole purpose of an all-in-one card, right?” said human resources analyst Fion Liew, a recipient of the new NOW card.
She called UOB to ask why the Nets feature had been left out, and says staff on the bank’s hotline were unable to explain why.
A UOB spokesperson told Today: “The card currently does not come with Nets debit capability, but if there are a significant number of customer requests and feedback that this will provide greater convenience, we will look into activating this function.”
The unhappiness underlines an important issue that some companies are now introducing changes to contracts of long-term subscriptions without giving the consumers adequate explanation for the changes.
Users were told that their old debit cards would be terminated and were asked to activate the new debit cards with a pin sent to them separately.
While the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said it has not received any complaints so far, the consumer watchdog added: “If there is a change in the terms and conditions or any features of the card, the companies should notify the consumers and obtain their consent to such changes.”
“It will be good for consumers to check on card promotions from time to time, so they stay updated amid the changes,” said Case executive director Seah Seng Choon.
Granted, the new UOB card has a new ez-link feature, and also provides users with more discounts and privileges with more merchants, which users admit are beneficial. However, the ez-link feature could have been incompatible with the Nets magnetic strip, said another card user.
The United Overseas Bank (UOB) last month sent out NOW debit cards to replace its old Visa debit cards, introducing some changes that have left some users annoyed.
The accompanying promotional material boasts: “The UOB NOW Card is an ez-link card, a debit card and an ATM card all rolled into one. Do without the hassle of carrying different cards for different occasions.”
However, one important old feature is now missing: Nets.
“I can’t make pay my bills with this new card. This means I have to get another Nets card from the bank, which defeats the whole purpose of an all-in-one card, right?” said human resources analyst Fion Liew, a recipient of the new NOW card.
She called UOB to ask why the Nets feature had been left out, and says staff on the bank’s hotline were unable to explain why.
A UOB spokesperson told Today: “The card currently does not come with Nets debit capability, but if there are a significant number of customer requests and feedback that this will provide greater convenience, we will look into activating this function.”
The unhappiness underlines an important issue that some companies are now introducing changes to contracts of long-term subscriptions without giving the consumers adequate explanation for the changes.
Users were told that their old debit cards would be terminated and were asked to activate the new debit cards with a pin sent to them separately.
While the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said it has not received any complaints so far, the consumer watchdog added: “If there is a change in the terms and conditions or any features of the card, the companies should notify the consumers and obtain their consent to such changes.”
“It will be good for consumers to check on card promotions from time to time, so they stay updated amid the changes,” said Case executive director Seah Seng Choon.
Granted, the new UOB card has a new ez-link feature, and also provides users with more discounts and privileges with more merchants, which users admit are beneficial. However, the ez-link feature could have been incompatible with the Nets magnetic strip, said another card user.
Email from the dead?
A new Internet service allows subscribers, after they die, to send emails to non-believing friends and relatives.
Youvebeenleftbehind.com offers a facility to store emails and documents that are sent to up to 63 email addresses six days after the sender has died.
The service is rooted in the belief, held by some evangelicals, in the Rapture, a sudden visit from God in which Christians are taken away to Heaven leaving the rest to spend a further seven years on Earth under the dominion of the Anti-Christ.
Some of the messages can be encrypted information such as bank account details and electronic passwords. The rest can be spiritual encouragement, such as Biblical passages, intended to bring loved ones “to Christ and snatch them from the flames”.
The site was created byMr Mark Heard, 49, a supermarket shelf-stacker from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The site, whose motto reads “Because ‘No one knows the day or hour’”, says it “gives you one last opportunity to reach your lost family and friends for Christ”.
Mr Randy Maddox, a theology professor at Duke University in North Carolina, was sceptical.
He told ABC News: “In one sense, they’re arguing it will be a time of great disaster, but in another sense he’s saying, ‘I promise my website will be working’. There are logical incongruities with the model.”
Youvebeenleftbehind.com offers a facility to store emails and documents that are sent to up to 63 email addresses six days after the sender has died.
The service is rooted in the belief, held by some evangelicals, in the Rapture, a sudden visit from God in which Christians are taken away to Heaven leaving the rest to spend a further seven years on Earth under the dominion of the Anti-Christ.
Some of the messages can be encrypted information such as bank account details and electronic passwords. The rest can be spiritual encouragement, such as Biblical passages, intended to bring loved ones “to Christ and snatch them from the flames”.
The site was created byMr Mark Heard, 49, a supermarket shelf-stacker from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The site, whose motto reads “Because ‘No one knows the day or hour’”, says it “gives you one last opportunity to reach your lost family and friends for Christ”.
Mr Randy Maddox, a theology professor at Duke University in North Carolina, was sceptical.
He told ABC News: “In one sense, they’re arguing it will be a time of great disaster, but in another sense he’s saying, ‘I promise my website will be working’. There are logical incongruities with the model.”
Advertisers’ bumper GSS ride with Today
IT IS the traditional season for shoppers to pick up bargains and for Today, the pickings are rich too this month.
Advertisements in this newspaper surged to a record 12-month high in the month of the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), :which runs from May 23 to July 20, peaking with today’s bumper issue of 128 pages.
Merchants have been quick to seize the opportunity to advertise with Singapore’s second most read daily, with its circulation of about 300,000. Advertisement sales climbed steadily this month, from about 100 pages on May 30 to 112 pages a week after.
“We have also helped advertisers cast a wider net and given them an additional reach into the market.”
“We are into our eighth year of publication and anecdotal feedback and research findings show that the middle and upper middle classes are the bulk of ourreaders.
Advertisements in this newspaper surged to a record 12-month high in the month of the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), :which runs from May 23 to July 20, peaking with today’s bumper issue of 128 pages.
Merchants have been quick to seize the opportunity to advertise with Singapore’s second most read daily, with its circulation of about 300,000. Advertisement sales climbed steadily this month, from about 100 pages on May 30 to 112 pages a week after.
“We have also helped advertisers cast a wider net and given them an additional reach into the market.”
“We are into our eighth year of publication and anecdotal feedback and research findings show that the middle and upper middle classes are the bulk of ourreaders.
