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Premier League - Paper Round: Now Chelsea want Cesc Tue, 08 Feb 09:29:00 2011 Chelsea showed they can make unlikely transfers come true when they signed Fernando Torres from Liverpool; now The Sun reckons they are going to try and make a move for Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas. The paper claims that the Blues are plotting to 'hijack' Barcelona's plans to sign the midfielder in the summer and could benefit from doubts as to whether Barca can afford the £60 million valuation that has been slapped on Fabregas's head by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. However, even the Sun seems to doubt the credibility of their own sans-source backpage story, admitting: "The biggest obstacle could be his (Fabregas's) reluctance to cross London. A move to Stamford Bridge would be viewed as treason." Meanwhile, there is a bit more credibility in the same paper's story linking Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina with a shock move to Manchester United in the summer: in this case they have quotes from the man himself, given to Spanish radio station Onda Cero. Last month our Armchair Pundit Alex Chick argued that Reina would be the perfect fit for United - but was lambasted by Liverpool fans who argued that their shot-stopper would never leave for their fierce rivals. However, do these sound like the words of a man who has no interest in a move? "Yes, well (Edwin) van der Sar will hang up his gloves in the summer so of course they are looking. I can't do anything. I can't say anything logically as I have a contract with Liverpool. "Of course one likes to fight for titles and be in a team that does that. We always fought to be in the Champions League and try to win the title. "But unfortunately it hasn't been the case in the last couple of years." Watch this space for developments on that story. Going back to Chelsea: according to the Daily Mail, the Blues are hoping to entice former caretaker boss Guus Hiddink back to the club. However, Chelsea don't see the Dutchman as a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti; they instead want the current Turkey boss to take over from sporting director Frank Arnesen, whose contract expires in the summer. Yesterday's Paper Round listed the various names linked with the West Brom job. Today that of Roy Hodgson seems the strongest among them, with a number of papers saying he is the Baggies' first choice. However, caretaker Michael Appleton and St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes are also in the running for the job, according to the Independent. The papers are also full of praise for Kenny Dalglish and how he has transformed Liverpool's fortunes, with the Daily Mirror even going so far as to say he is now on the "brink" of being offered the job on a full-time basis. And finally: Newcastle's Joey Barton is set to sign a contract extension with the club despite being frustrated by the sale of Andy Carroll (various), while the club could ease their striker problems by signing former Middlesbrough and Arsenal man Jeremie Aliadiere on a short-term deal (Daily Mail).

Premier League - Reina defends Torres Exit Mon, 07 Feb 19:21:00 2011 Pepe Reina has defended the decision taken by his Liverpool and Spain team mate Fernando Torres to join Chelsea and urged fans of the Anfield club to remember the good times he brought them. Torres incensed some Liverpool fans with his explanation that he joined Chelsea because he wanted to win trophies and some burned his number nine shirt in protest. Goalkeeper Reina, who joined Torres at Spain's training base outside Madrid on Monday as they prepare for Wednesday's friendly against Colombia, said there was nothing to be done but wish the striker good luck. "Football is like that, as players we come and go," Reina was quoted as saying in Spanish media. "You have to understand his decision, he felt it was a good opportunity to continue developing. "The club has to look forward and forget Fernando. He is not here anymore and we can't do anything but wish him a lot of luck." Torres had a miserable debut at home to Liverpool on Sunday, squandering several chances before being substituted in the 66th minute as Chelsea lost 1-0. One travelling Liverpool fan held up a banner reading: "18 titles, five European Cups -- is Chelsea a bigger club?", while another threw a Liverpool shirt bearing his name on to the Stamford Bridge pitch. "It's logical that people don't understand it but I think they have to make an effort and remember what he did for the club during these past three and a half years," Reina said. "He scored a lot of goals, he provided many entertaining afternoons of football and that is what we have to remember, the smile that he put on people's faces in many matches. "In my case a friend is leaving, it's tough but football is like that. "Yesterday at (Chelsea) was a bit strange but football has these situations. "Today you are playing with a team mate and friend and the next you are playing against him but you have to wish him a lot of luck. He is trying to make things work out well for himself." Reuters

US shop's Valentine's offer: SEX Toys for GUNS AFP - Wednesday, February 9 WASHINGTON (AFP) - A shop in the US state of Alabama on Tuesday launched a Valentine's Day offer it hopes will trigger a large response in a limp economy: customers can swap their guns for sex toys. "In today's economy, this is a way of helping people who may feel they can't afford something for Valentine's Day," said Sherri Williams, the owner of the "Pleasures" sex toy shop, where assorted erotica during the next week can be obtained in exchange for cast-off firearms. "This way, they can take something that's just lying around and swap it for something they can take home and make love, not war with," she told AFP. A video posted on its website said the shop, housed in an old bank building in Huntsville, "is trading guns off the street for fun between the sheets." As soon as Pleasures opened its doors on Tuesday, a customer came in and exchanged an Iver Johnson revolver for a $40 gift certificate to be spent in the shop, which stocks everything from s.teamy videos to naughty negligees. The gun was inspected by licensed gun dealer and gunsmith David Smith, who happens to be Williams' husband. Guns can be exchanged at Pleasures from Tuesday until February 15, the day after Valentine's Day. Firearms found to have been stolen or used in a crime will be handed over to the police, while others will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to victims of gun violence, said Williams, who said she is not looking to make money out of the deal. "I'm in it to help people enjoy Valentine's Day in a tough economy," she said. "I'm also in it to get guns off the street -- to take them out of the hands of people who would potentially do harm with them, and put them in the hands of collectors." Williams conceded that the guns could be resold at auction, in which case they might end up back on the streets, but said the effort still is worthwhile. "We might just change one person's mind," she said. "You never know, maybe there will be someone who says, 'I've got this gun that I could go rob a liquor store with, or maybe I can get me a blow-up doll for Valentine's Day, instead."

