#1 Baby bonus has had little impact so far

“One positive trend is the rise in the number of first-time parents”

The rise in the number of first-time parents is seen as a proof of the baby bonus scheme helping to change the mindsets of people to give birth to at least one child. The next step is to help new parents to grow their families by giving birth to two or more children. Employers should also know that there is a need for parents to take time off to care for their child’s pressing childcare needs. The baby bonus has also proved to help several families ease their financial burdens.

Importance:

The baby bonus scheme has proven to be successful after several revisions. However, it is still not successful for newly weds, as there is no proof of significant increase in the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of Singapore. More should be done to entice and change the mindsets of these couples to give birth.

#2 Teacher convicted for altering exam scripts

“She helped three of her pupils; judge ticks her off and sends her to jail”

The Tamil Language teacher altered the scripts of three of her pupils of spelling errors and the answers to multiple-choice questions for the PSLE. As quoted from the judge, ‘teachers have a duty to uphold integrity of the education system’. The Tamil Language teacher has been facing many difficulties, with her only child suffering from leukaemia since 2001. She suffered three miscarriages before she finally gave birth in 1997. She also said that she was pressured by the school for the pupils to produce good results, hence her actions. She is being sentenced to two months of jail, when she could be jailed up to seven years and fined on each charge.

Importance:

The judge has been lenient on this teacher to sentence her to only two months of jail. Given her pitiful state with her child, she is probably being sentenced to only two months as her child still needs her. However, her actions have caused her to be suspended from teaching and will surely lose her job as the result of conviction. It is not worth committing such a dishonest act because she succumbed to pressure.

#3 Taiwan thanks Singapore for aid package for victims

Singapore presented an aid package to help the victims of Typhoon Morakot. It includes $50,000 worth of food and medical supplies and also US$200,000 provided through the Singapore Red Cross Society. Although Singapore does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the two have always been close. Relations between the two have also improved significantly in the past year. Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister expressed hopes that economic ties would increase.

Importance:

Singapore’s act of lending a helping hand to Taiwan can help improve the ties with Taiwan. This would benefit Singapore when she runs into any difficulties in the future as good relationships have been built with neighbouring countries.

Urban Redevelopment Authority has a 17 million dollar plan to develop the waterfront area in Punggol East. This project is meant to promote local tourism. The Punggol area used to be known for its plantation and farming villagers. Plans include turning the jetty and beach at Punggol point into a park with cycling tacks and eateries. The five kilometre Punggol promenade is expected to be completed in 2011. It will also be connected to other parks and cycling tracks forming a 350 kilometre route around Singapore.
- A visiting US senator has met Myanmar’s military ruler Than Shue and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a historic visit. Witnesses say Ms Suu Kyi was escorted by several police cars for a 45 minute meeting with Senator Jim Webb. Its still not known what they discussed, but Ms Suu Kyi has started a fresh term of 18 months house arrest. It was also not revealed what the US Senator and General Than Shue talked about earlier. Mr Jim Webb is the first senior US official to have met the general and is known for a pro-engagement stance toward Myanmar.

#1 Suit against SPH dismissed

Related GP topics: Media

Summary:

The High Court has thrown out a defamation lawsuit brought by a childcare centre against Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).In his judgment released on Wednesday, Justice Lee Seiu Kin said that although certain parts of the report titled ’13-month-old boy critically ill in hospital’ defamed the Al-Amin Education company, the publisher had acted without malice and in the public interest.The report, by senior health correspondent Salma Khalik and published in The Straits Times on May 23 last year, highlighted the condition of toddler Muhammad Hafiz Badrulhisham, who contracted hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Lawyers from Allen & Gledhill, acting for SPH, denied there was any defamation and even if there was, there was justification or qualified privilege to run the report. Agreeing, Justice Lee said that since HFMD was prevalent among infants below the age of five and was reaching epidemic levels at that time, it was in the public interest that the report be published.

Importance of article: The childcare center should already know that fighting with a big company like SPH is certainly no kid game. However, reporters should verfiy with the childcare center before publishing any false information about the centre and this leads to more problems.

