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Dr Vivian: Let’s not talk about VIDEO anymore By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – Thu, Apr 28, 2011 1:30 AM SGT Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has called for a truce. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, the Minister said there is "no need" to further discuss a video which shows Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) candidate, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, attending a forum which discussed on gay rights. Dr Balakrishnan, who will contest the Holland-Bukit Timah against the SDP team led by Dr Wijeysingha, said that he was satisfied with the SDP's video response to his earlier concerns about a possible "gay agenda" should SDP be voted into Parliament. "His video statements (by SDP chief Chee Soon Juan) were a response to my question, he's answered the question. Let's leave it at that," said the minister. When asked if he would bring the matter up again during his team's campaigning, he said, "No. No need. I don't need to go any further with that. Questions was asked, I posed the question, he answered," he added. However, Dr Balakrishan dismissed that he was employing a "smear tactic" when he brought up the issue, saying "No. This is a legitimate question and he's answered it." In a statement released on Monday evening, the People's Action Party (PAP) team for the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC had called on the SDP and, in particular, its candidate Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, 40, to be upfront about his "political motives", prompting a heated war of words between the two parties. In a swift video response, SDP chief Dr Chee said that while both parties might have disagreements over policy issues, he called on the Minister not to resort to "personal attacks" and adopting "smear tactics". Meanwhile, Dr Balakrishnan also rejected calls by the SDP for a public debate, saying that it would just give the SDP an added platform to engage residents. Explaining that there are no such "shortcuts", he said, "Personally as incumbents, we've been here, our residents know us, we have walked and knocked on every single door in this GRC. "A team that has just come together in the last few days and has not done their leg work, the reason they want a debate is because they want a platform to reach out to residents." Taking a jibe at the SDP's statements that he was rattled by their contest in the GRC, Dr Balakrishnan said, "Do I look rattled?" Apart from that, he also stressed that the choices made by voters will have an impact on the outcome and opportunities for young Singaporeans over at least the next 20 years. "For a young Singaporean who just graduate today, 20 years is half your working life. So there are some very fundamental choices which Singaporeans will have to make up their minds on, over the next nine to ten days," he said. Chee welcomes Dr Vivian’s remarks On the other hand, Chee pointed out that there has been a “very stern rebuke online” about the way Dr Balakrishnan brought up the issue on the video. However, the SDP chief welcomed the minister’s statements that he will not pursue the issue come campaign period. Chee was speaking at a separate press conference on Wednesday afternoon where it unveiled its party’s manifesto. “It’s very clear the online reaction has been very negative towards him. And we asked him not to continue, not to persist in this line. “I’m hoping, and we’re all hoping that we can run this campaign in the spirit that it was meant to be and that is talking about issues that people are concerned about. And not get into personal attacks," said Chee. “We take Dr Balakrishnan at his word, that he will not pursue this, and it was very distasteful. The internet community has made that clear to him and we are glad to hear that he will not continue to pursue this matter. We’ll leave it at that." In addition, Chee also dismissed the suggestion that the party will take advantage of the situation and turn the tables back on Dr Balakrishnan, saying that this is not what SDP is about. Instead, he called on all parties to adopt a “clean fight”. “This is one thing SDP is not and that we want to go after somebody in a very negative way,” he said. “We call on every party to take the high road in politics and discuss what’s important for the future of our nation and the people. And when we do that, we’re hoping they will reciprocate.”

PAP candidate clarifies SDP’s ‘OBJECTION’ By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – Thu, Apr 28, 2011 12:55 AM SGT People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Sim Ann, has clarified the objection raised by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) over the validity of her candidacy due to her employment status. The objection by SDP was made after Sim Ann indicated in her Nomination form that she was "unemployed". It questioned whether she was still able to stand as a candidate as she was still serving out her notice of resignation from her civil service job. At the Greenridge Secondary School Nomination Centre on Wednesday afternoon, the SDP claimed that since she is still serving out her notice of resignation, Sim Ann was still considered a civil servant. Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, a civil servant is not allowed to contest in an election. Sim Ann, 36, was formerly a high-flying civil servant with the National Population Talent Division before she was introduced as a PAP candidate on 14 April. However, the Returning Officer from the Elections Department "overruled" SDP's objection. This prompted the SDP to seek a reply from the department to explain why the objection was overruled. At a press conference held by PAP's Holland-Bukit Timah GRC team after nominations closed, Sim Ann said the SDP's objection was "utterly and completely baseless". She explained that she had tendered the notice of resignation on 18 March and her last date as a civil servant was 3 April. "Essentially the PSD will require a stipulated time for resignation and if you fall short of that particular period, there may be a penalty to be paid," she said. "So you can leave the service at any time but depending on how much notice you give, there may or may not be a financial penalty attached to it. And for the record, in my case, there was a financial penalty to it which I have already paid up," she said. However, she refused to reveal the amount that was paid, claiming that it was a "personal issue". "My last date as a civil servant was the third of April, so from April 4 this year onwards, I am not employed by the civil service or for that matter any other organisation." The Public Service Division (PSD) also confirmed that Sim Ann is no longer an employee in the civil service in a statement from the Elections Department hours after the close of nominations, reported Channel NewsAsia. When informed about PSD's explanation, the SDP said that it "welcomed" the clarification and would put the issue behind them.

PM Lee welcomes ‘STRONG CONTEST’ from Opposition By Alicia Wong | SingaporeScene – Thu, Apr 28, 2011 12:33 AM SGT Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has welcomed the "strong challenge" posed by the Opposition in this General Election. Speaking after Nomination Day in which 82 out of 87 parliamentary seats will officially be contested come Polling Day, PM Lee said people now have to take a stand that "emphasises how important this election is." PM Lee, who is also the PAP's Secretary-General, was flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, Teo Chee Hean, and Education Minister Ng Eng Heng, as he spoke at a news conference aired live on Channel NewsAsia. There, he took the time to lay out what he felt would be the main issues of this election, namely education and housing. He said, the government would continue to invest to uplift the next generation and pledged to improve the quality of homes while keeping them affordable. He also hopes to achieve greater debate within the government and to find consensus while generating new ideas. "The opposition takes themselves very seriously, they have said they want to fight to win and we will fight to ensure they do not win," he said. Having a stronger opposition would "crystalise the issues" and "make Singaporeans realise what is at stake in this election," said the PM, who will himself face a challenge in his Ang Mo Kio GRC from the Reform Party. "I think that a stronger opposition will galvanise a response from the ground and people will stand up on both sides and ask themselves what counts, what matters, what am I going to do about it." Fielding questions from reporters, PM Lee acknowledged that half of Singaporeans may be first-time voters in this GE but he is confident that when they vote "their motivation, their incentives, the consequences for them for casting the vote will be aligned with good outcomes for the country". Pointing to Singapore as a "property-owning democracy", he said, voters will be careful to make sure their assets are protected. PM Lee also defended the GRC system, which saw PAP's newest candidate Dr Chia Shi Lu become a Member of Parliament without contest because Tanjong Pagar GRC, where he is fielded in, is not being contested. Dr Chia was fielded in Tanjong Pagar GRC to replace PAP candidate Baey Yam Keng, who was transferred to contest in Tampines GRC after new candidate Steve Tan's abrupt departure. PM Lee stressed the latest developments do not affect the credibility of the GRC system. "The greatest importance of a GRC team is not just that it ensures minority representation in Parliament … I think the most important thing of the GRC, is that it forces our politics to be multi-racial. It forces all parties who want to do well, they have to contest in a GRC, and when they contest in a GRC they must get good minority candidates." Without a GRC system, PM Lee said he doubted the opposition parties would "expand so much effort running around trying to round up better quality minority candidates". His advice to candidates for this GE? "Fight on the issues and this should be a clean fight. We are fighting on serious matters concerning the lives of Singaporeans and we should focus our minds on that."