Death of Tycoons Wife traced to Alcohol, Pills Mix By Faris February 9th, 2011 Taking alcohol with sleeping pills proved fatal for the wife of a Singaporean tycoon, an inquest revealed. On July 2 last year, Madam Lim Sin Juat, 56, was found lying motionless on the floor of her sons bedroom at Lantana Avenue, off Sixth Avenue. She was the wife of Labroy Marine founder Tan Boy Tee. Lying near the woman were a bottle of whisky, several blue and pink pills, a glass half-filled with liquor and an empty box of sleeping pills. It was said that Mdm Lim had a habit of taking alcohol with sleeping pills to help her sleep. She was holding the key to the bedroom and a note was found beside her, but the words were smudged by her vomit. An autopsy found ethanol in her blood and urine, and midazolam and zolpidem both medications for insomnia in the urine and stomach contents. The autopsy report stated that the combination of ethanol and drugs is known to be highly lethal and can cause fatal respiratory depression, even when present in low quantities. The cause of death was due to ethanol and mixed drug poisioning. At an inquest into her death on Tuesday, a coroners court heard that her relationship with her husband had been strained since 2009, when she found out about his extramarital affair. In his findings, State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid said the evidence showed Madam Lim was depressed over the affair. However, the court could not conclusively say if what she did was intended by her to end her own life, or if it was a case where death came by accident. A police report on Madam Lims death noted she had been unhappy with her husbands attitude towards her on July 1, after his return from a holiday. A check with the three domestic helpers revealed that most of the time, the deceased would be the one probing and asking questions, and (Mr Tan) would keep quiet and not answer them, it said. At around 1am on July 2, the maids saw Madam Lim shouting and scolding Mr Tan, who ignored her. He later left with his friend, Mr Tan Hong Kiat, 53. The men went to the casino at Resorts World Sentosa and did not return home for the night, staying at the Crockfords hotel there. While they were at the casino, Madam Lim sent five text messages to Mr Tan Hong Kiat around 2am to 3am, telling him to inform her husband not to come back in case they quarreled again. She sent one text message to her husband. It said, Your Malaysian girl is the best. Im useless. The report said Mr Tan did not pay much attention to the SMS as Madam Lim would always send SMSes of such nature to him whenever she was feeling sore about the affair. At about 10am on July 2, the maids discovered she had locked herself inside her elder sons room. They called her husband, who returned home with his friend. Mr Tan Hong Kiat kicked open the door and found her lying on the floor in a crouching position. She was pronounced dead at about 2.30pm. The husband told police the sleeping tablets were his and had been prescribed by a doctor 10 years ago. He had shared them with his wife, who had insomnia. Investigations found that although she was clearly unhappy about the affair, she had never mentioned anything or done anything showing suicidal inclinations. She was also known to have a habit of writing notes to Mr Tan whenever she was upset with him over the affair, and this was their way of communication as they seldom talked to each other after the affair, Inspector John Sia of Clementi police division said in his report. Mr Tan, 61, now retired, founded Labroy Marine more than 30 years ago. He sold the tug-and-barge operations to Dubais Drydocks World in 2008 for more than US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion), pocketing more than US$700 million. He was ranked 12th in the Forbes list of 40 richest Singaporeans in 2009, and was said to be worth US$650 million then.

SingTel Mobile Client base nears 400 Million On Wednesday 9 February 2011, 17:10 SGT Asian phone giant Singapore Telecom (SingTel) said Wednesday its mobile customer base had reached 383 million by the end of December 2010, up 34 percent from the year before. The increase was driven by customer growth among most of its Asian associates and at its wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Optus, the company said in a statement. SingTel, which has expanded well beyond its small domestic market, holds significant stakes in India's Bharti Airtel, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, AIS in Thailand, Telkomsel in Indonesia, Warid Telecom in Pakistan and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Ltd. Its stakes in these companies range between 21 and 47 percent. Except for Warid and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom, which registered a fall in the number of mobile phone customers, the rest of SingTel's associates reported a rise in new sign-ups. Optus said it added 88,000 new mobile customers during the October-December quarter. At home, SingTel remained the market leader with a mobile customer base of 3.2 million. SingTel, Southeast Asia's biggest telecom firm by revenues, will announce its earnings for the financial third quarter ended December 31 on Thursday. In the second quarter to September, SingTel's net profit fell 6.7 percent to Sg$892 million ($699 million).

MEGACHURCH closes losing Childcare Centre By Alicia Wong – February 9th, 2011 The megachurch that raised $21 million in a day last year is closing one of its businesses because of financial losses. BrightStar Child Development Centre at Suntec City Mall will be shut down from April, according to a letter distributed on Jan 25 to parents of children attending the preschool and which Yahoo! Singapore obtained a copy of. The centre is one of New Creation Church’s five business entities. “The centre has been making losses since we started out operations in October 2004 and despite our efforts to try and revive the business, we are still not able to remain viable,” it said. “The management has decided to make the tough decision to close down the centre with effect from 1st April 2011.” To ensure a “smooth transition” for parents and children, the church said it has arranged for Josiah Montessori City Childcare Centre located at Milenia Walk to absorb the Brightstar students. Parents can choose to send their children there and pay a “special fees package” so the difference in fees is kept to a minimum. The church’s handling of the matter has left some teachers and parents up in arms. Why did the church make the announcement at the start of a new term, instead of alerting parents at the end of the school term in December 2010, they questioned. It would be difficult looking for another school as the reputable schools would already be full, they said. They also wondered why their offer to pay higher school fees was not considered. Parents declined to be named, citing their concerns of repercussions on their children. A mother of a K2 boy said, “Parents are really open. We asked what can we do to keep the school open?” She commended the good work of the BrightStar teachers and was worried her son would have difficulty catching up with a new curriculum at Josiah Montessori. “There’s a social responsibility for those who run education services. They are dealing with education and children, it’s not just a matter of business,” she said. Josiah Montessori has a different teaching style, parents claimed, and the different operating hours mean they have to rework their schedules. A mother, whose main concern is whether her child can adapt to a new environment, said, she will have to put off her plans to work full-time to search for another preschool again. Another mother, in her 30s, felt it was the church’s “social responsibility” to consider the needs of parents, instead of just focusing on business. She said, parents tried unsuccessfully to petition for the centre to remain open till the end of the year. “New Creation Church is cash rich, don’t they have money to sustain this business?” The church is the second largest independent church in Singapore. With a 20,000 strong congregation, it is known for having raised massive amounts of money during fund-raisers. Last year, it raised $21 million in 24 hours. In 2009, it’s congregation gave $19 million when the church was collecting funds for its new $1 billion building complex in Buona Vista. Madam Guo Lingdi, 48, a Mandarin teacher and supervisor at BrightStar said she offered to take over the running of the centre and asked the management for more time for her to work up a proposal. They rejected her, she said. According to Mdm Guo, there are 54 children enrolled in the centre. Mdm Guo has been with the centre for nearly six years and has worked in this line for 17 years. When contacted, New Creation Church declined to respond to media queries. The church uploaded an announcement on its website on Tuesday evening instead. The church said, it’s council reviewed the centre’s operations and “made an executive decision to close the centre down”. “Unlike our Daystar Child Development Centres in Holland and Jurong which are Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), BrightStar was not started as a community service, but on a commercial basis. Due to increasing costs and logistics changes, the Council decided that it was no longer viable to continue running the business,” it said. The two months’ notice period is also in line with guidelines from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the church added. Parents were given various options, such as a waiver of one month’s school fees and reimbursement of fees paid in advance, cost of enrichment materials bought and insurance premium. In June last year, New Creation Church deacon Jack Ho briefed members on the church’s five business operations. They are: Daystar Child Development Centre, BrightStar Child Development Centre, Rock Productions, Rock Gifts & Book Centre and Omega Tours & Travel. He said, the church has gone into business ventures not to make money, but to cater to the needs of its growing congregation of 20,000. He said, BrightStar served to “meet the needs of parents” working around the Suntec area and could also be used on Sunday for nursery care services. He added, however, BrightStar is not a VWO because then it would not be able to charge enough to cover its costs, including an expensive rental fee.