#2 Minister took $4m?

Related topics : politics

Summary:

Kuala Lumpur – THE legal and financial wrangling linked to a scandal-ridden project took a sensational turn on Wednesday when its developer alleged that he had paid RM10 million (S$4 million) in cash to a Cabinet minister.Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, chief executive officer of Kuala Dimensi, developer of the scandal-plagued Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), claimed that he paid the cash to Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat.Datuk Seri Ong, president of the country’s biggest Chinese political party, Malaysian Chinese Association, issued a denial on Wednesday, calling the allegation ‘smear tactics and character assassination’. The cash, Mr Tiong told Malaysiakini online news, was for activities related to MCA divisions.

Yet another shock: Mr Tiong, who is from Sarawak, is a government MP and chief of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Backbenchers Club. The row is sure to add to the image of disunity within BN.Mr Tiong’s attack against Mr Ong came a day after a police report was made by the Port Klang Authority against Kuala Dimensi for allegedly overcharging by several hundred million ringgit for the project. The authority is tasked by the government to look into the PKFZ issue.Mr Ong, in his denial of the claims, wrote in his blog that he doubted that ‘any reasonable person would part with RM10 million based on a story that the money is needed by the MCA’s divisions’.

Importance of article: The dishonesty in political and having a efficient and uncorrupted cabinet will definitely be important to one country.

#3 Declines in cancer deaths

GP related topics : Health/Science & Technology

Summary: Chicago- Improvements in cancer screening and better treatments have resulted in steady declines in cancer death rates over the past three decades, US researchers said on Thursday. The study uses a different way of looking at cancer death rates that measures improvements in cancer deaths by age.US government estimates suggest there had been little improvement in cancer death rates throughout the 20th century, with rates only beginning to improve in the mid-1990s, Mr Kort said. But that does not tell the whole story, he said. ‘The way that these statistics are traditionally reported is they have averaged all of the age groups together to get a composite rate,’ Mr Kort said in a telephone interview. Cancer remains the No. 2 killer of Americans, with about 560,000 deaths annually, topped only by heart disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

Importance of article: information are useful for GP essays.

==Travellers in taipei were stranded at hongkong airport due to Typhoon Morakot(I didn’d catch how it was spelt)

Schools and businesses to close down for the meantime

China evacuating people back to port… Typhoon morakot.

==Teoh Beng hock death.

Fell out of the 14th storey window. May be held by belt that snapped.

Breaks and ruptures in bones, not consistent with just a fall… still looking for justice… not just for loved ones but for the mysterious deaths.

== twitter and facebook teamed up. Facebook fans complained about its service lately.

Flood sites for hackers… google found out.

–use of land in Singapore.

Plans for marina bay will still continue even if there’s downturn.

Plenty of household available.

==DBS $552 mil profit. Search for new CEO is ongoing. US unemployment rate eased to 9.4 percent.

One million used to jap visiting sg turned to half within 10 years.

William tan, Singapore chef. Singapore seafood republic.

Tourism board tries to track Japanese tourists.

–national day.

Catholic high school, 6000 photos top form Singapore map with 5000 packets of milo.

Temasek sec… 44k bucks to charity

==celtic arsenal facing off in champs league UEFA..

Golf champs.

n Tiger woods…failed?

== paula abdul.

Abdul’s withdrawal from being a judge in American Idol.

School is out for summer in china.

Acting… wants to turn children into star. Dramatic but hundreds of kids signed up for the 7 days 8 hours trainings. Get to meet celebs. A lot want to become stars.

One child policies high hopes for parents on their little emperors.

Article 1: KL launches special economic zone
Content: Malaysia launched its first special economic zone on the east cost of the peninsula as part of efforts to stimulate a sluggish economy and create new jobs in the rural east. It is touted to be Asia’s biggest.
Possible question: year 2000 A levels ‘In the modern world, image is everything’ Discuss.
Why is it important?
Imagine this, the prospect of operating a firm at Asia’s biggest economic zone. I am sure many big firms will jump at the chance of locating a branch at the location. Superlatives words like biggest seem appealing because it is often being associated with great things. As a result government that planned such flagship projects are often keen in creating a remarkable image to people in order for it to be successful. Therefore in this scenario it seems that image in some cases are very important.