Why I’m contesting in Aljunied GRC: WP’s Chief By Liyana Low | SingaporeScene – Thu, Apr 28, 2011 12:18 AM SGT Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang says his decision to move out from Hougang was made "quite long ago". Speaking at a press conference after Nomination Day, Low revealed that he was even more determined to move to Aljunied after the gerrymandering of the People's Action Party (PAP), where changes were made to the electoral boundaries and some of their 29,000 supporters were moved to Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs. Low, who will join party chairman Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Pritam Singh and Mohd Faisal to form what is dubbed by many as the "A plus" team, will take on PAP's George Yeo, Lim Hwee Hua, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Cynthia Phua and Ong Ye Kung. He added that the decision to contest in Aljunied is a calculated risk and it is a risk they are taking "for Singapore". Using a Mandarin proverb, Low said, "You know that there's a tiger in the mountain, and yet you still move there. So now we are taking this challenge and believe that voters will make the right choice." WP's 'star catch' Chen added, "Winning a GRC is an important goal for the development of Singapore's political system and we are saying it in our actions." While admitting that it may be more logical for him to stay in Hougang, where he has 20 years of grassroots experience, Low acknowledged that the stakes are high but felt it that the time was right for WP to make the move. "Hougang residents understand that I need to do this. The ground is sweet and in fact many people I know are waiting for me to cross over," he said. Replacing Low at Hougang is party organising secretary Yaw Shin Leong. Yaw, who led WP's 2006 "suicide squad" against Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Ang Mo Kio GRC, dismissed claims that contesting against PAP candidate Desmond Choo was the reason for his deployment to the SMC. The 35-year-old, who has been helping at Hougang's grassroots activities after joining the WP in 2001, said, "I don't think age is an issue. What is important is that you have the passion to serve the residents." Yaw added that he has confidence in Hougang's voters and reiterated that they are "the WP's secret weapon." Low, also spoke highly of Yaw's connections on the ground. Yaw has been accompanying him on house visits in his ward for the past three years and, making him a familiar face in the estate. "By now, every resident in the Hougang constituency would have Shin Leong's namecard," said Low. Analysts told Yahoo! Singapore that they are not overly surprised by Low's decision to contest in Aljunied GRC. Independent scholar Derek da Cunha explained, "He cannot ask Singaporeans to move out of their comfort zone and vote for credible opposition members if he himself does not move out of his own comfort zone, of Hougang." "Now that he has led by example, he has the moral standing to make the appeal to Singaporeans to vote for his team. That will carry some weight with voters." Senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Terence Chong described it as a "make or break time for the WP". "The stakes are high and one can fully understand Low's decision. He is explicitly asking Singaporeans to decide if they want more Opposition voices in Parliament or not," said Dr Chong. He continued, "If the WP has a poor showing this GE it will not be because of lack of hard work or credible candidates but that the people prefer PAP dominance of Parliament. If so, so be it." National University of Singapore professor Tan Ern Ser added, "I reckon he is 'putting his money where his mouth is'. The move is also important symbolically. It shows he is serious about wanting to win a GRC. I reckon he thinks the WP has the best chance of winning that GRC." Prof Tan also predicted some factors that may contribute to voters' inclination to vote WP: dissatisfaction with PAP over the hot-button issues; desire to have checks and balances and alternative views from a stronger opposition presence in Parliament. In a separate press conference, PM Lee commented on Low's decision to contest in Aljunied. He said that it was Low's tactic to win a GRC. "I don't doubt he's entitled to want to win a GRC and he's trying to make an argument so that it sounds good and people will vote for him to win a GRC." - Additional Reporting by Alicia Wong

Man arrested for threatening to BURN Voting Slip By Fann Sim | SingaporeScene – Wed, Apr 27, 2011 10:51 PM SGT A 32-year-old man was arrested on Monday for threatening to burn his voting slip and ballot box on Polling Day. According to AsiaOne, a man by an online moniker of BigBirdMan had posted his threat on popular online forum HardWareZone. He posted: "I promised once I vote, I (will) bring a lighter with me and burn the (voting) slip and slot it (into) the ballot box. Burn the whole ballot box." However, netizens informed the man that it is a criminal offence to do that. He was arrested a week after posting that comment. The man is also believed to have posted a comment which 'was suggestive of causing hurt to the Members of Parliament'. He was arrested for Communicating an Electronic Record Containing Incitements to Violence under Section 267C of the Penal Code, Chapter 224. If convicted, the man can be jailed up to five years or fined or both. "Those who make such remarks online and think that they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet are mistaken," said Criminal Investigation Department director Hoong Wee Teck. Mr Hoong also added that the "police will investigate such reports and spare no effort in taking the culprits to task." Last August, Abdul Malik Mohammed Ghazali was arrested for posting similar comments on Facebook, urging users to "burn" a local cabinet minister. The 27-year-old was questioned by police on his use of words such as "burn", "rally" and "sit-down protest".

Champions League - Guardiola blasts 'chief' JOSE Wed, 27 Apr 09:12:00 2011 Coach Pep Guardiola wants Barcelona to do their talking on the pitch after a dramatic war of words erupted between him and Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg. Mourinho sparked an uncharacteristically angry and foul-mouthed response from his opposite number after branding Guardiola as being a unique coach who "criticises the right decisions made by referees", referring to comments attributed to the Barca boss following last week's Copa del Rey final regarding a disallowed Pedro Rodriguez goal for offside. "We will meet each other on the pitch. He's won his games off the pitch and I'll give him his personal Champions (League) for that," said Guardiola. "In this room, he's the f***ing chief, the f***ing man, the person who knows everything about the world and I don't want to compete with him at all." The Barca boss added: "If you think that his allegation that I always complain about the referees is true after you've all heard from me over the last three years, well there's nothing I can do. Off the pitch there's nothing we can do to fight that. "Off the pitch, he has already won, as he has done all year. On the pitch, we'll see what happens." Guardiola has plenty on his plate heading into the semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu without having to worry about Mourinho's comments. Already without Eric Abidal, Adriano, Maxwell and Bojan Krkic, he lost Spain international Andres Iniesta for tonight's match due to a calf injury. Madrid, who beat Barca 1-0 in the Copa del Rey final to end a three-year barren spell without any silverware, have less concerns. They are without the suspended Ricardo Carvalho and injured Sami Khedira and Fernando Gago, but with a supposed second-string side thrashing Valencia 6-3 at the weekend, Mourinho has an embarrassing array of riches at his disposal. Taking all that into account, Guardiola said at the weekend that his side were underdogs heading into the game. However, Mourinho dismissed that suggestion, saying: "For me there are no favourites. It's the Champions League semi-finals - two rival teams who know each other very well. "Two teams with long traditions, two teams whose players know what it is to be successful, who know how to win things and play big matches." Eurosport / PA Sport