PCF Kindergarten in Bedok to FINE Late Parents By Faris – February 8th, 2011 In a measure to stamp out late comers, a PAP Community Foundation (PCF) kindergarten in Bedok will impose a fine on parents who pick up their kids late from class. The kindergarten located in Block 30, Upper Changi Road said parents have repeatedly picked up their kids late from school, affecting the ability of teachers to take proper lunch or dinner breaks or to attend evening courses. In a circular to parents last month, the principal of the kindergarten said it will charge parents S$2 for every five minutes that they are late. While childcare centres are known to have such policies, this practice is uncommon in a kindergarten. The kindergarten first imposed the penalty last May — but for a smaller amount, and only when parents were late for more than 15 minutes. The kindergarten has had about 10 cases where parents were late by about two to three hours. But a senior kindergarten staff said that, despite the warnings, no fines have been collected so far. The PAP Community Foundation told MediaCorp that it knows of the situation but leaves operational matters to the kindergartens themselves to decide. It added that this late charge is specific to the Bedok branch, and is not a PCF-wide policy. “It is up to the management or principal of the respective PCF centre on whether they would like to implement such system”, said Ms Suriyati, in her 30s and principal of the PCF kindergarten located at Woodlands St 83. While Ms Suriyati would not impose a fine on parents, she would usually give parents up to three warnings in cases where they are late in picking up their children. For Ms Lee Mui Ling, 35, principal of the Cashew branch, she told Yahoo! Singapore that her staff would usually call up parents who are late. The office hours in most PCF kindergartens end at 5pm. “But there are also parents who will call in advance if they are late as sometimes they might be involved in certain circumstances and we understand.” However, in cases of frequent late comers with some being half an hour late, Ms Lee would usually explain to parents that some of the kindergarten teachers have courses to attend to in the evening or some of her staff have family responsibilities. Still, both branches said that after being informed, those parents would subsequently turned up being punctual. For housewife Rozannah Md Shah, 36, whose son is in Primary 3, to fine a parent seems harsh. “There might be those who are genuinely late because of work or other important reasons, so it might be harsh to fine them. “But parents should at least take the initiative to inform that they are late so at least teachers will know what time they would arrive, rather than keep on waiting without knowing anything.”

Shark attacks soar to highest level since 2000 AFP - Wednesday, February 9 MIAMI (AFP) - – There were 79 unprovoked shark attacks around the world in 2010, the highest number recorded in a decade, according to researchers in Florida. As usual, it was the United States that led the world with 36 incidents, followed by Australia with 14, South Africa with eight, and then Vietnam and Egypt both with six. The International Shark Attack File, put together by experts at the University of Florida, highlighted the unusual occurrence in Egypt of five attacks within five days in early December, one of them fatal. Four of the attacks were attributed to two individual sharks. "The growth in shark attack numbers does not necessarily mean that there is an increase in the rate of shark attack, rather it most likely is reflective of the ever-increasing amount of time spent in the sea by humans, which increases the odds of interaction between the two affected parties," the report said. The number of shark attacks was up more than 25 percent on the 63 recorded in 2009. To find more over a 12-month period you have to go back to 2000, when 80 were confirmed. At six, the number of fatalities was slightly above average for the past decade. The figures also showed a marked decline in Florida, the US state where shark attacks are most common. In 2007, the sun-soaked coasts of the heavily touristic state saw 31 attacks. In 2008 this dropped to 28, then 18 in 2009 and just 13 last year. "Florida had its lowest total since 2004, which was 12," lead researcher George Burgess said. "Maybe it's a reflection of the downturn in the economy and the number of tourists coming to Florida, or the amount of money native Floridians can spend taking holidays and going to the beach." Despite the general rarity of shark attacks, Burgess had some words of caution for beach-lovers. "The reality is, going into the sea is a wilderness experience," he said. "Youre visiting a foreign environment, it's not a situation where you're guaranteed success."

It's time for ya 'HUAT-HUAT' Tanky to have a 'HAIRCUT'.