Article 2: Legal frameworks will enhance peace: Dr Teo
Content: DPM Teo said that recent tensions around the South China Sea have shown the need for countries to engage in dialogue and address disputes within international legal framework. He stated that ASEAN member states near the South China Sea should move from conflict to cooperation in securing these shared interest which include the large oil and natural gas reserves.
Possible question: Year 1999 A level’s “Do arguments ever settle anything?
Why is this important?
Arguments more often than not are likely to cause certain form of negative impact. In this scenario Malaysia and Vietnam have submitted a petition to the United Nation questioning China actions of not allowing them to fish there. This is likely to steer up a series of argument. Therefore in my opinion, like what our minister has stated the aim is to move from conflict to cooperation. Countries around the area should reach an agreement in a modest way rather than arguing who is right or wrong. In this way it is more likely that a conflict will resolve and leads to all parties gaining benefits from the sea.

Article 3: SMEs gain from joining forces in new markets
Content: 5 firms that have collaborated under the international enterprises programme are clinching deals in the Middle East that may not have been possible if they had not teamed up. They have acquired certain help from the government through companies like Crimson Logic which find solution for firms in the trade facilitation, judiciary, tax, healthcare, and IT security domains.
Possible question: How can government help SMEs to achieve greater heights?
Why is this important?
This is a possible way that government can help SMEs to achieve greater heights via firms like Crimson Logic that have abundant knowledge of clients in Middle East. As a result, these firms are able to penetrate into the Middle East market at ease with useful information from Crimson Logic. As a result this provides both firms with a win-win situation because Crimson Logic will have a bigger range of solutions to sell to firms that wants to enjoy the success achieved by the 5 firms. As a result the SME’s is able to prosper and bring benefits to the country.

#1 Economy better, but tests ahead, says PM

“First-half growth at -6.5% ‘less bad than feared’; full year outlook still -4% to -6%”

Singapore is now stronger in her economic position after a bumpy start at the beginning of the year. This is credited to the united response of Singaporeans and government measures which alleviated the impact of the downturn. However, there is still a possibility of a second wave of retrenchment. Singaporeans should be forward-looking and find new ways to develop this city-state of ours.

Importance:

Although we have successfully minimised loss for the country, we must not be complacent about this achievement and still stay vigilant. We must thus work hard to strengthen our bonds and face challenges together.

#2 Obama guarded over jobs data

“Jobless rate dips for first time in 15 months but President is not declaring victory yet”

The response that this piece of news received was cautious. US unemployment rate plunged to 9.4% in July, compared to 9.5% in June. However, President Obama is still not going to go easy on this issue as they still have a lot further to go.

Importance:

Similarly, USA is facing improvements economically like Singapore. However, both countries have recognised the fact that they should not get complacent with this insignificant achievement.

#3 Boom time for sports medicine

“With more Singaporeans exercising and playing sports, formerly a fringe industry is flourishing”

More Singaporeans are exercising and are doing it in a more sophisticated way. There are larger turnouts for triathlons and marathons now than compared to previous ones. This ranges from all ages, from the young elite athletes to the older athletes.

Importance:

This shows that Singaporeans are leading healthy lifestyles and this has indirectly helped the medical industry to develop and prosper. This would contribute to Singapore’s revenue and further develop the country.

1) Just one year after hosting the world’s first F1 night race, Singapore has scored another coup. The inaugural F1 Rocks! event will be held here. And it will bring some of the world’s biggest music acts to town. Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas and Jacky Cheung are just some of the stars who will perform at the US$8 million event.

2) US-based Seagate Technology is laying off a quarter of its 8,000 workers in Singapore. This is because the hard-disk marker is moving its manufacturing operations out of the country. Seagate’s manufacturing facility at Ang Mo Kio will close by the end of 2010. And this means some 2,000 employees will be laid off, while others will be redeployed.