Champions League - Guardiola lauds 'outrageous' Messi Wed, 27 Apr 23:47:00 2011 Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola described Lionel Messi's achievements as "outrageous" after the World Player of the Year produced another masterclass in the 2-0 Champions League win at Real Madrid. The Argentina forward's two goals in the semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu, which gave Barca a huge advantage for next week's second leg, took his tally for the Catalan club to 179 and put him ahead of Josep Samitier on their list of all-time top scorers. The 23-year-old has 52 goals in all competitions this season and 11 in 11 games in the Champions League, putting him three clear on the scoring chart he also topped in the last two editions of Europe's elite club competition. "That's the good fortune that we have, to be able to be a colleague of his," Guardiola said. "It's not the first time he has done it," he added of Messi's second goal, a trademark weaving run that left several defenders trailing in his wake followed by a clinical finish. "At the age of just 23 he is the third highest scorer in the history of Barca. It's outrageous. "But that's the beauty of our football and our game." Reuters

Champions League - Ranting Mourinho writes off REAL Wed, 27 Apr 23:46:00 2011 Jose Mourinho wrote off Real Madrid's Champions League chances and accused Barcelona of being favoured by the footballing authorities after his 10-man side lost their semi-final first leg 2-0. Real had midfielder Pepe sent off after 62 minutes and Mourinho was sent to the stands for his protests soon after, and Lionel Messi took full advantage to score both goals in a stunned Bernabeu. "Congratulations to a fantastic football team," the Real coach said in a rambling rant at the post-match news conference. "But congratulations for all they have as well, it must be difficult to get to get all this power. Where does this power come from? I don't know if it's because they give UNICEF publicity (on their shirts)?" Mourinho went on to list Barca's semi-final victory over Chelsea in 2009, the Internazionale semi-final from last season and now "the scandal of the Bernabeu", as he suggested unfair red cards had been issued to rivals playing the Catalan side. "This thing happens in each semi-final," he said. "I am here just to ask this question and I hope to get the answer one day. "I respect him (Barca coach Pep Guardiola) a great deal as a coach and a person...but I would like to see him win a Champions League without scandals. "Pep is a fantastic soccer coach and he has won one Champions League. I would be ashamed to have won it after the scandal of Stamford Bridge (when he said Chelsea should have had four penalties). "I won two Champions Leagues with Porto and Inter and won both on the pitch. We won with work, effort, sweat and fight." The second of those European crowns came after a famous rearguard action with 10 men at the Nou Camp last season, losing 1-0 after having won the first leg 3-1. However, Mourinho quickly ruled out any chance of another heroic performance in next Tuesday's second leg at Barca's stadium. "Obviously in the return leg it's a very difficult mission," he added. "It's not very difficult, it's impossible. "They will get to the final and that's that" Real have had a player sent off in each of the four 'Clasicos' they have played in La Liga, the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League this season, and now will be without the suspended Sergio Ramos and Pepe next week. Mourinho, who said he was not supposed to be speaking to the media after having been sent off, will have to watch from the stands. When asked what he had said to receive the punishment from the German referee, Wolfgang Stark, he replied: "I didn't say anything, I just applauded his decision with two thumbs. "If I told UEFA and him what I thought and feel I would end my career now." On television replays of the incident he could be seen to say "Well done, well done" to the fourth official after Pepe was sent off for a high-footed challenge on Barca full-back Dani Alves. Reuters

Champions League - Messi gives Barcelona advantage in Madrid Wed, 27 Apr 21:41:00 2011 Lionel Messi swooped twice to give Barcelona a 2-0 win in a bad-tempered first leg of their Champions League semi-final against 10-man Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The World Player of the Year guided the ball home at the near post with 14 minutes remaining to break the deadlock before he reverted back to type from his goal-poaching cameo for the second on 87 minutes, a wonderful individual effort that saw him dance through the Madrid defence and finish past Iker Casillas. The Argentine's match-winning brace - his 16th and 17th goals in his last 16 appearances in the competition - gives his side a clear advantage heading into the second leg at the Camp Nou next week. Madrid will be missing midfielder Pepe for that game after the Portuguese received his marching orders for a studs-up challenge on Dani Alves after just over an hour of play. Barca also had a man sent off, substitute goalkeeper Jose Pinto, following an unsavoury scuffle as the teams headed down the tunnel at half-time, while Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands for his sarcastic protestations in the aftermath of Pepe's dismissal. That a game billed as a meeting of two of Europe's most exciting sides soon descended into an ugly pitch battle was regrettable but, given the frequency with which the two teams have met over the past week, hardly surprising. Victory for Barca was their first in this four-match mini-series of Clasicos, going some way to avenge Real's win in the Copa del Rey final after the first meeting ended in a draw in La Liga. With Ricardo Carvalho suspended, Raul Albiol came in at the back for Real and the defensively-minded Pepe was employed as a holding midfielder just in front of the back four. Madrid's aim was clear from the outset: stop Barca playing. And Mourinho's tactics worked well enough during a tense, cagey opening 45 minutes that was far from easy on the eye. Pepe, Lassana Diarra, in for Sami Khedira, and Xabi Alonso did a good job of stifling the creative instincts of the visitors and given their reluctance to get forward and support Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo, they barely troubled the Barca back line. Just once was Victor Valdes called into action during the opening period, the keeper doing well to beat away Ronaldo's swerving drive from 25 yards as the half-time whistle approached. At the other end, and despite Barca's far superior possession, goalscoring chances were also at a premium as their celebrated attack force - missing the injured Andres Iniesta's vision - was largely frustrated. David Villa, fresh from breaking his scoring drought at the weekend, cut inside and flashed a shot wide of the upright on 10 minutes before Messi managed to unlock the defence with a superb pass through for Xavi on 24. The World Cup winner brought his international team-mate Casillas into his first action of the night with a sharp shot that required an equally smart save. But otherwise, the first half was far from a classic 45 minutes of football. Given the pattern of play during the opening period and the bad blood between the two sides, frustrations boiled over as the players headed down the tunnel at half-time. The melee, which saw Pinto square up to a member of Madrid's staff, ended with him being sent off and a crotchety, niggly second half ensued. Pepe also saw red on 61 minutes although, despite the clear feelings of the Barca players who surrounded referee Wolfgang Stark, his challenge on Alves was probably more worthy of a booking than a straight red card. Mourinho was as incensed at the decision as the home crowd, and his mocking of the fourth official ended with him being sent to the stands, where he sulked for the remainder of the game. A man down, and the writing seemed to be on the wall for Real, although they nearly hit back with a Ronaldo header that flew over the bar soon after. That proved as much as they could muster, as Villa stung the fingers of Casillas and Pedro headed wide from the rebound to signal Barca's intentions to grab a crucial away goal. It came soon after, Messi adopting the unfamiliar guise of poacher to turn substitute Ibrahim Afellay's cross in at the near post on 76 minutes. And a second duly arrived with three minutes remaining as Messi gave a stark reminder of his immense talent, gliding through the ragged Madrid back line before slotting past Casillas to furnish the game with at least a brief touch of class and send his side a step closer to a third final in five years. Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Obama Releases Full Birth Certificate 11 hours 33 mins ago ©Sky News 2011 US President Barack Obama has posted his full birth certificate on the internet, in an effort to finally kill speculation he was born abroad. The issue of the leader's origins had become increasingly prominent, with recent opinion polls indicating one in four Americans believed he was born in another country. Released on the White House website, the form says Barack Hussein Obama II was born at 7.24pm on August 4 1961, at Kapiolani Hospital, within the city limits of Honolulu, Hawaii. It is signed by the delivery doctor, Obama's mother and the local registrar. Only 'natural born' citizens can become president according to a vague clause in the US constitution. Members of the so-called 'birther' movement contended that disqualified Obama from his post. Sceptics also suggested he was born in his father's home country of Kenya. And potential election rival, businessman Donald Trump, had repeatedly questioned whether the president was born in the US. Mr Obama's campaign team failed to put the matter to bed in 2008 when releasing the standard 'short form' birth certificate issued upon request from the state of Hawaii. But the president said officials in Hawaii had been persuaded to make an exception and release the full 'long form' version of the documents because the debate had become a sideshow. "We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," he said. "Normally I would not comment on something like this, because obviously there's a lot of stuff swirling in the press on any given day and I've got other things to do." But he said the matter had become the dominant news story - even in the week the federal budget was announced. "We've got some big challenges ahead," he said. "We're not going to be able to do it if we just make stuff up and pretend that facts are not facts. We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