Expat divorces on the rise in S’pore? By Angela Lim – February 7th, 2011 It looks like foreign wives living in Singapore will have to keep a closer eye on their husbands considering the recent hike in expatriate divorces here. According to Singapore divorce lawyers, more foreign men are leaving their wives for Singapore and Asian women, reported My Paper. Family lawyers have recently found their base of expatriate clients increase from just a handful to nearly 70 per cent of the total number of cases they handle. Apparently, it’s the men who tend to travel often for work who are most susceptible to cheating. Lawyers say while there is no specific social setting that breeds infidelity, the third parties involved are mostly air stewardesses, female co-workers and women at nightspots or social events. Expatriate wives often suspect their husbands are up to no good upon discovering the usual giveaways like a flirtatious message, receipts for expensive gifts, peer reports and now more popularly, Facebook photos. Many of them would then hire private eyes, who can follow a suspect all the way overseas to expose them. Lawyers add that it is common to receive private eyes’ reports detailing the men having a wild time partying every night and indulging in romantic dinners with women, even inviting them to their hotel rooms. Ms Wong Kai Yun, a partner of law firm Chia Wong, revealed she has handled more than 100 cases involving expatriates in the last five years. She said that many of them were from high net-worth families, with husbands who were posted here to take up managerial positions or directorships in the multinational companies they worked for. “In some scenarios, both husband and wife held high positions before the man was assigned overseas. The wife gives up her job, relocates with her children to Singapore where, a few years down the road, he is charmed by an Asian woman and wants a divorce,” explained Ms Wong. The trend of more husbands relocating here because of their jobs appears to coincide with Singapore’s growing pool of Employment Pass holders. This is reflected in the increase from 99,000 in 2007 to 142,000 last year, according to Ministry of Manpower records. Why do expatriate couples choose to settle their divorces here? According to Mr Koh Tien Hua, a family lawyer with Harry Elias Partnership, jurisdiction and convenience are the two main reasons couples choose to end their marriages here instead of in their home country. Lawyers claim that many expatriates come from as far away as Russia and Britain to nearby Asian nations to file for a divorce. These clients are mostly in their mid-30s and older, as one would need to be in a relatively senior position to get an overseas posting, they added. And ending a marriage here does not come cheap. Some cases can cost a good five times the usual amount a Housing Board flat-dwelling Singapore couple would have to pay for a divorce. An industry insider added that an expatriate couple can rack up between S$80,000 and S$100,000 in legal fees for extra legwork.

Cooking anyone ??? 'Naked Chef' to debut on Hong Kong Adult Channel AFP - 22 minutes ago HONG KONG (AFP) - A Hong Kong adult channel is set to debut a cooking show headlined by a n.u.d.e host who will prepare Cantonese dishes wearing a transparent apron -- an apparent bid to encourage more men to cook. Host Flora Cheung will start each 30-minute show shopping for fresh ingredients in the city's famous wet markets, undressing once she is back in the privacy of her studio kitchen, the South China Morning Post reported. Cheung, who admits she has never worked in a restaurant kitchen, said she hopes the risque show will draw more men into the kitchen. The first episode is set to air later this month. "I have always liked cooking and I thought I should share (the) enjoyment with more people," the 26-year-old told the Post. "Most men don't like to cook, but I want to get them interested... From shopping to cooking -- it's the whole shebang," Cheung added. The host promised that her tailor-made, transparent apron won't leave much to the imagination. "It covers pretty much everything but hides nothing," she was quoted as saying. Producer Jesse Au told the paper that the show may spawn similar offerings with n.u.d.e hosts cooking up a range of Asian cuisines: "This could be an endless series if it proves popular."

Hopefully got Blue Voodoo Stags this time round.

60% of Spore Buildings equipped with super-fast Broadband By Xavier Lur February 2nd, 2011 Singapores Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (Next Gen NBN) has reached a new milestone. According to The Straits Times, 60 per cent of all homes and buildings in the island have been equipped with the state-of-the-art ultra high-speed optical fibre network, which allows users to surf the Internet up to 100 times faster than they could with conventional broadband plans, and achieving higher connection speeds of 1 Gbps and above will become a reality for many. The scheme, a collaboration between Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and OpenNet, is under the Intelligent National 2015 (iN2015) masterplan by IDA. It kicked off in 2009, with OpenNet reaching the first home in August 2009, and is on track to reach 95 per cent by the middle of next year despite delays faced due to the initial reluctance by condominiums to be wired. The project took a standstill in November last year when as many as nine in 10 condominiums refused to be connected, mainly due to aesthetic concerns. OpenNet wanted to lay the cables via boxy plastic piping on wall surfaces, similar to what they did in HDB flats. However, many condominiums insisted on having the cables hidden within walls or false ceilings, which is more expensive, and neither they nor OpenNet were willing to foot the bill. It went smoothly only when the Government intervened, releasing a statement saying that all condominiums are required to allow the installation of the fibre-optic cabling needed for the network, and those who failed to do so would be fined up to S$1,000 a day. The resistance put up by condominiums could potentially cut off 20 per cent of Singapores one million households from the network. Commercial broadband plans served by the billion-dollar broadband network have yet to be offered by broadband service providers such as SingTel and StarHub, but the cost to sign on to the ultra high-speed broadband is one big factor among consumers. I think you will see cost coming down over time. Obviously it will be a competitive market, I dont want to announce what our prices will be yet, Neil Montefiore, StarHubs CEO told ChannelNewsAsia. Singapore is currently ranked #15 in Speedtest.nets list of Top Countries Ranked by Speed with an average download speed of 16.23 Mbps while Asian neighbour South Korea tops the list at 39.22 Mbps. In the hyper-connected country, more than 94 per cent of South Koreans have high-speed connections, according to a report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) while the Internet penetration rate here stands at 72.4 per cent, according to InternetWorldStats.

Where are the crunchy 'CARROTS' this week ???