Three-quarter tank rule to stay: Finance Ministry
THERE are no plans to review the three-quarter tank rule, which is part of Singapore’s policy to moderate vehicle usage and reduce traffic congestion, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).
It made clear its stance even as some motorists have been calling for the lifting of the rule imposed on Singapore vehicles crossing into Malaysia, following the recent fuel price hike across the border. The ruling, which has been in place since 1991, requires north-bound motorists to leave Singapore with petrol tanks at least three-quarters full.
The ministry told Channel NewsAsia the authorities were monitoring the situation.
Over the weekend, the ministry also said the Government would not reduce duty on petrol as pump prices rise. The aim of the duty remains to promote usage of public transport and curb excessive use of cars, the MOF said.
Duty on petrol in Singapore is levied on the volume of fuel bought:41 cents for each litre of standard grade petrol.
It made clear its stance even as some motorists have been calling for the lifting of the rule imposed on Singapore vehicles crossing into Malaysia, following the recent fuel price hike across the border. The ruling, which has been in place since 1991, requires north-bound motorists to leave Singapore with petrol tanks at least three-quarters full.
The ministry told Channel NewsAsia the authorities were monitoring the situation.
Over the weekend, the ministry also said the Government would not reduce duty on petrol as pump prices rise. The aim of the duty remains to promote usage of public transport and curb excessive use of cars, the MOF said.
Duty on petrol in Singapore is levied on the volume of fuel bought:41 cents for each litre of standard grade petrol.
Guardians keep a wider watch
The idea: To have security guards be the authorities’ eyes and ears in identifying suspicious movements and to train them to man crime scenes thus freeing up police to do police work.
Called Project Guardian, guards will receive fortnightly police crime briefings via a conference-call system.
The Singapore Police Force will also tap on JP Morgan Chase’s round-the-clock operations centre to disseminate immediate messages through SMS or email in times of emergency.
Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, who announced this at the National Safety and Security Symposium yesterday, said: “Terrorism is ultimately defeated by the people, not just governments.
“This is why the Home Team taps on several platforms to develop our communities’ abilities to deal with these new threats.”
To drive private security firms to take on more responsibilities in crime and terrorism-related issues, the Workforce Development Agency and the Security Industry Regulatory Department will work together to identify gaps in the guards’ training.
The aim is to arm them with crisis management skills, such as cordoning, effective evacuation and crowd control, to help police in the aftermath of disasters.
Mr Raymond Han, director of security and business development at G4S Security Services, feels that security guards can do more than guard and protect properties.
"If guards know how to coordinate with the government agencies, they can be a great resource in crime detection and crisis management,” he said.
Mr Ken Pereira, senior adviser at security firm Evtec Management Services, agreed and said it is a “natural step” for the private security sector to assume more active roles in crime-fighting and counter-terrorism.
With more than 27,000 security guards here, “skilled and knowledgeable guards can really make a difference”, he said.
The more professional and competent image of security guards now will also attract more young people to view security as a viable career option, he added.
The Industry Safety and Security Watch Group (iSSWG) was also announced yesterday. Instead of getting businesses in the same area to share best practices on security concerns — under the existing Safety and Security Watch Group — the iSSWG pools resources at the industry-level.
The financial and hotel sectors will be involved in the pilot stage. The chemical industry has also expressed keen interest, police said.
Called Project Guardian, guards will receive fortnightly police crime briefings via a conference-call system.
The Singapore Police Force will also tap on JP Morgan Chase’s round-the-clock operations centre to disseminate immediate messages through SMS or email in times of emergency.
Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, who announced this at the National Safety and Security Symposium yesterday, said: “Terrorism is ultimately defeated by the people, not just governments.
“This is why the Home Team taps on several platforms to develop our communities’ abilities to deal with these new threats.”
To drive private security firms to take on more responsibilities in crime and terrorism-related issues, the Workforce Development Agency and the Security Industry Regulatory Department will work together to identify gaps in the guards’ training.
The aim is to arm them with crisis management skills, such as cordoning, effective evacuation and crowd control, to help police in the aftermath of disasters.
Mr Raymond Han, director of security and business development at G4S Security Services, feels that security guards can do more than guard and protect properties.
"If guards know how to coordinate with the government agencies, they can be a great resource in crime detection and crisis management,” he said.
Mr Ken Pereira, senior adviser at security firm Evtec Management Services, agreed and said it is a “natural step” for the private security sector to assume more active roles in crime-fighting and counter-terrorism.
With more than 27,000 security guards here, “skilled and knowledgeable guards can really make a difference”, he said.
The more professional and competent image of security guards now will also attract more young people to view security as a viable career option, he added.
The Industry Safety and Security Watch Group (iSSWG) was also announced yesterday. Instead of getting businesses in the same area to share best practices on security concerns — under the existing Safety and Security Watch Group — the iSSWG pools resources at the industry-level.
The financial and hotel sectors will be involved in the pilot stage. The chemical industry has also expressed keen interest, police said.
Costlier fuel, so costlier M’sian food
Petrol prices across the Causeway rose by 41 per cent and diesel by 63 per cent on Thursday. This translates to higher import costs and, ultimately, higher food prices for Singaporeans, who get 46 per cent of their vegetables and over a quarter of their fresh fish from Malaysia.
Fuel prices in Malaysia have increased, and transport cost for food has also increased. It’s not cost-effective if we do not also increase our prices.”
As for NTUC FairPrice, its director for integrated purchasing, Mr Tng Ah Yiam, said: “We expect that it will take some time for retail prices to reflect changes as a result of the recent fuel price hike in Malaysia. As a cooperative, consumers can be assured that NTUC FairPrice always strives to be the last retailer to increase our prices, and the first to drop prices where appropriate.”
Said one woman interviewed : “If you go to the wet market, you can hear everybody grumbling about how things are now so expensive. You don’t get your pay increase — but all prices are going up.”
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said that it is looking to other countries, such as Vietnam, to diversify Singapore’s food imports. This will help to keep prices for basic food items more competitive.
Fuel prices in Malaysia have increased, and transport cost for food has also increased. It’s not cost-effective if we do not also increase our prices.”