Trump blasts President Obama Tuesday, April 26 09:47 am Donald Trump has suggested that President Barack Obama was a poor student, who did not deserve to be admitted to the Ivy League universities he attended. Skip related content Real estate mogul Trump, who is mulling a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, offered no proof for his claim but said he would continue to press the matter as he has the legitimacy of the president's birth certificate. "I heard he was a terrible student. Not like okay, I heard he was a bad student. How does a bad student then go to Columbia and then go to Harvard? How does this happen? He's a bad student, gets in to Columbia, top, top school. Gets into Harvard, top, top, top school," he said. Obama graduated from Columbia University in New York in 1983 with a degree in political science after transferring from Occidental College in California. He went on to Harvard Law School, where he graduated magna ###### laude 1991 and was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama's 2008 campaign did not release his college transcripts, and in his best-selling memoir, "Dreams From My Father," Obama indicated he hadn't always been an academic star. Trump said in an interview in New York that Obama's refusal to release his college grades were part of a pattern of concealing information about himself.

Michelle Chia’s Marriage on the ROCKS ??? By ewenboey | What’s buzzing? – Mon, Apr 25, 2011 1:46 PM SGT UPDATED Celebrity couple Michelle Chia and Shaun Chen confirmed on Wednesday that they are getting a divorce. In a statement, the couple said: "I, Shaun Chen, and Michelle Chia, are currently undergoing divorce proceedings." They thanked the media and friends for their care and understanding, but asked: "Please give us more space and understanding during this trying time. "We sincerely wish each other happiness, and may we stay healthy and happy in the future." Chia, 35, told The New Paper on Wednesday evening: "It is an amicable agreement between both of us after much discussion and consideration. "Why we decided to part, it is too personal and difficult to explain."

Hidden iPhone File Tracks Users' Every Move Thursday, April 21 12:57 pm ©Sky News 2011 The security of Apple's iPhones and iPads is being called into question after it emerged the devices contain a hidden file that tracks the owner's locations. Skip related content The finding was reported by two British computer programmers at a technology conference in San Francisco. The pair found Apple has been logging the whereabouts of 3G phone and iPad users since it updated its mobile operating system a year ago. The location data is taken from mobile phone masts and Wi-Fi networks and recorded on the device along with the time and date. However, one of the concerns is that when a person syncs their phone or iPad with a computer the information is transferred to the hard drive permanently. Anyone with access to this computer, including a hacker, could then trace the user's movements. And if the phone or iPad was lost or stolen a stranger would also be able to view the data with the right software. Although other mobile phone companies collect information in similar ways, it is usually kept behind a firewall. It then normally requires a court order to gain access to it - but this is not the case with this data. Pete Warden and Alasdair Allan, the researchers behind the discovery, have now set up a webpage to inform the public about the file. On the page it states: "By passively logging your location without your permission, Apple have made it possible for anyone from a jealous spouse to a private investigator to get a detailed picture of your movements." Mr Warden, who worked for Apple for five years, has created a free downloadable programme that allows them to see the location data on a map. It is not known why Apple is collecting the data or whether the function can be disabled. Duncan Bell from the gadget website T3 told Sky News: "The least sinister interpretation I can put on it is they're collecting this data for app developers to know which parts of the country to concentrate on perhaps? "I really can't think of another good reason why they'd need to be tracking you all the time. "It's hard to see how that data could be used against you in that many situations. But it still seems wrong that it's being done without giving you the ability to opt out of it. "OK, yeah it is in the terms and conditions, but it's buried somewhere in among 15,200 other words." Apple failed to return calls made by Sky News Online. The criticism of the technology giant's operations comes after the company revealed on Wednesday that it had nearly doubled its second quarter profits.

HIV Infection raises Heart Failure Risk - Study By Megan Brooks at Reuters Health | Reuters – Tue, Apr 26, 2011 9:44 AM SGT NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can increase the risk of heart failure even in patients who don't have a prior history of heart disease, a U.S. study said. And as the HIV virus replicates, the risk increases, added the study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine. "Health care providers traditionally think of HIV and its therapies increasing the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease," said lead author Adreel Butt, at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. "The surprising finding from our study was the association of HIV with heart failure in the absence of prior coronary heart disease." The study involved nearly 8,500 adults, with a median age of 48 years in both HIV infected subjects and controls. The HIV group was more likely to also be infected with Hepatitis C, 31 percent to 11 percent, and to abuse cocaine -- 22 percent to 16 percent. They were also more likely to be smokers but less likely to have hypertension or diabetes. During a median follow-up of 7.3 years, 286 people developed heart failure. Rates of heart failure per 1,000 person-years, adjusted for age as well as race and ethnicity, were 7.12 for HIV patients and 4.82 for the controls. After accounting for traditional risk factors, the hazard ratio for heart failure with HIV was 1.81. In addition, ongoing replication of the virus led to a significantly higher risk of heart failure. "On the other hand, if HIV replication is well controlled, then the risk of heart failure is closer to that seen among HIV-uninfected persons," Butt said. The exact mechanism by which HIV infection is linked to heart failure remains unclear, but possible explanations include the direct effects of the HIV infection, antiretroviral treatment that leads to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, and nutritional deficiencies. "Our results suggest that HIV itself is playing an important and independent role," Butt and her colleagues wrote. The message for HIV care providers is clear, though. "Be on the lookout for early signs of heart failure in HIV-infected persons, even if there is no history of preceding coronary heart disease," Butt told Reuters Health. "Controlling HIV well may reduce the risk of heart failure." Reporting by Megan Brooks at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies

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One Word: ALJUNIED By Ion Danker | SingaporeScene 2 hours 36 minutes ago By Cherian George As the Workers' Party A-team addressed their ecstatic supporters from an upper floor of Deyi Secondary this afternoon, a nondescript sign below them read "LIGHTNING RISK ALERT". It spoke more eloquently than the lightning-logo flags and placards wielded by hundreds of PAP supporters, of the storm brewing over Aljunied GRC. You can bet that the ruling party will throw everything in its formidable arsenal at Low Thia Khiang and company. Equally, though, the raucous heckling that greeted every PAP candidate even when Zainul Abidin Rasheed cheered "Majulah Singapura!" to try to shame WP supporters into gentlemanly conduct suggests that the WP isn't about to be intimidated. Singapore has had hot GRCs before but Aljunied 2011 shoots off the temperature scale. This isn't because the Opposition necessarily have a better chance here and now than in Eunos GRC in 1988 (when the PAP scraped through by 1.8 points). No, this one is special because never before has a contest so perfectly embodied the fundamental, irreconcilable tension in Singapore's electoral politics. Set aside the roughly 25 percent of voters at each end of the political spectrum the partisans who will vote for the PAP and the Opposition irrespective of who's standing and who's won the debates. It's the middle 50 percent or so that ultimately decides the fate of Parliamentary seats. This broad middle ground, I sense, considers the PAP to be the natural party of government right now, on account of having a larger team of able, experienced and trustworthy administrators and a more detailed plan for Singapore than the Opposition. Swing voters also acknowledge that the PAP includes a handful of truly outstanding individuals, who they're glad are on the Singapore team (though most Singaporeans would not praise them too loudly, lest the PAP grow up proud and complacent; we are all Amy Chuas that way). At the same time, middle-ground voters believe it's sensible to have checks and balances on PAP power. Since other institutions such as the press are stopped from providing that, they should send an Opposition presence into Parliament. They've also noted that, lately, the best heavyweights in the Opposition ranks are superior to the worst lightweights on the PAP side. Given a choice, they would pick the former at the expense of the latter but that choice is usually not available. In most other contests in this and previous GEs, the choice offered to swing voters made it easier for them to decide one way or another. Those inclined to vote for the Opposition could tell themselves that, well, the PAP guys weren't particularly likeable, so they deserve to be taken down a notch. Those leaning towards the PAP could silence the Opposition voice in their heads by saying that the Opposition candidates weren't impressive, even after giving allowance to their underdog status. Aljunied 2011 removes these excuses. On the one side is a PAP team that's hard to dislike. A veteran former journalist, Zainul Abidin, who is genuinely popular and is being mentioned as a future Speaker of Parliament. An intriguing new candidate and possible future PM, Ong Ye Kung, who has spent quality time at the NTUC and shows a determination to work for workers. And an anchor minister, George Yeo, who has distinguished himself as one of Singapore's best ever foreign ministers. In the last GE, Yeo was the first Cabinet Minister to call a halt to the mudslinging against James Gomez, and in these polls he has continued to take the high road, denying snipers the pleasure of accusing him of gutter politics. Today, he called the WP A-team "worthy opponents". On the WP side, too, is a team that defies all the stereotypes. Fly-by-night opportunists who are dormant between elections? Low Thia Khiang is known as a hardworking grassroots MP. And his decision to leave his safe seat in Hougang for the fight of his life confirms yet again his steely idealism. Low calibre? In the early 1980s, Lee Kuan Yew likened the Opposition leaders to DC3 propeller planes while the PAP's were Boeing 707 jets. But in Chen Show Mao, the WP have a Dreamliner whose specifications match any high-flier in the PAP fleet. It's as if, like diligent children in paternalistic Singapore, Low's WP has taken note of every criticism the PAP has levelled at the Opposition and has now come back with an answer for everything. Middle-of-the-road voters in Aljunied GRC must now feel the heat of the critical decision before them. It boils down to this twin conundrum: Do they prize the goal of a stronger, better Opposition enough to sacrifice a set of outstanding present and potential PAP office holders, whose absence from government would be missed by Singaporeans? Or do they treasure quality governance sufficiently to reject the worthiest set of Opposition candidates to have ever been offered to the electorate and whose victory would boost democratic politics? The choice between good government and a strong opposition has been a perennial one. But never before has it been posed as starkly as now, in Aljunied GRC. I don't know what Aljunied's voters are thinking about the momentous decision before them. But I can imagine what swing voters in other constituencies must be feeling: Thank goodness we don't live in Aljunied. Cherian George is an associate professor in communication at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He blogs at www.airconditionednation.com and www.journalism.sg.

Opposition mounts strongest Challenge By Jeanette Tan | SingaporeScene 1 hour 9 minutes ago A record 82 seats out of 87 will be contested in this year's Singapore General Election. Here is the line-up for Polling Day on 7 May: Aljunied GRC: PAP George Yeo Lim Hwee Hua Zainul Abidin Rasheed Cynthia Phua Ong Ye Kung WP Low Thia Khiang Chen Show Mao Faisal Abdul Manap Pritam Singh Sylvia Lim Ang Mo Kio GRC: PAP Lee Hsien Loong Yeo Guat Kwang Ang Hin Kee Inderjit Singh Seng Han Thong Intan Azura Mokhtar RP Tan Zhixiang Arthero Lim Tung Hee Vignes Ramachandran Lim Zi Rui Mansor Rahman Osman Sulaiman Bukit Panjang SMC: PAP: Teo Ho Pin SDP: Alec Tok Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC: PAP Wong Kan Seng Ng Eng Hen Zainudin Nordin Hri Kumar Nair Josephine Teo SPP Chiam See Tong Mohd Hamim Aliyas Benjamin Pwee Wilfred Leung Lee Yeong Wee Chua Chu Kang GRC: PAP Gan Kim Yong Zaqy Mohamad Alvin Yeo Low Yen Ling Yam Ziming Alex NSP Sebastian Teo Tony Tan Lay Thiam Hazel Poa Nor Lella Mohamed Jeisilan Sivalingam East Coast GRC: PAP: Lim Swee Say Raymond Lim Siang Keat Lee Yi Shyan Maliki Osman Jessica Tan WP: Glenda Han Gerald Giam Yean Song Mohamed Fazli Talip Eric Tan Png Eng Huat Hougang SMC: PAP: Desmond Choo WP: Yaw Shin Leong Hong Kah North SMC: PAP: Amy Khor SPP: Sin Kek Tong Holland-Bukit Timah GRC: PAP Vivian Balakrishnan Christopher De Souza Liang Eng Hwa Sim Ann SDP Vincent Wijeysingha Tan Jee Say Ang Yong Guan Michelle Lee Juen Joo Chiat SMC: PAP: Charles Chong WP: Yee Jenn Jong Jurong GRC: PAP: Ong Kim Huat Halimah Yacob Tharman Shanmugaratnam Ang Wei Neng Desmond Lee NSP Christopher Neo Elvin Ong Abdul Rasheed Noraini Yunus Ong Hock Siong Marine Parade GRC: PAP: Goh Chok Tong Seah Kian Peng Fatimah Lateef Tan Chuan-Jin Tin Pei Ling NSP: Yeo Tiong Boon Ivan Cheo Chai Chen Nicole Seah Abdul Salim Harun Ng Chung Hon Mountbatten SMC: PAP: Lim Biow Chuan NSP: Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss Moulmein-Kallang GRC: PAP: Yaacob Ibrahim Lui Tuck Yew Denise Phua Edwin Tong WP: Mohd Rahizan Ya'acob Toh Hong Boon L Somasundaram Frieda Chan Sio Phing Nee Soon GRC: PAP: K Shanmugam Lee Bee Wah Lim Wee Kiak Mohd Faishal Ibrahim Patrick Tay WP: Yam Poh Nam Angela Oon Sajeev Kamalasanan Chong Cham Weng Poh Lee Guan Punggol East SMC: PAP: Michael Palmer SDA: Desmond Lim WP: Lee Li Lian Pioneer SMC: PAP: Cedric Foo NSP: Steve Chia Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC: PAP: Teo Chee Hean Teo Ser Luck Penny Low Zainal Sapari Gan Thiam Poh Janil Puthucheary SDA: Harminder Pal Singh Sidney Soon Mohammad Shafni Ahmad Tan Keng Hong Lim Peng Yong Jeffrey Patrick Lee Potong Pasir SMC: PAP: Sitoh Yih Pin SPP: Lina Chiam Radin Mas SMC: PAP: Sam Tan Chin Siong NSP: Yip Yew Weng Sembawang GRC: PAP Khaw Boon Wan Hawazi Daipi Ellen Lee Vikram Nair Ong Teng Koon SDP James Gomez Sadasivam Veriyah Mohd Isa Aziz Tan Liang Joo Jarrod Luo Sengkang West SMC: PAP: Lam Pin Min WP: Koh Choong Yong Tampines GRC: PAP: Mah Bow Tan Masagos Zulkifli Heng Swee Keat Irene Ng Baey Yam Keng NSP: Goh Meng Seng Gilbert Goh Raymond Lim Peng Ann Syafarin Sarif Reno Fong Tanjong Pagar GRC: PAP: Lee Kuan Yew, Indranee Rajah, Lily Neo, Chia Shi-Lu, Chan Chun Sing West Coast GRC: PAP: Lawrence Wong Foo Mee Har Arthur Fong S Iswaran Lim Hng Kiang RP Kenneth Jeyaratnam Zhu Laicheng Low Chiak Hun Kumah Appavoo Harn Ho Whampoa SMC: PAP: Heng Chee How NSP: Ken Sun Yuhua SMC: PAP: Grace Fu SDP: Teo Soh Lung