Gov’t to review Baby Bonus scheme By Alicia Wong – February 5th, 2011 At a time when Singapore’s fertility rate has hit a historic low, the government will be reviewing a scheme that aims to encourage married couples to have more children. This will be the third time the government is reviewing the Baby Bonus scheme. It was reviewed twice, in 2004 and 2008, after the scheme was introduced in 2001, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA). It was reported that the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports will be conducting a survey between April and June this year, targeting some 3,000 parents who have benefited from the Baby Bonus scheme. The survey seeks to find out how satisfied parents are with the way the scheme is implemented. The Baby Bonus scheme provides a cash incentive for parents to help them defray the financial cost of raising children. Under this scheme, parents are given a cash gift of up to S$4,000 each for the first and second child, and S$6,000 each for the third and fourth child. The government also gives a dollar-for-dollar match when parents contribute to their child’s Children Development Account. Parents can tap on the scheme when they register for their child’s birth at hospitals and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. The Baby Bonus scheme’s lack of success can be seen when the government gave out some S$230 million in baby bonus payments in 2009, up from S$55 million in 2004, but the total fertility rate did not increase accordingly. In 2010, the total fertility rate fell to 1.16. The replacement rate is at 2.1 Observers told CNA they welcomed the move but felt processes need to be further strengthened. Research leader of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore Gavin Jones said, singles should also be asked if such a scheme makes a difference to their marriage and child bearing decisions. This would provide an understanding of the perceptions among the community who have not yet started having children. Experts also told CNA a higher pay out may be needed, although this would only have a short term impact as the cost of living goes up. Some suggested bolder measures, including making childcare free and legislating paternity leave. Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Community Development, Youth and Sports Seah Kian Peng highlighted the need for more innovative ideas on tackling the low birth rate. “Some may work, some may not work, but I think we should really venture out of the current schemes that we have talked about,” he said. He suggested, “In housing…maybe for those who a second child, we give them a chance to upgrade, a priority to upgrade to a bigger flat.” “We should look beyond current schemes, to see what else can be done, and really adopt a whole of a government approach, from accommodation, to housing to paternity, maternity leave and certainly the baby bonus scheme,” he told CNA.

I want my Singapore show to be perfect: Janet Jackson By Ion Danker – February 4th, 2011 Don’t be surprised if you bump into Janet Jackson walking along the shopping belts of Orchard Road over the next few days. After 16 years, Janet Jackson is set to return to Singapore to kick off her Number Ones: Up Close and Personal World Tour 2011 on Feb 7. The 44-year-old singer-actress – and now author – told Yahoo! Singapore in an e-mail interview that she wants to be at her best and is looking forward to performing for her fans in Singapore. Her Singapore concert is one of the 35 cities on her tour itinerary. The cities were nominated and voted for by fans on Jackson’s website after she called for votes last year. During the tour, she will perform her 35 number one hits and dedicate a song to each city. For Singapore, she will be dedicating Someone To Call My Lover from her 1997 album The Velvet Rope. Here are excerpts from her interview. When you were young, you initially didn’t want to be part of showbiz. Any regrets now that things have happened this way? Yes, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a horse jockey or to go to Pepperdine University. That didn’t happen, but I have no regrets. I love my live and am very happy. With modern music constantly evolving through the years, what is your best advice for longevity in the music industry? I have been very fortunate to have longevity in this industry. It is hard to achieve. I would say pay attention to your gut instinct. If you listen to your gut, it will never lead you wrong. You should also stay true to who you are. I have always written about what is going on in my life. I create something that speaks to me and I hope that the fans like it and can relate to something that I am going through. What do you love and hate about the music industry today as compared to the 80s and 90s? I wish that I could have more privacy, but I recognize that it is part of the job. I love music from the 80′s, 90′s and today. There are so many creative people making music, like Gaga or Bruno Mars for instance. They are amazing. Which artiste’s music do you listen to right now? There are just too many to mention. It might be easier to ask me who I am not listening to. LOL. It really depends on my mood. You’ve been acting quite a bit recently. Is this what you would be focusing on for the foreseeable future? Acting has always been my first love. People forget that I started acting before singing. In fact, my dad told me that I needed to start singing. I was in Good Times where I played Penny. I am happy that I have been able to get back to it. I also love singing so I guess I will need to do both. Is there anything you’d like to add to your career accomplishments other than acting or singing? Broadway, perhaps? I still have so much that I want to do in my life and career. I have a friend that is in the music business and he went to Broadway. He said that it is a completely different discipline. I would like to experience that one day. For your performances, can dancing be considered just as important, if not more important, than singing? I don’t separate them. I think the most important thing is having fun and putting on a great show for my fans. I am so happy to finally be in Asia, I love it here. I can’t wait to get on stage and hope that you all like what we have created. Which of your songs do you hold closest to your heart, and why? I can’t give you just one. It changes all the time. Right now, I am really enjoying performing Control, Together Again and Discipline. What can Singapore fans expect from your show? My fans in Singapore can expect to see me up close and personal. That is why I chose to perform at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. I can’t wait to see all my fan’s faces. That is not something that I get to experience when I am in a stadium. What do you like most about Singapore when you were last here? Fondest memories? My fondest memories are of all the fans. The people in Singapore are amazing and so nice. I also remember that the city is so beautiful and clean. I love it in Asia and am so happy that my fans have helped me select Singapore as one of the cities we will visit. What do you want to do in Singapore? What do I want to do, or what will I get to do. LOL? I would love to spend time visiting the city, eating the amazing food around town, meeting people. I have friends that were born and raised in Singapore and I can’t wait for them to take me site seeing, if my schedule permits it. I hope that I will get to do a little of that. I will be spending a lot of time in the city getting ready for the show. I want everything to be perfect. Is a brand new original album in the works? Yes, I am planing on going into the studio later this year. I am not sure what it will be yet. I want to wait until I go into the studio and see what I am feeling at that time. Acting and creating music is so different from being on stage with the fans so for now, I am going to enjoy the love from my fans. What do you do to get your creative juices flowing? My music is very personal to me, so I will be looking at my life and what I am feeling… what I want to sing about. Then I will create something that I hope my fans will relate to and love as much as I do. How have you changed from the time you started performing, up until now? Have I changed… LOL… No, I would say that I have more self confidence now than when I was younger. I have been so fortunate to experience so many people and cultures. I think that those experiences make up who we are. It has been a long road, but I am happy with who I am today, I love my life. If you could turn back time, what would you have done differently with your life/career? I don’t think I would change anything. I have no regrets.

Accessible to Public ???