As for NTUC FairPrice, its director for integrated purchasing, Mr Tng Ah Yiam, said: “We expect that it will take some time for retail prices to reflect changes as a result of the recent fuel price hike in Malaysia. As a cooperative, consumers can be assured that NTUC FairPrice always strives to be the last retailer to increase our prices, and the first to drop prices where appropriate.”
Said one woman interviewed : “If you go to the wet market, you can hear everybody grumbling about how things are now so expensive. You don’t get your pay increase — but all prices are going up.”
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said that it is looking to other countries, such as Vietnam, to diversify Singapore’s food imports. This will help to keep prices for basic food items more competitive.
$385 for a view of the F1 race from the Singapore Flyer
FOR $385, one can savour a bird’s eye view of Singapore ‘s inaugural Formula One race on the world’s largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer.
And for $10,000, you can book one of the 28 capsules on race day, Sept 28, from 7.30pm till 9.30pm. Each capsule can house 26 people.
The rates are cheaper for non-peak hours, including the two days before race day, at $3,500 a capsule.
Champagne, strawberry and chocolates are extras for the 37-minute ride. But one must hold an F1 ticket to access the Singapore Flyer compound which is within the race area.
For $5,500 a head, however, one can enjoy the ride and hospitality for all three days with the race ticket thrown in for good measure.
And for $10,000, you can book one of the 28 capsules on race day, Sept 28, from 7.30pm till 9.30pm. Each capsule can house 26 people.
The rates are cheaper for non-peak hours, including the two days before race day, at $3,500 a capsule.
Champagne, strawberry and chocolates are extras for the 37-minute ride. But one must hold an F1 ticket to access the Singapore Flyer compound which is within the race area.
For $5,500 a head, however, one can enjoy the ride and hospitality for all three days with the race ticket thrown in for good measure.
Unfair to blame the heavy defeaton imported Lions:
Lions were evidently outplayed, but they played fair and square.
The Lions did their best in the Uzbekistan match. The Uzbeks were simply too good in their counter-attacks.
The Lions did their best in the Uzbekistan match. The Uzbeks were simply too good in their counter-attacks.
US blogger released on bail in Singapore
Gopalan Nair, a former Singapore lawyer who is now a US citizen leaves the Subordinate court after he was bail out in Singapore on June 5. Nair, 58, a California-based blogger who allegedly accused a judge of "prostituting herself" is on 5,000 dollars (3,660 US) bail in Singapore.
Icahn hits back at Yahoo, suggests deal with Google
In the latest tit-for-tat over Yahoo, billionaire Carl Icahn, seen here in 2005, renewed accusations Friday that the Internet giant misled shareholders and suggested a joint search deal with Google if Yahoo cannot be sold to Microsoft.
If Microsoft refuses a deal, he added, "I will ask our new board do a deal on search with Google, but only if it contains termination provisions that would in no way impede a subsequent acquisition by Microsoft." — AFP
If Microsoft refuses a deal, he added, "I will ask our new board do a deal on search with Google, but only if it contains termination provisions that would in no way impede a subsequent acquisition by Microsoft." — AFP
Yahoo chief says Microsoft not interested in renewed takeover try
The Microsoft office in Herndon, Virginia and the Yahoo headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang said Wednesday that Microsoft is "no longer interested" in buying the pioneering Internet firm, but is considering "other partnerships."
Amazon Search
American jailed for insults
A UNITED States citizen, formerly a Singaporean, has been arrested without bail for “threatening, abusing and insulting” a High Court judge.
According to the police, Gopalan Pallichadath Nair allegedly sent an offensive email to the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General.
The content in the email was directed at Justice Belinda Ang, who is presiding over the high-profile defamationcase filed against the Singapore Democratic Party, its chief Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
Nair, who also posted the statements on his blog, was arrested on Saturday at Broadway Hotel on Serangoon Road. He is in police custody and will be charged in court today. —
According to the police, Gopalan Pallichadath Nair allegedly sent an offensive email to the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General.
The content in the email was directed at Justice Belinda Ang, who is presiding over the high-profile defamationcase filed against the Singapore Democratic Party, its chief Chee Soon Juan and his sister Chee Siok Chin by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
Nair, who also posted the statements on his blog, was arrested on Saturday at Broadway Hotel on Serangoon Road. He is in police custody and will be charged in court today. —
Deprived' England fans back clubs stars for Euro
Spain's Cesc Fabregas (L) and Andres Iniesta take part in a training session near Madrid on May 29 prior to the Euro 2008 football championships. English fans are putting a brave face on their country's absence from Euro 2008 by throwing their support behind countries whose star players ply their trade in England, with Spain leading the way.
MANCHESTER UNITED CHAMPS FOR 17th TIME!
Manchester United – soccer giants of the World. And no one will dispute this.
They won the E Premier League crown for the 17th time and topped it with a great double – winning the European Cup as well.
For manager John Ferguson it was his 10th League success with the club. In 1993 when Manchester United lifted the title it was Ferguson’s first taste of success and it ended the club’s 26 years drought.Manchester United’s climax was 1999 when they won three titles – League, European Cup and E Cup.
Besides Ferguson two other members of the club Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs also had much to celebrate. Ronaldo finished as the League’s Top scorer with 31 goals and Giggs broke the all-time club record with 759 appearances.
Everton was also in a celebrative mood. They finished fifth to earn a place in the UEFA Cup tournament. Newcomers to next season will be West Bromwich, Hull City and Stoke City. They will take the place of Reading, Birmingham and Derby.
The 2008/09 E Premier season will start on Aug 9 after the Charity match between Manchester United and Portsmouth on Sat, Aug 2.
They won the E Premier League crown for the 17th time and topped it with a great double – winning the European Cup as well.
For manager John Ferguson it was his 10th League success with the club. In 1993 when Manchester United lifted the title it was Ferguson’s first taste of success and it ended the club’s 26 years drought.Manchester United’s climax was 1999 when they won three titles – League, European Cup and E Cup.
Besides Ferguson two other members of the club Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs also had much to celebrate. Ronaldo finished as the League’s Top scorer with 31 goals and Giggs broke the all-time club record with 759 appearances.
Everton was also in a celebrative mood. They finished fifth to earn a place in the UEFA Cup tournament. Newcomers to next season will be West Bromwich, Hull City and Stoke City. They will take the place of Reading, Birmingham and Derby.