S'pore Opposition to contest most Parliament Seats By ALEX KENNEDY - Associated Press | AP – Wed, Apr 27, 2011 6:48 PM SGT Singapore opposition parties will contest the most parliamentary seats since independence in 1965 in general elections next week, officials said Wednesday. Candidates from six opposition parties will take on the ruling People's Action Party for 82 of 87 seats in 26 of 27 districts, the Singapore Elections Department said. The announcement marked the start of the official campaign period before the May 7 vote. Only a slate of five PAP candidates led by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in the Tanjong Pagar district will run unopposed. Lee's son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, faces his second election since becoming leader in 2004. The PAP has dominated Singapore politics for more than five decades, but opposition leaders hope to exploit voter discontent over soaring housing prices, a surge in foreign workers and rising income inequality. The PAP first came to power in 1959 under limited self-rule as a British colony. Singapore joined a federation with Malaysia in 1963 before breaking away for full independence in 1965. Opposition candidates contested 47 of 84 seats in the previous election in 2006 and the PAP won 82 of those seats. In some earlier elections, the PAP won a majority before the vote even took place because the opposition didn't contest most of the seats. "Singaporeans, especially the younger ones, find the one-party dominant political system not only an anomaly, but some sort of a freakish state of affairs," said Eugene Tan, an assistant professor of law at Singapore Management University. "There's also the perception that the PAP is less responsive to the concerns of the average Singaporean." However, analysts expect the opposition will win no more than a handful of seats and probably around 40 percent of the overall vote, an increase from 33 percent in the 2006 elections. "The PAP has delivered on its promises. In short, it has performance legitimacy," Tan said. "They have remained corruption-free and raised the standard of living of Singaporeans by leaps and bounds. None of these pillars of support are really under threat." Lee, who was prime minister from 1959 to 1990, has said this election will be his last as a candidate. Lee, 87, has represented Tanjong Pagar since 1955. "I will look after you for the next five years," Lee told a crowd of supporters Wednesday.