Silver lining behind MM Lee’s controversial comments COMMENT By Faris Mokhtar – February 1st, 2011 Uncalled for, unfair and out of touch. That’s how I would describe Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s controversial comments on the racial integration of the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. The 87-year-old founding father of modern Singapore had written in his latest book, Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, “I would say today, we can integrate all religions and races except Islam. I think the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate.” He added, “Now, you go to schools with Malay and Chinese, there’s a halal and non-halal segment and so, too, the universities. And they tend to sit separately so as not to be contaminated. All that becomes a social divide.” When asked what Muslims could do to integrate, he said, “Be less strict on Islamic observances and say, ‘Okay, I’ll eat with you’.” What followed, understandably so was outrage among Malay-Muslim organisations such as PERDAUS and Jamiyah. Soon after, the government was in frantic “damage control” mode. First, Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and then, Prime Minister Lee were quick to distance themselves, and the government, from MM Lee’s frank “hard truth”. Well I, for one, respectfully beg to differ from MM Lee. As a young Malay-Muslim born in the late 80s, I think his points are inaccurate and out of touch. Public or government schools have and will continue to have halal and non-halal stalls. This is to ensure that the food meet the religious dietary requirements of Muslims students such as how vegetarian stalls mainly cater to students who are practicing Buddhists or Hindus. But there is no such thing as segregated seating areas for both Muslim and non-Muslim students. Students buy their own food and sit wherever they choose. Even in army camps, where the cookhouse is still separated into the “halal” and “non-halal” sections, nowhere is it said that Muslims are not able to have meals with the Chinese, or vice versa. There is nothing in the Koran that forbids Muslims from sharing spaces with non-Muslims. In fact, they are encouraged to integrate with the society and such actions do not make one “unMuslim-like” in nature. And it goes beyond just food. We, the young, are simply different in our ways and thinking. I still enjoy the company of my friends — Chinese, Indian, Eurasians and Malays — in secondary schools and college. We still catch up regularly for movies, shopping and visit each other houses for casual get-togethers and parties. When it comes to food, I order my ”halal” food and sit down and have my meal with them side-by-side. If we attend birthdays or house parties organised by non-Malay friends, I and my fellow Muslims will opt for soft drinks while the rest chooses alcoholic beverages. The point is that, we do socialise and go for gatherings – who says we can’t? And those of my generation agree with me. “I think his views are myopic and do not paint an accurate picture,” said 22-year old Faizal Shaharuddin, an undergraduate from NUS. “When we serve national service in the army, you can see that everyone integrate well together. We sit and eat meals together and take good care of one another, regardless of race and religion.” In fact, even some of my Muslim friends are even dating girls from other races. For instance, a close friend who is studying to be a teacher in NTU-NIE, has been dating a girl of Chinese-Philippine heritage for over a year. I recognise that MM Lee’s views, and those of his generation, are shaped by their struggle for independence in post-war Malaya and the bitter separation from Malaysia. After all, in those days, where survival was paramount, Singaporeans were segregated. And before houses were upgraded to high-rise flats and before HDB imposed the Ethnic Integration Policy, one can’t deny that where Singaporeans lived was once segregated along racial lines. But it is not who we young Muslims are now. Will the threat of the 1964 race riots or of inter-racial tensions tearing the fabric of Singapore society ever go away? No, and it never will. But yet, at the same time, I don’t think it is an imminent danger. The one good thing that has emerged from the hullabaloo over MM Lee’s remarks is that, while controversial, they have stirred fierce debate and discussion, which builds upon the framework of our current understanding and inter-connectedness. They have also served to dispel skewed mindsets and ageing perceptions. Most importantly though, MM Lee’s comments have forced me to put up a mirror to myself and those of my — and my elders’ — generation and reminded us again of the need to engage in discourse among Malay Muslims and those from other races and religions. *The writer has been volunteering at weekly Meet-the-People-Sessions in PAP Marine Parade Branch for the past two years. He also volunteers at the National Kidney Foundation, where he visits dialysis patients and delivers groceries to them.

13-year-old BOY youngest to get AIDS through SEX By Asia News Network (ANN), Kai Fong – February 2nd, 2011 TAIPEI – A 13 YEAR-OLD BOY has become the youngest person to become infected with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) through sexual intercourse, according to health officials. It is suspected that the boy became infected while working part- time for a 50 year-old male, who lured him into sex with money, said Lin Ting, deputy director-general at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The boy was visiting an adolescent centre when he tested positive for Aids, Mr Lin said, adding that the CDC had traced the source of transmission to the older man, whose test also came back positive. Mr Lin noted that young boys were referred to as ‘Sky Food’, or delicious food falling from the sky, by adult homosexuals on the internet, who seek ways of enticing boys either with money or other incentives. According to statistics compiled last year, the number of young people contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has continued to rise in Taiwan. Compared to 2009, 13.3 per cent more cases were diagnosed among those aged between 15 and 24 years old, the deputy director-general said. As of today, there are 55 cases where victims are under 19 years old. Mr Lin pointed out that sexual encounters and drug injections are the two major routes of infection. With the HIV/Aids population in Taiwan standing at 20,057, and 65.9 per cent of those with the disease were infected by engaging in sexual practices and 32.2 per cent through intravenous drug use.

China 'Dungeon Rapist' sentenced to death AFP - Tuesday, February 1 BEIJING (AFP) - – A court in central China has sentenced to death a 40-year-old man who kidnapped two teenage girls, beating and raping them for months while they were held in an underground cell, according to state media. Zeng Qiangbao, who worked in a steel factory in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, was convicted on Sunday of rape, illegal imprisonment, robbery and forcible seizure, the China Daily reported. One girl, who was 16 when she was abducted, was held for nearly two years, while the other, 19 at the time, was imprisoned for 10 months, the report said. "Zeng, who devastated the physical and psychological health of the girls and exerted an extremely negative influence on society, should be severely punished," the court said in its verdict. Zeng has vowed to appeal against the death sentence and said he would ask for a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he could be held responsible for his actions. In September 2008, Zeng kidnapped the 16-year-old girl. He abducted the second in July 2009. The pair were found in May 2010, naked except for shackles on their feet, in a secret dungeon Zeng had built under his home, after they smuggled out a plea for help with a map and the phone number of one of the girls' parents. The girls had smuggled out such notes on many occasions, usually hidden in the rubbish of the instant noodles that they were fed by Zeng. The home of the 19-year-old, surnamed Zhou, was just 200 metres (yards) from where she was held. Zeng was also convicted of raping nine other women between July 2007 and May 2010. The case recalled a number of other shocking tales of sex slavery and secret underground dungeons that have made headlines in recent years. Austria's Josef Fritzl, who held his daughter Elisabeth as a sex slave in a cramped windowless dungeon for 24 years, was jailed for life on rape and murder charges in March 2009. Also in Austria, Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped at the age of 10 and held captive in a tiny cellar for eight and a half years until she escaped in August 2006. She was severely beaten but has never confirmed any sexual abuse.