The 2008/09 E Premier season will start on Aug 9 after the Charity match between Manchester United and Portsmouth on Sat, Aug 2.
AC Milan say Ancelotti not taking over at Chelsea
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has said their coach Carlo Ancelotti will not be taking over the vacant Chelsea manager's job, the Italian first division club said on their website.
Ancelotti's name has been touted as a replacement for Avram Grant who was axed by the Stamford Bridge club although coming close to winning both the European Champions League and English Premiership title this season.
Galliani said the London club had contacted them but that they had not allowed Chelsea to meet Ancelotti.
Galliani told the club's website, www.acmilan.com: "Chelsea? No, they didn't meet with him because they asked our permission and there everything halted.
"Him and another Italian coach were on top of Chelsea's wish list and the fact our coach is sought after and well seen gives me great pleasure. But Carlo Ancelotti is and will stay Milan's coach." — AFP
Ancelotti's name has been touted as a replacement for Avram Grant who was axed by the Stamford Bridge club although coming close to winning both the European Champions League and English Premiership title this season.
Galliani said the London club had contacted them but that they had not allowed Chelsea to meet Ancelotti.
Galliani told the club's website, www.acmilan.com: "Chelsea? No, they didn't meet with him because they asked our permission and there everything halted.
"Him and another Italian coach were on top of Chelsea's wish list and the fact our coach is sought after and well seen gives me great pleasure. But Carlo Ancelotti is and will stay Milan's coach." — AFP
Beckham takes captain's armband for friendly
David Beckham will lead England out as captain for the first time since the 2006 World Cup in Sunday's friendly against Trinidad and Tobago, the BBC reported on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder was dropped from the squad by former coach Steve McClaren having made a tearful World Cup exit, going off injured in the quarter-final loss to Portugal.
But McClaren's successor Fabio Capello has brought back his former Real Madrid colleague and he will lead the team out in Port of Spain on Sunday night as Capello mulls over John Terry or centreback partner Rio Ferdinand as his favoured long-term choices for the skipper's armband. — AFP
The 33-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder was dropped from the squad by former coach Steve McClaren having made a tearful World Cup exit, going off injured in the quarter-final loss to Portugal.
But McClaren's successor Fabio Capello has brought back his former Real Madrid colleague and he will lead the team out in Port of Spain on Sunday night as Capello mulls over John Terry or centreback partner Rio Ferdinand as his favoured long-term choices for the skipper's armband. — AFP
China quake toll rises to 69,016:
The death toll from China's earthquake rose to to 69,016 as of mid-day Sunday, state-run Xinhua new agency reported. — AFP
Chinese helicopter crashes during quake relief work:
A Chinese military helicopter has crashed during relief operations following last month's devastating earthquake, state media reported on Sunday. — AFP
US records lowest monthly death toll in Iraq
Nineteen US soldiers were killed in Iraq in May, the lowest monthly toll since the US-led invasion of 2003, figures maintained by the independent icasualties.org showed Sunday. — AF
Suicide bombing in Iraqi city kills nine police: local official
At least nine Iraqi policemen were killed on Saturday in a suicide bombing in the city of Heet, west of the capital Baghdad, a local official said. — AFP
Iraq warned on interference, says IFA chief
FIFA had given Baghdad a deadline of Thursday to reinstate the IFA after it dissolved the National Olympic Committee last week, or face a 12-month ban from international football.
Iraq, the reigning Asian champions, faced the threat of being kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, but Saeed said the national team was now focused on beating Australia this weekend.
FIFA has warned Iraq that it may immediately re-impose the suspension if the relevant article of the FIFA Statutes was violated again.
FIFA's move to curb political interference in Iraq's football has sent a strong message to the government in Baghdad, Iraq Football Association president Hussein Saeed said here Friday.
FIFA had given Baghdad a deadline of Thursday to reinstate the IFA after it dissolved the National Olympic Committee last week, or face a 12-month ban from international football.
The suspension was provisionally lifted after the Iraq government sent a letter to FIFA confirming that the federation had not been sacked.
Iraq, the reigning Asian champions, faced the threat of being kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, but Saeed said the national team was now focused on beating Australia this weekend.
"Our team had a bad psychology before they came to Australia, one week ago there was a problem between our Olympic committee and the government, but yesterday they practised earnestly," Saeed told reporters during Friday's FIFA Congress here.
"Now the (Iraqi) government knows the rules. Because somebody has given false information to the government that they can interfere in the sport and control the sport... now they know what the rules are," he said.
FIFA has warned Iraq that it may immediately re-impose the suspension if the relevant article of the FIFA Statutes was violated again.
Iraq, the reigning Asian champions, faced the threat of being kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, but Saeed said the national team was now focused on beating Australia this weekend.
FIFA has warned Iraq that it may immediately re-impose the suspension if the relevant article of the FIFA Statutes was violated again.
FIFA's move to curb political interference in Iraq's football has sent a strong message to the government in Baghdad, Iraq Football Association president Hussein Saeed said here Friday.
FIFA had given Baghdad a deadline of Thursday to reinstate the IFA after it dissolved the National Olympic Committee last week, or face a 12-month ban from international football.
The suspension was provisionally lifted after the Iraq government sent a letter to FIFA confirming that the federation had not been sacked.
Iraq, the reigning Asian champions, faced the threat of being kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, but Saeed said the national team was now focused on beating Australia this weekend.
"Our team had a bad psychology before they came to Australia, one week ago there was a problem between our Olympic committee and the government, but yesterday they practised earnestly," Saeed told reporters during Friday's FIFA Congress here.
"Now the (Iraqi) government knows the rules. Because somebody has given false information to the government that they can interfere in the sport and control the sport... now they know what the rules are," he said.
FIFA has warned Iraq that it may immediately re-impose the suspension if the relevant article of the FIFA Statutes was violated again.
Inflation payout:
ABOUT 20 companies have decided to adopt the National Wages Council’s recommendation to give their rank-and-file employees a one-off lump sum payment to help them cope with inflation.
Labour chief Lim Swee Say gave this update a day after the Government said lower-division civil service officers would receive more than upper-division officers in mid-year payments.
Mr Lim: said some companies have agreed with their unions on the amount of the payouts.