Nomination Day Live Coverage Yahoo! Newsroom – Wed, Apr 27, 2011 9:51 AM SGT 146PM: PAP's Seetoh Yi Pin@Tao Nan school addresses crowd: "This is my third time contesting Potong Pasir... Please give me a chance to serve you." SPP's Lina Chiam, wife of Chiam See Tong, speaks to crowd: "For 27 years, you have supported my husband... I salute Potong Pasir residents: You have the unbeatable spirit, courage, bravery, pride and patriotism. I salute each one of you... the PAP has tried in vain to tempt you." (cut short by election official because speech over-runs allotted time) 140PM: PAP candidate Tin Pei Ling @Tao Nan School addresses crowd: "We will continue to fight at Marine Parade even though we face opposition... We'll not let up our efforts." Nicole Seah, the GE's youngest candidate, from NSP team addresses crowd: "Why is NSP in Marine Parade GRC, a constituency that has not been contested for 19 years? It's because residents, citizens of Singapore, you have a choice. You have a choice to hold the PAP accountable for its policies... you, as a citizen, deserve to be engaged...and deserve to be heard. We will hear what you have to say." 134PM: MCYS Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan @Greenridge Sec School: "This election is about our homes, our families, our children and our jobs... Majulah PAP, Majulah Singapura." SDP team led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha's turn to address the crowd: "We raised an objection regarding the PAP team for Holland Bukit-Timah. We raised two specific points of objection... They told us that objections were over-ruled but did not tell us why... I call upon the Returning Officer at the Elections Department to look into this anomaly." 126PM: DPM and PAP MP Wong Kan Seng @ Deyi Secondary School addresses crowd on SPP contest at Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC:"You know what we have done for the last five years. I know you will choose wisely." Crowd chants "Mas Selamat... Mas Selamat." SPP's Chiam See Tong on contesting Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC: "Vote for SPP and the SPP will get the PAP to be more accountable... If you want the credit, you must be able to take the fall." 120PM: Foreign Minister George Yeo addresses PAP supporters @ Deyi Sec School: "As expected, WP has fielded a strong team at Aljunied GRC... But we will fight hard to win the heart and mind of every voter. We have detailed plans to develop Aljunied in the next five years. This will be a crucial contest...Give us your full support." WP's Sylvia Lim addresses crowd: "This election, we are determined to make a breakthrough in Aljunied GRC... We believe your lives will improve if PAP government faces a strong WP challenge in Parliament....We promise to serve you... we trust in your judgment. You are our secret weapon." WP's Low Thia Kiang speaks in Mandarin: "We are confident we can take Aljunied. Vote for us so we can go into Parliament and give the PAP a strong debate." 119PM: PM Lee Hsien Loong "welcomes contest" by Reform Party in Ang Mo Kio GRC team. He "will work as a team to win people's support". 109PM: Sengkang West's PAP candidate Lam Pin Min in speech: 'Please vote for me'. Workers' Party candidate Koh Choon Yong: 'My parents initially objected when I joined politics. That was five years ago...Now they're in the crowd among you supporting me...there's a change in the Singaporean mindset...this is the first step towards a First World parliament." 100PM: Reports that a PAP supporter faints at Deyi Secondary School. Taken away by ambulance. 1250PM: MM Lee in victory speech: 'Feeble effort' by opposition team to contest the GRC who were late to submit their papers. I would have welcomed the contest... but I promise I will look after Tanjong Pagar residents for the next five years. 1249PM: PAP team of Lee Kuan Yew, Indranee Rajah, Chan Chun Sing, Lily Neo and Chia Shi-Lu declared winners of Tanjong Pagar GRC. 1246PM: SDP team's objection at Holland-Bukit Timah GRC noted but over-ruled by Assistant Returning Officer. 1241PM: It's confirmed: Tanjong Pagar GRC led by MM Lee is a walkover. 1236PM: Objection raised by SDP team led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha at Holland-Bukit GRC. It contests that PAP candidate Miss Sim Ann is listed in her nomination papers as "unemployed" but as she is still serving out her notice of resignation, technically, she is still in the Civil Service, which disqualifies her from the GE. The SDP team objects to her candidacy and strenuously request the Returning Officer to declare her candidacy null and void. 1230PM: Awaiting confirmation of all nomination papers. 1229PM: SDA's Ng Teck Siong's last-minute decision to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC falls through after he missies deadline for nomination. 1228PM: Independent candidate Boon Suan Ban who wanted to run in Mountbatten is disqualified due to nomination form error. 1224PM: Workers' Party Moulmein-Kallang team: Frieda Chen, Toh Hong Boon, Mohd Rahzan Bin Ya'cob, l. Somasundaram. PAP team led by Minister Yaacob Ibrahim. 1215PM: Independent candidate for Mounbatten SMC rejected after his forms were not properly filled. 1210PM: Early reports point to a three-cornered fight in Punggol East SMC. Straight fights expected in all other constituencies except Tanjong Pagar GRC. 1207PM: Reports that a last-minute opposition team is trying to contest Tanjong Pagar GRC. 1205PM: Lam Pin Min confirmed as PAP candidate for Sengkang West SMC. 1204PM: Parties begin checking each other's nomination forms. 1201PM: Hundreds of PAP fans at Deyi Secondary School awaiting confirmation of nominations (below). Opposition supporters gather on the other side. 1200PM: Deadline for Nomination passes. 82 out of 87 seats to be contested. Only Tanjong Pagar GRC appears to be uncontested. Official confirmation @1230pm. 1156AM: Independent candidate and acupuncturist Zeng Guoyang tears up nomination papers a few metres from security checks at Tao Nan School. 1150AM: All 12 SMCs to be contested: Temasek Review 1148AM: PAP team confirmed at Tanjong Pagar: MM Lee, Lily Neo, Indranee Rajah, Chan Choon Seng and new candidate Chia Shi-Lu. Expected to go up against SDA's hastily-assembled team. 1146AM: Workers' Party team of John Yam, Angela Oon, Sajeev, Watson Chong, Dr Poh Lee Guan will run against Law Minister K Shanmugam's team in Nee Soon. 1145AM: WP party candidate Yaw Shin Leong will take over Low Thia Kiang's place in Hougang. He will be up against PAP's Desmond Choo. 1142AM: IT'S OFFICIAL: Workers' Party 'A-team' of Low Thia Kiang, Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao, Pritam Singh and Mohd Faisal Manap will be contesting Aljunied GRC. Will be up against PAP incumbents George Yeo, Ong Ye Kung, Lim Hwee Hua, Zainul Abidin and Cynthia Phua. 1140AM: Lina Chiam, wife of SPP leader Chiam See Tong, at Tao Nan school. Expected to contest Potong Pasir SMC, taking over her husband. 1138AM: Internet sensation Nicole Seah (right) and her National Solidarity Party colleague at Tao Nan school. Expected to contest Marine-Parade GRC. 1135AM: No suprises at Holland-Bukit Timah GRC where PAP's Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his team have confirmed their candidacy. They will be up against SDP team led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, Tan Jee Say, Ang Yong Guan and Michelle Lee Juan. 1133AM: Three-cornered fight confirmed at Punggol SMC between SDA's Desmond Lim, PAP's Michael Palmer and WP's Lee Li Lian. 1131AM: Unconfirmed reports that Workers' Party 'A-team' of Low Thia Kiang, Sylvia Lim, Chen Show Mao and Pritam Singh are contesting at Aljunied GRC. 1130AM: SDP's ALec Tok confirms candidacy for Bukit Panjang SMC. 1117AM: PAP's Teo Ho Pin confirms candidacy at Bukit Panjang SMC. Huge PAP support at Greenridge Secondary School. Outnumber SDP supporter by 5 to1. 1105AM: Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo (below) and his team at Deyi Secondary School. He's expected to defend Aljunied GRC. Expected to be THE fight of the General Elections if WP chief Low Thia Kiang and his "A"-team contest the ward. 1103AM: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Wong Kan Seng arrive at Deyi Secondary School. 1100AM: SPP chief Chiam See Tong and Benjamin Pwee arrive to loud cheers at Deyi Secondary School. Expected to stand in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. 1055AM: Minister Mah Bow Tan speaks to media, refuses to talk about housing. Also explains that NTUC youth wing leader Steve Tan dropped out of elections due to "personal reasons". Also said no particular reason why his place on the Tampines GRC team is going to Tanjong Pagar's Baey Yam Keng, who he wlecomes to his Tampines team. Rowdy scenes at Dunman Secondary School. 1050AM: Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan arrives at Greenridge Secondary School. Expected to defend his Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. PAP's Teo Ho Pin also arrives and he's expected to contest Bukit Panjang SMC. 1045AM: MM Lee arrives at SCGS. Expected to defend his Tanjong Pagar GRC. 1040AM: Minister Mah Bow Tan and Tanjong Pagar MP Baey Yam Keng turn up at Dunman Secondary School. Baey is expected to be redeployed to Tampines GRC to replace Steve Tan, who earlier dropped out of the GE due to "personal reasons". 1037AM: Reports that SDA assistant secretary-general Nazem Suki is set to step down and contest as an independent candidate at Tanjong Pagar GRC. 1030AM: Tanjong Pagar PAP MP Baey Yam Keng expected to replace young NTUC executive secretary Steve Tan, in Tampines GRC. Tan dropped a bombshell earlier this morning when he pulled out of plans to contest the elections due to a "personal decision". He was one of 24 new PAP candidates unveiled. 1025AM: WP chief Low Thia Kiang and his "A-team" consisting of Sylvia Lim and Chen Show Mao turn up at Deyi Secondary School -- the nomination centre for Aljunied GRC. Signs indicate he will not stand in his stronghold of Hougang SMC. Welcome to our live coverage of Nomination Day. Today, over 160 candidates will file their candidacy papers at 9 nomination centres across Singapore between 11am to noon today. 15 General Representation Constituencies and 12 single-seat wards are up for grabs. A total of 87 Parliamentary seats are at stake. Among the big questions: Where will Worker's Party chief Low Thia Kiang decide to contest? Will there be any walkovers? Which wards will see three-cornered fights?