China goes rabbit-crazy for Lunar New Year AFP - Monday, January 31 BEIJING (AFP) - – In stews, as pets or adorning shop windows, rabbits are ubiquitous as millions of Chinese mark the Lunar New Year, hoping for a more tranquil time ahead as the old Year of the Tiger roars its last. The nation's 1.3 billion inhabitants will welcome the Year of the Rabbit on the night of February 2-3 in a hugely important family event marked by feasts and a blaze of fireworks. Occupying the fourth position in the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is closely linked to the moon and symbolises happiness and good fortune. Many -- including brokerages -- are banking on the calm and sensitive rabbit to usher in a calm 12 months after the tiger brought a spate of deadly natural disasters to China such as earthquakes and mudslides. CLSA, a brokerage and investment group, predicted in its latest "Feng Shui Index" that the rabbit would have a positive influence on stock markets. "A reputedly placid, personable and prescient white rabbit will wrest the reins from the decidedly unpleasant and erratic tiger that's been tossing and turning the markets over the past 12 months," it said. The bunnies in a video cartoon that went viral recently on the Chinese Internet were anything but tranquil. Their revolt against brutal tiger overlords -- a thinly veiled swipe at China's communist rulers -- was a huge hit before the video was yanked by online censors. And while some attribute calming qualities to the rabbit, it may not be such a good year for the animal itself in China. Restaurants around the country are offering rabbit delicacies as part of their lavish New Year banquets, and animal rights group PETA has urged actress Gong Li to stop wearing rabbit fur. People are also rushing to buy bunnies as pets, sparking concern among animal rights activists that the cuddly creatures could suffer from neglect or be abandoned once the novelty has worn off. But for people like Zhao Jizhang, who sells tiny caged bunnies near an outdoor market in Beijing, this New Year is a boon. "People are buying them thanks to the Year of the Rabbit," said Zhao, who charges 30 yuan ($4.60) per bunny, compared to 150 yuan in regular pet shops for larger specimens. But one bunny costs even more -- the white Hotot, which has a black eye ring, leading some to call it the "panda rabbit", a marketing dream in a country where the giant pandas are a beloved national symbol. Still, pet or no pet, people will put their hands together according to custom on New Year's Eve to wish their loved ones success and happiness. But this time, those in the know will lift their thumbs up to imitate rabbit ears. This mimic is described as very "geili" -- a new expression that has gone viral on the web which literally translates as "to give power" and more loosely means "cool". The Internet is driving the Chinese New Year spending frenzy, with thousands of online discounts offered for everything from alcohol to food and trips. One popular destination is the ice and snow sculpture festival in the northeastern city of Harbin, dubbed the world's largest, where tourists can see giant rabbits in temperatures as low as -28 degrees Celsius (-18.4 Fahrenheit). And on Apple's iTunes website, a variety of festive iPhone applications are available -- virtual firecrackers that go off when the phone is shaken, a kit to customise photos with rabbit ears, or horoscopes for the new lunar year. Even China's postal system has jumped on the rabbit bandwagon, releasing a series of special stamps in early January that sold out in the space of just a few hours. Stamps with rabbit illustrations released in 1987 and 1999, the last two years of the rabbit, go for up to 125 times more than their original value.

Local Liverpool fans furious over ‘turncoat’ Torres By Ewen Boey – February 1st, 2011 Liverpool fans are furious over the shock departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for S$102 million (£50m). The deal, which was completed minutes before the European football transfer window closed on the stroke of midnight on January 31st, sees the former Liverpool talisman leave the struggling Anfield giants on a five-and-a-half year deal to play for fierce rivals Chelsea. 24-year-old bank analyst Cheong Junmin, a long-time Liverpool fan, couldn’t mince his words. “Its a dark day in EPL history. Remember what he said when he first joined Liverpool? That he’ll never play for another club? I feel betrayed.” Torres had once revealed that he and his childhood friends were all Liverpool friends. Once in 2006, when he was the captain of Atletico Madrid, he even wore his captain’s armband with the inscription, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” on the inside. Engineer, Kevin Chan, 32, another long-time Reds fanatic, was furious the star player was sold to a rival club in the Premier League. “I’m very disappointed with Torres’ move. Yes, Liverpool gets the money from a player who’s already unhappy at the club, but to another rival big club in the same league?” Yet another fan, manager Ryan Tang, 31, appeared resigned to the news but admitted Torres leaving could be best for both sides. “For Torres, it’s no love lost, really. In Liverpool it’s like a family and we stick it through thick and thin. If you decide that you want more money and want to leave, then just go. It’s better that way,” he said. Liverpool moved swiftly to fill the void left by Torres, and announced the shock capture of Newcastle striker, Andy Caroll, for a staggering S$71 million, a transfer record for a British player. The 22-year-old English striker, who has been compared to a young Alan Shearer, was only last year still plying his trade in the Coca-Cola Championship. Mr Tang, however, feels that the jury should not be out on Carroll just yet. “I’m reserving my judgement on Carroll for now, though Liverpool has had a history of buying expensive British strikers. Give him time to prove himself.” 26-year-old advertising executive, Mark Chui, however, was not convinced of Carroll’s purchase. “While I don’t like seeing Torres leave Liverpool, every player has their price. I’m actually more angry at the price we paid for Andy Carroll. How can somebody who was only playing in the Championship last year be worth more than David Villa?” On micro-blogging platform Twitter, Liverpool fans were also lamenting the departure of their former hero and the arrival of a very expensive and unproven striker. @fabreyas tweeted, “I think Nando rushed it. Should’ve waited til June. Then again he’s (probably) had enough of Woy’s (Roy Hodgson) reign and wants trophies badly.” However, Reds fan said @egomy was happy to see the back of a player who did not want to play for the club any longer, “No player is bigger than Liverpool FC.” @superrden posted on Carroll’s arrival, “Not worth that kinda money! Liverpool desperate.” In contrast, Chelsea fans are delighted with the capture of the prolific Torres. However, 25-year-old Blues fan Kenneth Teo, an undergrad, had some reservations about the way the deal was done. “Torres deserves a better club than Pool. But he should have honoured his promise and his contract,” he said. Kannan Tamilchelvan, 27, a shipping manager and also a Chelsea fan said, “Don’t think he’ll have an immediate impact. Chelsea must play 4-4-2 probably to accommodate him but I don’t think they’ve got the midfield players to play 4-4-2. Plus he can’t play in the Champion’s League.” Football writer Ash Hashim — also known as Fútbolita – told Yahoo! Singapore that Torres’ departure was not unexpected, given that Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez was also on his way to Anfield. “Torres and (Luis) Suarez both have the same agent. Usually, agents would prefer not to have their main clients – especially if they’re playing in the same position – to play for the same team in order to prevent a conflict of interest. So at the point when they made the move for Suarez, I think they were already prepared to let Torres go.”