“Most of them target workers earning below the median salary, $2,500 and below. In some cases, they are providing a one-off payment ranging from $200 to $500.
“As far as the NTUC is concerned, we do not dictate a specific number, because at the end of the day, it depends on how much companies can afford and how much they empathise with the low-wage workers,” he said.
“The least the employers can do is to show their sincerity and do what they can. The more they can afford, give more. The less they can afford, give less. But as my union leader says, something is better than nothing,” he added.
Labour chief Lim Swee Say gave this update a day after the Government said lower-division civil service officers would receive more than upper-division officers in mid-year payments.
Mr Lim: said some companies have agreed with their unions on the amount of the payouts.
“Most of them target workers earning below the median salary, $2,500 and below. In some cases, they are providing a one-off payment ranging from $200 to $500.
“As far as the NTUC is concerned, we do not dictate a specific number, because at the end of the day, it depends on how much companies can afford and how much they empathise with the low-wage workers,” he said.
“The least the employers can do is to show their sincerity and do what they can. The more they can afford, give more. The less they can afford, give less. But as my union leader says, something is better than nothing,” he added.
Gambling operators join the fight
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) is working with gambling operators here to implement the Responsible Gambling Code of Practice. Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club have signed on the code, together with 14 private clubs that have jackpot rooms.
The code covers responsible gambling advertisement and promotion practices. We also have the support of gambling operators to put up NCPG public education materials such as flyers and posters at their outlets.
Under the code, there is also training of frontline staff in the gambling outlets to identify and refer potential or possible problem gamblers to help services.
The first course was run in March this year and attended by 50 staff from Singapore Pools, Singapore Turf Club and private clubs with jackpot rooms.
The NCPG will work with the gambling operators to roll out a full-training programme that would include managerial staff as well.
The NCPG is stepping up public education efforts to promote awareness on the potential harms of excessive gambling and our counselling helplines.
Our media campaign budget has increased from $1 million to $3 million annually. We are rolling out new outreach programmes and will focus on youth.
The code covers responsible gambling advertisement and promotion practices. We also have the support of gambling operators to put up NCPG public education materials such as flyers and posters at their outlets.
Under the code, there is also training of frontline staff in the gambling outlets to identify and refer potential or possible problem gamblers to help services.
The first course was run in March this year and attended by 50 staff from Singapore Pools, Singapore Turf Club and private clubs with jackpot rooms.
The NCPG will work with the gambling operators to roll out a full-training programme that would include managerial staff as well.
The NCPG is stepping up public education efforts to promote awareness on the potential harms of excessive gambling and our counselling helplines.
Our media campaign budget has increased from $1 million to $3 million annually. We are rolling out new outreach programmes and will focus on youth.
So, what did we learn from Sars?
FIVE years after Sars wreaked havoc on the initial blueprint, plans for the new Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) are still on the drawing board.
In 2003, four years after the Nipah virus struck Singapore, the CDC, located within the Tan Tock Seng Hospital grounds, was designated to be rebuilt. It could have been completed by now — but fate stepped in.
“We thought that Nipah would possibly be our last novel pathogen infection, but then Sars proved us wrong,” said the CDC’s Clinical Director, Associate Prof Leo Yee Sin.
“Sars changed the entire picture because we know had we built the building, it is likely that when Sars hit us, we would have problems using the building. Structurally. it would be difficult.”
One of the problems with the initial building plan was that those with infectious diseases and patients rehabilitating from other illnesses would be housed together in one building. This could cause problems in patient flow.
It is not just the new CDC building — which is expected to be completed in 2014 — that the medical community has had to rethink after Sars struck an unsuspecting Singapore in 2003. The epidemic has also wrought lasting changes in the healthcare, research and wider landscape here.
First surfacing as an atypical pneumonia, the novel coronavirus pathogen did not have a name.
The term Sars, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, surfaced a few days later after hospital staff and other patients started to fall sick. Causing fear, panic and economic losses, every step of dealing with the outbreak was a learning experience for the country.
On May 31, 2003, Singapore was declared Sars-free by the World Health Organisation. Still, the war on infectious diseases has not been won.
With just 11 staff specialising in infectious
diseases then, the CDC was stretched in terms of resource management and allocation, as the landscape of infectious disease control was changing.
Today, there are 22 infectious diseases specialists in Singapore, “struggling” to keep afloat.
"Sars has taught us a painful lesson,” said Assoc Prof Leo. “Over the years, our focus has been clinical and not research, so we need more resources and manpowerallocated to this area. This means expanding roles and scope of work of infectious diseases staff so we are still short-staffed.”
On a national scale, research into infectious diseases has been ramped up. The National Research Foundation has sponsored a Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, with one of the first research areas being infectious diseases.
Despite the learning experience that Sars provided in the management of disease outbreaks, many challenges remain to be overcome.
Even though there is now mandatory screening at all emergency departments in Singapore hospitals, there are still unresolved issues in the way patients with suspected lethal viruses should be screened and managed.
For example, if a suspect avian flu case is admitted to the CDC, he could be tested for H5N1 — but how would you test for an unknown, possibly deadly pathogen?
Still, some headway has been made, and permanent changes have been implemented to the way patients are managed in the hospitals daily. A person suspected of importing potentially fatal viruses will be separated from normal patients the moment he is admitted to hospital.
This is useful particularly at a time when community-acquired flu and pneumonia are being tracked more rigorously.
Currently, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) sees a cluster of community-acquired pneumonia every few months, usually from confined quarters such as workers’ dormitories.
Another permanent measure put in place at the National Healthcare Group is the monitoring of staff’s medical leave. This includes the tracking of their symptoms, laboratory tests and cluster monitoring to ensure that there are no outbreaks creeping up in the healthcare institutions.
“I think for every event that we have gone through - be it Sars or Nipah or influenza - we have learnt . And from the lessons ... we hope to respond better ,” said Assoc Prof Leo.
While the medical community has had to make adjustments post-Sars, Assoc Prof Lee belives that Singaporeans have yet to incorporate the lessons they had learnt during the epidemic in their daily lives.
In Japan and to a certain extent, Hongkong, people who are unwell tend to put on a mask whenever they leave the house - Sars or no Sars. And nobody around them would bat an eyelid.