3) Better news on the job front, from Resorts World at Sentosa. The integrated resort is ramping up hiring and aims to fill over 8,000 positions by the end of this year. Resorts World at Sentosa says it is on track to open on schedule next year. It already has 760 employees in its fold, of whom eight in 10 are Singaporeans. And it is carrying out a mass hiring exercise in October, looking at employing more than 8,000 people.

4) Successfully juggling kids and careers. The answers may emerge from a gathering in Singapore of top women leaders, from across the Asia-Pacific. They may hold some of the top jobs in the private and public sectors. But the figures show that women make up some of the most vulnerable groups during this downturn. As a group, these APEC women leaders have mapped out key priorities which will help encourage women with children to take on jobs.

5) A passenger plane crashed this evening on Thailand’s resort island, Koh Samui. The pilot was killed and more than 40 others injured. Earlier reports have said seven of those people were seriously hurt. Police say Bangkok Airways Flight PG266 skidded off the runway as it tried to land in heavy rain. In then hit a disused control tower.

6) Australian police say they have foiled what would have been the country’s worst ever terrorist attack. Four men in their 20s were arrested in Melbourne, on suspicion of plotting a suicide attack on an army camp. All are allegedly linked to a Somali militant group. Investigators told a court this afternoon, the suspects intended to be martyrs. One man has been officially charged.

7) North Korea has welcomed a surprise visitor. Former US president Bill Clinton is there, apparently to try to win the freedom of two jailed American journalists. They were found guilty of illegally crossing the border. Mr Clinton was invited by North Korea. Analysts say this may signal that Pyongyang wants to mend ties. But critics say that by going, Mr Clinton is “rewarding the North’s bad behaviour”.

8) Singapore is launching new guidelines for hotel security this month. It is another step to boost the country’s reputation as a safe business and tourism destination.

1) The buoyant property market of the past six months has attracted not only those seeking new homes, but also those seeking a career switch. Industry-watchers are seeing more mid-career professionals becoming property agents. There are currently some 26,000 property agents here. And the number could rise to 40,000 if the good times roll on.

2) Disputes over trademarks, copyrights and patents could soon be settled much more quickly and cheaply, right here in Singapore. The World Intellectual Property Organisation has established an Arbitration and Mediation Centre here. It is the UN agency’s first such centre outside Europe.

3) That is what you can expect when the S70 million Sentosa Boardwalk is ready, by the end of next year. And Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Education S Iswaran said visitors to the resort will be getting a whole new experience. The Boardwalk is billed as the first of its kind in the region. 620 metres long and made of timber, it links Vivocity to Sentosa.

4) A SilkAir flight was grounded in the Philippines today, after a bomb threat. MI541 was due to leave Cebu airport for Singapore, at 1.30pm. Minutes before takeoff, airport authorities received news of a suspected bomb on the plane. All 127 passengers and seven crew were evacuated. Baggage and cargo were also taken away for security checks. The plane was moved to an isolation bay for police inspection. The flight finally took off again at 6.30pm.

5) A woman detained by Indonesian police has identified her husband as the country’s most wanted man – Nordin Mohamad Top. Arina Rahmah told police that her husband, whom she knew as Abdul Halim, resembles pictures of Nordin. But he is now missing, along with her father. She says the last time she saw her husband was in March. Police are hoping Arina will provide crucial information about the man who could be Nordin, including his contacts.

6) A pair of Indonesian conjoined twins had died. They were just five days old. The boys were born with two heads, but a single body. Each had a heart, but they shared all other vital organs, making it medically impossible to separate them.

7) A woman in Texas has been charged with murder, for allegedly beheading her three-week-old baby and eating parts of the body. The 33-year-old then turned the knife on herself. Police say she was covered in blood and screaming when they arrived. She told them she had heard voices, telling her to do it.

8) Prison inmates now have a visible way of putting the past behind them. The Yellow Ribbon project has launched a $1 million tattoo removal programme. It gives the inmates the chance to show that they have renounced their gang affiliations. Removing a tattoo could take as little as one, and as many as 10 sessions, depending on its size.