Marina Bay Sands CEO steps down By Ewen Boey – January 29th, 2011 After just 18 months at the helm, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) president and chief executive officer Thomas Arasi is resigning. The American, who is in his 50s, addressed his staff over email on Friday, stating that he will step down next Tuesday, after only assuming his role in August 2009, Reuters reported. He said, “I have decided to pause, take a breather and spend more time with my daughter and other family.” A gaming analyst, who did not want to be named, said that one reason for Mr Arasi’s resignation could be due to the “pressure” from running the Las Vegas Sands-owned casino headed by billionaire businessman Sheldon Adelson. An industry insider told The Straits Times, “Mr Adelson is known in the industry to be a strong character with very strong views. A lot of the business is decided by him in the US.” MBS opened in April last year and, in its first full quarter ending September 30, raked in revenues of S$631 million and a pre-tax profit of S$315 million. Its rival, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) achieved a higher revenue, totalling S$732 million and pre-tax profits of S$346.5 million for the same quarter. However, MBS registered a higher profit margin of 49.7 per cent compared to RWS’ 47 per cent over the same period. Mr Arasi’s resignation is the second incident involving a senior executive in the last few months. Senior vice-president of marketing Lucinda Semark resigned last October, with Mr Riad Shalaby, vice-president of marketing taking over her duties. Gaming analysts say the string of departures is unusual. Gaming consultant Michael Gore, who has worked in casinos in Malaysia and the Philippines, said, “It is rare for a casino to lose its top managers in its first year of opening because they are carefully selected and well-qualified candidates.” Mr Arasi is a veteran in hospitality with decades of experience in hotel operations and real estate, and also holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Cornell University. Since its opening, Mr Arasi has had to deal with a few mishaps, including an international law conference that went terribly wrong. Earlier this week, MBS made an about-turn on its decision to punish staff who do not turn up for work during Chinese New Year. A 34-year-old dealer was shocked to find out about Mr Arasi’s sudden departure. “I’ve always had a good impression of him. Whenever we run into him, instead of us greeting him, he greets us first.”

Drink driving ad receives flak for being ‘too obvious’ By Faris – February 1st, 2011 A public education message against drink driving by the Traffic Police and the Singapore Road Safety Council (SRSC) has received flak over its advertisement, with some saying the public service message defeats its own purpose. The message, styled as the obituary of a teenager who was a victim of drink driving, ran with his picture and the words “Dearly missed by a loving wife, children, and grandchildren that he will never have. Denied of a future of hopes and dreams that he will never realize”. But under this was a “disclaimer” — that the teen is a fictitious character. Those in the business of advertising and communications said the advertisement, which ran in The Straits Times and The New Paper on Monday, deflated its own power with the disclaimer. Mr Gan Boon Guan, the chief operating officer of global marketing services group Carat Media Services, told ST, “It creates an effect and then takes it away.” The industry veteran with more than 20 years experience added that the disclaimer defeated the purpose, because the drama created is lost, and the message becomes almost a joke. Advertising veteran and part-time advertising lecturer Melina Chua echoed those views saying, “When I realised it was an ad, the house of cards fell down for me. The gravity of the message was lost.” Mr Low Cheh Chuan, managing partner of Salt Creatives, which created the ad for the Traffic Police, said the creative concept set out to show the reality of the consequences of drink driving. “It’s not about one life. It’s about robbing the person of the chance to be a husband, a father, a grandfather.” Defending the use of the disclaimer, he said it was necessary in the name of responsible advertising, and insisted that it did not compromise the effect of the ad. “It’s still very real. The ad has done its work and got the reader’s attention… If a lot of people go away thinking that it is a real obituary, it creates a lot of hassle.” The teen in the ad is an 18-year-old whose features were digitally altered “a fair bit” with his consent, and that of his parents. The “obituary” is just a teaser, said Mr Low. Today, there will be another ad that portrays the teenager as a father and a grandfather. The SRSC who is also a partner in the ad campaign, said it supported the “bold and creative” approach that conveys the anti-drink driving message, “We want a clear message that drives home the drastic consequences of drink driving.” Advertising lecturer Tim Clark from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said “deception” was a dangerous tactic to use in advertising. But it was acceptable for public service messages, because “in this context, the disclaimer doesn’t change the fact that real people do die this way”. Last year, 22 people died and 182 people were injured in drink-driving accidents, a total of 204 casualties. The number of people arrested for drink driving was 2,931. There were 267 casualties in 2009 and 235 in 2008. Said a police spokesman, “It is hoped that the emotive appeal of the advertisement will remind the public not to drink and drive.” Businessman Muhammad Nazran Ahmad, 30, said the ad prompted him to think about the taboos of using a living person’s face in an obituary instead of making him reflect on drink driving. “It was clever, but not necessarily effective,” he said.