“It becomes part of everyone’s responsibility to accept that in a society’s practice,” she said.
However, such a practice has yet to gain widespread acceptance here.
“Just go to MRT, put on a mask and you see how people will treat you. They probably will take a few steps away from you,” Assoc Prof Leo said.
Some painful lessons, some progress needed 5 years after disease first hit S’pore’s shores.
In 2003, four years after the Nipah virus struck Singapore, the CDC, located within the Tan Tock Seng Hospital grounds, was designated to be rebuilt. It could have been completed by now — but fate stepped in.
“We thought that Nipah would possibly be our last novel pathogen infection, but then Sars proved us wrong,” said the CDC’s Clinical Director, Associate Prof Leo Yee Sin.
“Sars changed the entire picture because we know had we built the building, it is likely that when Sars hit us, we would have problems using the building. Structurally. it would be difficult.”
One of the problems with the initial building plan was that those with infectious diseases and patients rehabilitating from other illnesses would be housed together in one building. This could cause problems in patient flow.
It is not just the new CDC building — which is expected to be completed in 2014 — that the medical community has had to rethink after Sars struck an unsuspecting Singapore in 2003. The epidemic has also wrought lasting changes in the healthcare, research and wider landscape here.
First surfacing as an atypical pneumonia, the novel coronavirus pathogen did not have a name.
The term Sars, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, surfaced a few days later after hospital staff and other patients started to fall sick. Causing fear, panic and economic losses, every step of dealing with the outbreak was a learning experience for the country.
On May 31, 2003, Singapore was declared Sars-free by the World Health Organisation. Still, the war on infectious diseases has not been won.
With just 11 staff specialising in infectious
diseases then, the CDC was stretched in terms of resource management and allocation, as the landscape of infectious disease control was changing.
Today, there are 22 infectious diseases specialists in Singapore, “struggling” to keep afloat.
"Sars has taught us a painful lesson,” said Assoc Prof Leo. “Over the years, our focus has been clinical and not research, so we need more resources and manpowerallocated to this area. This means expanding roles and scope of work of infectious diseases staff so we are still short-staffed.”
On a national scale, research into infectious diseases has been ramped up. The National Research Foundation has sponsored a Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology Centre, with one of the first research areas being infectious diseases.
Despite the learning experience that Sars provided in the management of disease outbreaks, many challenges remain to be overcome.
Even though there is now mandatory screening at all emergency departments in Singapore hospitals, there are still unresolved issues in the way patients with suspected lethal viruses should be screened and managed.
For example, if a suspect avian flu case is admitted to the CDC, he could be tested for H5N1 — but how would you test for an unknown, possibly deadly pathogen?
Still, some headway has been made, and permanent changes have been implemented to the way patients are managed in the hospitals daily. A person suspected of importing potentially fatal viruses will be separated from normal patients the moment he is admitted to hospital.
This is useful particularly at a time when community-acquired flu and pneumonia are being tracked more rigorously.
Currently, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) sees a cluster of community-acquired pneumonia every few months, usually from confined quarters such as workers’ dormitories.
Another permanent measure put in place at the National Healthcare Group is the monitoring of staff’s medical leave. This includes the tracking of their symptoms, laboratory tests and cluster monitoring to ensure that there are no outbreaks creeping up in the healthcare institutions.
“I think for every event that we have gone through - be it Sars or Nipah or influenza - we have learnt . And from the lessons ... we hope to respond better ,” said Assoc Prof Leo.
While the medical community has had to make adjustments post-Sars, Assoc Prof Lee belives that Singaporeans have yet to incorporate the lessons they had learnt during the epidemic in their daily lives.
In Japan and to a certain extent, Hongkong, people who are unwell tend to put on a mask whenever they leave the house - Sars or no Sars. And nobody around them would bat an eyelid.
“It becomes part of everyone’s responsibility to accept that in a society’s practice,” she said.
However, such a practice has yet to gain widespread acceptance here.
“Just go to MRT, put on a mask and you see how people will treat you. They probably will take a few steps away from you,” Assoc Prof Leo said.
Some painful lessons, some progress needed 5 years after disease first hit S’pore’s shores.
Act early to blunt long-term impact of diabetes: study
Aggressive insulin treatment or lifestyle changes at the onset of diabetes can sharply curb the incidence and impact of the disease over the long haul, according to two studies released Friday.
Type 2 diabetes can cause conditions ranging from kidney failure to blindness and heart disease, and complications can lead to death.
The condition, strongly linked to obesity, occurs when the liver fails to produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to the hormone, which controls blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes has become rampant in both developed and developing countries as a result of traditional diets being abandoned for processed and junk foods and people getting less exercise.
The International Diabetes Federation forecasts the number of cases -- including many adolescents -- will explode from 246 million today to 380 million by 2025.
Type 2 diabetes can cause conditions ranging from kidney failure to blindness and heart disease, and complications can lead to death.
The condition, strongly linked to obesity, occurs when the liver fails to produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to the hormone, which controls blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes has become rampant in both developed and developing countries as a result of traditional diets being abandoned for processed and junk foods and people getting less exercise.
The International Diabetes Federation forecasts the number of cases -- including many adolescents -- will explode from 246 million today to 380 million by 2025.
Govt could sponsor ‘jobs for seniors’ ads
IN SPITE of the Government asking for mature workers to be employed, age discrimination is still rearing its ugly head here, as confirmed by the numerous letters written to the media.
If the authorities want to help mature workers secure jobs, perhaps, the first step would be to mandate a job section in the classifieds of local newspapers, with the caption: “Job vacancies for mature workers”.
It would be good if the Government can also sponsor the advertisements so as to encourage more pro-mature and enlightened employers to recruit more elderly citizens via this avenue.
Companies that do not mind hiring mature employees can be expected to be more forthcoming to advertise in this column.
Genuine mature job seekers can then zero into this column to seek jobs more confidently, knowing fully well that they would not be sidelined.
For the more tech-savvy mature workers, a similar website targeted at employing only older workers would also help.
If the authorities want to help mature workers secure jobs, perhaps, the first step would be to mandate a job section in the classifieds of local newspapers, with the caption: “Job vacancies for mature workers”.