#1 Jobless claims fall to 550k

GP related topics : Social

Summary: Washington News claims for US unemployment benefits fell more sharply than expected in the past week, extending a downward trend since June amid signs the recession is bottoming, government data showed on Thursday.The Labor Department said initial claims for insurance benefits fell to a seasonally adjusted 550,000 in the week ended on August 1. That was below the revised 588,000 new claims filed in the preceding week, and lower than the average analyst forecast of 580,000.many economists see a return to growth in the second half of the year, some warn that rising unemployment could hinder recovery. By the end of June, companies had shed 6.5 million jobs since the recession started in December 2007.

Importance of article: How the economy turmoil has affected our life especially in US, the hub of economy. It also shows us that there has been a great turn back  in the economy since the unemployment rate has dropped drastically.

#2 Artest gives diamond watch

GP related topic : Sports

Summary:

Beijing – Los Angeles Lakers newly signed star forward Ron Artest has donated his US$45,000 (S$64,547) diamond watch to a Chinese teenager to support his education.Artest made the generous gift after playing basketball with 15-year-old Zheng Fengyu, who is from a poor family, in the central city of Wuhan on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. Around a dozen NBA players have visited China in the past few weeks, including Kobe Bryant who has been teaching his skills to youths and launching his fund to raise money for education and health programmes in China.

Importance of article:  Wherever they go they will be mobbed by adoring fans. There are very little sportsman who donate so generously to the poor, this act should be known and encouraged widely.

#3  Spine surgery ineffective?

GP related topics: Technology & Science.

Summary: Boston – A Common spine operation for relieving back pain is no more effective than make-believe surgery, two teams reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. The technique, called vertebroplasty, involves injecting medical cement into a fractured spine bone to strengthen it.More than 38,000 such procedures are done in the United States every year and the number has been increasingly rapidly, nearly doubling from 2001 to 2005.People can get better relatively quickly or it may take many months, but eventually the pain does get better whatever you do.

Importance of article : technology deteriorates life ? Is technology always good and forever advancing ?

Student’s death ruled a suicide
Long-running hearing ends with family storming out of court.
State coroner Victor Yeo declared yesterday that Indonesian undergraduate David Hartanto Widjaja had killed himself. This contradicts the idea of Widjaja’s family who claimed their son, and brother was murdered. Testimonies has been drawn from forensic experts, pathologists, and witnesses before concluding that Mr Widjaja had stabbed Prof Chan and then killed himself. A critical piece of evidence was recovered from his computer. It was a note stating how troubled the youth was. All these information were unknown to his family and friends. His family walked out of the courtroom abruptly, clearly dissatisfied with the verdict.
Analysis:
A suicide in a family is always very difficult for the family members to accept. They go through a roller coaster of emotions. In their grief, they may blame others but in the end they will always blame themselves for not been able to stop it. The painful question is what if the whole incident keep on replaying in their minds. It is difficult or nearly impossible to stop a person from taking his own life. There may be no warning signs and many times even if there were, close ones don’t even realise it until it’s too late.

Casino jobs are not hot
MARINA Bay Sands is having more difficulty than anticipated in filling up its casino positions with Singaporeans. It has filled only 2,000 out of 4,500 gaming positions. It is holding a recruitment fair this weekend at Suntec Convention Hall 603, as a last ditch effort to get Singaporeans to apply for casino jobs, in particular, dealer positions. Mr Ken Davie, senior vice-president of casino operations at the Marina Bay integrated resort said that they have never run into so much trouble filling the casino positions elsewhere in Macau or Las Vegas as here in Singapore, probably because this industry is entirely new to the market. Mr Davie is hoping that by this weekend, thousands more will apply so they can fill the positions with as many Singaporeans as possible.
Analysis:
Failing to get the Singaporeans means the company would have to explore other options like opening up the positions to foreigners, which the IR has received applications for but has not considered them since the main priority now is to hire Singaporeans.
Singaporeans are constantly complaining about the lack of employment opportunities or that the government is always giving up positions to foreigners. Well, as we can see here, Singaporeans are just too picky when it comes to jobs. Sometimes, we have to make a little sacrifice. Times are really bad. We should cherish any opportunity that comes by.