It would be good if the Government can also sponsor the advertisements so as to encourage more pro-mature and enlightened employers to recruit more elderly citizens via this avenue.
Companies that do not mind hiring mature employees can be expected to be more forthcoming to advertise in this column.
Genuine mature job seekers can then zero into this column to seek jobs more confidently, knowing fully well that they would not be sidelined.
For the more tech-savvy mature workers, a similar website targeted at employing only older workers would also help.
What do you want to know more about?
Cabbie challenged me to a fight !
Threatened by a taxi driver for keeping to the speed limit-
On Sunday, at about 11pm, I was driving in the right lane of Pasir Ris Drive 2, keeping to the speed limit of 60kmh. It is a two-lane road and there were buses and slow-moving traffic in the left lane.
The driver of a yellow Comfort taxi started flashing his headlights at me from behind. This went on for a couple of minutes. When the road was clear, I moved over to the left lane, but he followed me closely and kept flashing his headlights.
I moved back to the right lane but he moved behind me again, staying very close to my car, while continuing to flash his headlights. At this point in time, my girlfriend asked me to stop so that he could overtake me from whichever lane he wanted.
The taxi driver then drove alongside my car and rolled down his window, screaming vulgarities. He claimed I was hogging the road. I shouted back that there was a speed limit. If he wanted to overtake, he would have definitely gone above the speed limit, thus breaking the law.
While he continued to shout, I saw that he had a female passenger in the back seat who looked extremely frightened by the taxi driver’s actions.
Is this how Comfort taxi drivers conduct themselves in front of passengers?
I threatened to lodge a complaint and he challenged me to do so, saying: “You want to complain, complain ah! I not scared!”
He then overtook me aggressively and started to brake hard abruptly, forcing me to “emergency brake” a few times.
I’m sure he knew that if I hit him from behind, the law would likely find me in the wrong.
Then, when I flashed my headlights at him, he stopped the taxi in the middle of the road, and came out from it wearing gloves. He asked his passenger to get out of the taxi, threw her change back at her through the window and started walking towards my car in an aggressive manner.
Gesturing with his hands, he challenged me to a fight. I had to squeeze my car between his taxi and the curb to escape.
This is the second time I have seen a Comfort taxi driver come out from his taxi to challenge another road user.
The last time, it happened at the East Coast Parkway and it caused a small jam along the road, but fortunately the driver of the other car drove off before anything else happened.
On Sunday, at about 11pm, I was driving in the right lane of Pasir Ris Drive 2, keeping to the speed limit of 60kmh. It is a two-lane road and there were buses and slow-moving traffic in the left lane.
The driver of a yellow Comfort taxi started flashing his headlights at me from behind. This went on for a couple of minutes. When the road was clear, I moved over to the left lane, but he followed me closely and kept flashing his headlights.
I moved back to the right lane but he moved behind me again, staying very close to my car, while continuing to flash his headlights. At this point in time, my girlfriend asked me to stop so that he could overtake me from whichever lane he wanted.
The taxi driver then drove alongside my car and rolled down his window, screaming vulgarities. He claimed I was hogging the road. I shouted back that there was a speed limit. If he wanted to overtake, he would have definitely gone above the speed limit, thus breaking the law.
While he continued to shout, I saw that he had a female passenger in the back seat who looked extremely frightened by the taxi driver’s actions.
Is this how Comfort taxi drivers conduct themselves in front of passengers?
I threatened to lodge a complaint and he challenged me to do so, saying: “You want to complain, complain ah! I not scared!”
He then overtook me aggressively and started to brake hard abruptly, forcing me to “emergency brake” a few times.
I’m sure he knew that if I hit him from behind, the law would likely find me in the wrong.
Then, when I flashed my headlights at him, he stopped the taxi in the middle of the road, and came out from it wearing gloves. He asked his passenger to get out of the taxi, threw her change back at her through the window and started walking towards my car in an aggressive manner.
Gesturing with his hands, he challenged me to a fight. I had to squeeze my car between his taxi and the curb to escape.
This is the second time I have seen a Comfort taxi driver come out from his taxi to challenge another road user.
The last time, it happened at the East Coast Parkway and it caused a small jam along the road, but fortunately the driver of the other car drove off before anything else happened.
Customer service – with an edge
Letter from Muhamad Rani Osman
Last Thursday, at about 2.50pm, at the Banquet food court at HarbourFront, my mother ordered a bowl of macaroni soup from a nasi padang stall.
She was the stall’s only customer. After about 10 minutes, she had to go to the restroom, so my maid waited for the order instead. When it did not arrive after 15 minutes, I decided to check on it. When I did so, one of the workers at the stall shouted into the kitchen, asking why it was taking so long to prepare such a simple dish.
A few minutes later, another worker brought the soup to us. She stared at my maid and me, and placed the bowl of soup on the table but did not serve it to us. This was almost half an hour after my mother had placed her order.
I approached the food court manager who told me that the nasi padang stall is a “tendered stall” and, as such, he could not do anything or take any action. But at my insistence, we approached the worker.
Instead of apologising, the female worker shouted at me and challenged me to lodge a complaint. All the while, she was holding a knife.
I would like to ask the management of Banquet the following:
• On what criteria are stalls chosen to be part of their tenant mix?
• Are regular checks conducted on the behaviour of their tenants?
HarbourFront is an area frequented by tourists. Such behaviour definitely does nothing to enhance Singapore’s reputation.
Last Thursday, at about 2.50pm, at the Banquet food court at HarbourFront, my mother ordered a bowl of macaroni soup from a nasi padang stall.
She was the stall’s only customer. After about 10 minutes, she had to go to the restroom, so my maid waited for the order instead. When it did not arrive after 15 minutes, I decided to check on it. When I did so, one of the workers at the stall shouted into the kitchen, asking why it was taking so long to prepare such a simple dish.
A few minutes later, another worker brought the soup to us. She stared at my maid and me, and placed the bowl of soup on the table but did not serve it to us. This was almost half an hour after my mother had placed her order.
I approached the food court manager who told me that the nasi padang stall is a “tendered stall” and, as such, he could not do anything or take any action. But at my insistence, we approached the worker.
Instead of apologising, the female worker shouted at me and challenged me to lodge a complaint. All the while, she was holding a knife.
I would like to ask the management of Banquet the following:
• On what criteria are stalls chosen to be part of their tenant mix?
• Are regular checks conducted on the behaviour of their tenants?
HarbourFront is an area frequented by tourists. Such behaviour definitely does nothing to enhance Singapore’s reputation.
Robertson Quay restaurants raise a stink !
Stench from river affecting business, they claim.
YOU are dining al fresco by the river, tourists at the next table are taking in the tropical night scene, a gentle breeze blows — and suddenly, there is a smell from the river.
It is pungent and will not go away; and the night is ruined. This has been the scene along the Singapore River recently, in particular at Robertson Quay.
The river's brackish waters may have needed more cleaning up, but for the past year, the offending smell was akin to a fly in the soup for food and beverage outlets at the quay. Until three months ago.
Businesses at the quay say the stink has been wafting in daily, instead of once every few days.
"It's becoming horrendous, especially after it rains," said waitress Henrietta Martinez, 19, from the Brussel Sprouts restaurant. "Some customers ask to be moved to a table inside the restaurant."
Said Brassiere Wolf senior captain Julie Zainudin, 27: "Nowadays, after the rain, the river turns brown. It is very unsightly." In February, Robertson Quay's management notified the Public Utilities Board (PUB) of the smell.
The agency in charge of Singapore's waterways investigated and found the stench occurred when water levels were low, exposing years of deposits and sediment accumulated along the riverbank.
"Robertson Quay is upstream and located at the bend of the river. There tends to be more deposits collecting there," PUB catchment and waterways director Tan Nguan Sen told Today.
Downstream, the sediments are more diluted. Tenants at Clarke Quay say they can detect a smell, but it's not very pungent, and customers rarely gripe about it. At Boat Quay, tenants say the pong is nearly non-existent.
A PUB contractor has carried out works to remove the deposits and sediment at the heavily-silted areas and is monitoring the situation closely. Still, there is a lingering smell; a second round of dredging starts this week, to be completed by the month's end.
The PUB has also tried to maintain a high water level whenever possible to avoid exposure of the sediment bed for prolonged periods of time.
The 15 or so Robertson Quay pubs and restaurants located along the river, the hardest-hit, could potentially play a part to improve the situation if they work with Waterways Watch, a non-governmental organisation that seeks to keep Singapore's waterways clean and free from pollution through patrols and public education.
It runs a programme called Friends of the Marina Association, in which participants contribute $120 a year as a form of financial support as well as display the organisation's pamphlets and posters at their premises.
But response has been dismal, said Waterways Watch chairman Eugene Heng, 59. "We visited them, sent letters to them, but they were not interested," he said. There are only four Friends of the Marina despite efforts to reach out to about 200 businesses. Only one, Japanese restaurant Sangokushi Ryoriya, is on Robertson Quay. Red House Seafood Restaurant manager Peter Chang, 58, told Today the fee should be borne by the quay's strata management. "We pay them a monthly maintenance fee (of close to $10,000), so, this should come under them," he said.
For residents living along that stretch, the smell seems less of a bother. River Place is one of three condominiums located along the river and resident Maria Eugenia, 46, said she only catches a whiff of it occasionally, when she is on her way home or out.
"But I don't smell it every day, so, it's not that much of a problem for me," she said.
YOU are dining al fresco by the river, tourists at the next table are taking in the tropical night scene, a gentle breeze blows — and suddenly, there is a smell from the river.
It is pungent and will not go away; and the night is ruined. This has been the scene along the Singapore River recently, in particular at Robertson Quay.
The river's brackish waters may have needed more cleaning up, but for the past year, the offending smell was akin to a fly in the soup for food and beverage outlets at the quay. Until three months ago.
Businesses at the quay say the stink has been wafting in daily, instead of once every few days.
"It's becoming horrendous, especially after it rains," said waitress Henrietta Martinez, 19, from the Brussel Sprouts restaurant. "Some customers ask to be moved to a table inside the restaurant."
Said Brassiere Wolf senior captain Julie Zainudin, 27: "Nowadays, after the rain, the river turns brown. It is very unsightly." In February, Robertson Quay's management notified the Public Utilities Board (PUB) of the smell.
The agency in charge of Singapore's waterways investigated and found the stench occurred when water levels were low, exposing years of deposits and sediment accumulated along the riverbank.
"Robertson Quay is upstream and located at the bend of the river. There tends to be more deposits collecting there," PUB catchment and waterways director Tan Nguan Sen told Today.
Downstream, the sediments are more diluted. Tenants at Clarke Quay say they can detect a smell, but it's not very pungent, and customers rarely gripe about it. At Boat Quay, tenants say the pong is nearly non-existent.
A PUB contractor has carried out works to remove the deposits and sediment at the heavily-silted areas and is monitoring the situation closely. Still, there is a lingering smell; a second round of dredging starts this week, to be completed by the month's end.
The PUB has also tried to maintain a high water level whenever possible to avoid exposure of the sediment bed for prolonged periods of time.
The 15 or so Robertson Quay pubs and restaurants located along the river, the hardest-hit, could potentially play a part to improve the situation if they work with Waterways Watch, a non-governmental organisation that seeks to keep Singapore's waterways clean and free from pollution through patrols and public education.
It runs a programme called Friends of the Marina Association, in which participants contribute $120 a year as a form of financial support as well as display the organisation's pamphlets and posters at their premises.
But response has been dismal, said Waterways Watch chairman Eugene Heng, 59. "We visited them, sent letters to them, but they were not interested," he said. There are only four Friends of the Marina despite efforts to reach out to about 200 businesses. Only one, Japanese restaurant Sangokushi Ryoriya, is on Robertson Quay. Red House Seafood Restaurant manager Peter Chang, 58, told Today the fee should be borne by the quay's strata management. "We pay them a monthly maintenance fee (of close to $10,000), so, this should come under them," he said.
For residents living along that stretch, the smell seems less of a bother. River Place is one of three condominiums located along the river and resident Maria Eugenia, 46, said she only catches a whiff of it occasionally, when she is on her way home or out.
"But I don't smell it every day, so, it's not that much of a problem for me," she said.
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