Battle Royale expected at Aljunied, PAP vs WP By Ion Danker | SingaporeScene Wed, Apr 27, 2011 4:55 PM SGT Expect a big fight between the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and opposition parties come Polling Day on 7 May. Based on the papers filed at nomination centres on Wednesday, 82 out of 87 Parliamentary seats will be up for grabs with only the five-seat Tanjong Pagar group representation constituency (GRC) the only ward to see no contest. The PAP team led by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who has represented Tanjong Pagar GRC for 56 years, have been declared winners for the area. A five-member team under the Singapore Democratic Alliance and led by Socialist Front chairman Ng Teck Siong attempted to file its candidacy t the Singapore Chinese Girls' School, but they were 35 seconds too late. The hottest contest is expected to be at Aljunied GRC where Workers' Party chief and MP for Hougang single ward, Low Thia Khiang, and his team will face off against the PAP slate led by Foreign Minister George Yeo. Low's team includes "star catch" Chen Show Mao, WP party chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul. Yeo's team comprises of Lim Hwee Hua, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Cynthia Phua and Ong Ye Kung. Ms Lim made no bones about her party's decision to field their best team at Aljunied GRC -- which was fiercely contested in 2006 -- and said, "We are determined to make a breakthrough in Aljunied GRC. We believe your lives will improve if PAP faces a strong challenge in Parliament....We trust you. You are our secret weapon." Minister Yeo, on his part, expects a tough fight and said, "As expected, WP has fielded a strong team at Aljunied GRC... But we will fight hard to win every heart and mind of voters. We have detailed plans to develop Aljunied in the next five years. This will be a crucial contest...Give us your full support." Another opposition MP to try his hand at a GRC is Singapore People's Party's Chiam See Tong, who has been the MP for Potong Pasir for several terms. He will be contesting the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC against a PAP slate led by DPM Wong Kan Seng. Chiam said, "Vote for SPP and the SPP will get the PAP to be more accountable... If you want the credit, you must be able to take the fall." Even as opposition supporters chanted "Mas Selamat, Mas Selamat", Minister Wong, on his part said, "You know what we have done for the last five years. I know you will choose wisely." All of the contests will be straight one-on-one fights except for Punggol East single member constituency (SMC), where there will be a three-cornered fight involving PAP's Michael Palmer, the WP's Lee Li Lian and the SDA's secretary general, Desmond Lim. In Ang Mo Kio GRC, the bailiwick of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the Reform Party has fielded a team led by businessman Mansor Rahman. PM Lee said he "welcomes the contest" and that the PAP candidates "will work as a team to win people's support". Meanwhile, the Singapore Democratic Party led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha said his team raised two specific points of objection against the PAP team for the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, but these objections were over-ruled by the Assistant Returning Officer of the Elections Department. Several of the opposition leaders called on voters to make the PAP "accountable". Nicole Seah, the GE's youngest candidate, from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) team addressed the crowd: "Why is NSP in Marine Parade GRC, a constituency that has not been contested for 19 years? It's because residents, citizens of Singapore, you have a choice. You have a choice to hold the PAP accountable for its policies." SPP's Lina Chiam, wife of Chiam See Tong, who will be running in Potong Pasir single ward, said: "For 27 years, you have supported my husband... I salute Potong Pasir residents: You have the unbeatable spirit, courage, bravery, pride and patriotism." The PAP candidates reminded voters of what was at stake and the PAP's track record. MCYS Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan at Greenridge Secondary School said: "This election is about our homes, our families, our children and our jobs... Majulah PAP, Majulah Singapura." Over the next nine days until "Cooling Off" day on Friday May 6th, expect fierce election rhetoric and rallies from all sides to rage across the island as the battle for the hearts and minds of voters begins. Singapore, how will you vote?

Why did PAP's Steve Tan pull out ??? 'I've not heard about Online Rumours' By Fann Sim | SingaporeScene – Wed, Apr 27, 2011 10:02 AM SGT The People's Action Party candidate who dropped out of the elections last minute has dismissed online speculation about the reasons why he suddenly pulled out. Steven Tan Peng Hoe, who was expected to run in the Tampines Group Representation Constituency, withdrew his candidacy at the 11th hour late on Tuesday night, citing "personal reasons". Unsubstantiated claims on internet forums said his decision could be down to harrassment issues when he was working at the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) umbrella union. The poster also said letters have been sent to the Prime Minister's Office. However, speaking to Yahoo! Singapore, Tan declined to go into the details of his decision. He said he "has not heard about the speculation" but "thinks that people are starting it because of the short notice of the withdrawal." But when asked if he will continue to conduct activities under the PAP banner, Tan said that he could not comment. However, he said he plans to continue with his work and daily life. Earlier, Tan said he withdrew his candidacy after a talk with his wife and called the decision, "a hard one". Later on Wednesday, PM Lee addressed the issue during a press conference and said the PAP "were unaware" of Tan's issue until the last minute but were prepared to make final-hour adjustments. PM Lee said he did not want go into details about why he withdrew except that it was a "personal decision" by Tan which the PAP "accepted". When he was first introduced to the media, Tan said he was a grassroots volunteer at Tampines East and helped out at Meet-the-People Sessions, among other activities. A business graduate of the Nanyang Technological University, he also helps to manage the community website, My Tampines. He had said that he sees being an "ordinary guy" as a strength. "When I'm doing my union work, this is one aspect I love: I hang out at the same places and do the same things as my workers... we eat roti prata at Jalan Kayu together," he said. "It will make it easier for me to relate to voters," he said. Tan's sudden withdrawal caused a last-minute PAP reshuffle with Tanjong Pagar MP Baey Yam Keng moving over to Tampines GRC. "I was informed just yesterday, on Tuesday evening. I did a quick drive through last night and looked around town. The profile of the residents here are different from Queenstown and Tanjong Pagar," said Mr Baey. He also added that he hopes to be given a chance to serve the Tampines community. Replacing Baey in Tanjong Pagar, in turn, is Singapore General Hospital doctor Dr Chia Shi Lu, who has worked on the grassroots level in Aljunied and Hougang. Media raised the issue on how and why Dr Chia managed to get a "free pass" into Parliament after Tanjong Pagar GRC went uncontested. PM Lee said in response that at the time when Dr Chia was drafted into the GRC team led by MM Lee, the PAP could not possibly know that Tanjong Pagar would not be contested.

Champions League - 10 things you need to know about SCHALKE Tue, 26 Apr 08:57:00 2011 Schalke 04 have slipped under the radar for many in the Champions League so we get the definitive rundown on Manchester United's semi-final opponents from Eurosport Germany's Dirk Adam. Schalke have won every home match in the Champions League this season. How intimidating is the Veltins-Arena? The Veltins-Arena is one of the most impressive stadiums in Germany. You’ve got over 60,000 fans there and they make so much noise. The noise level is very high because Schalke's fans are very enthusiastic. Schalke are only mid-table in Bundesliga but have reached the last four of Europe’s premier competition. Why has their domestic and European form been so different? This weekend they played only with their B team against Kaiserslautern and lost 1-0 as Ralf Rangnick is focused only on the Champions League. The Bundesliga is no longer the main priority because Schalke can’t qualify for Europe through the League and can’t be relegated. Under Felix Magath the team simply underperformed. Why do relatively modest German teams - Dortmund in 1997, Leverkusen in 2002 - thrive in the Champions League? Here in Germany we had only one big club in the past: Bayern Munich. Now it’s a little bit different. Many other clubs are also very strong because of their clever transfers and the new youth concept after the disaster in the 2000 European Championships. That has worked very well for Schalke with Manuel Neuer, for example. Ralf Rangnick has only been the coach for less than a month. Have the team improved with him in charge? Yes. The whole team works together again after they feared Felix Magath. The atmosphere is pretty good and some players have been given a new chance under Rangnick. Schalke play attractive football and some of the credit does have to go to Magath who bought in new players like Raul. Is Raul still as good as ever? Raul is better that ever. He’s a perfect example for any professional. The Spaniard bought a house in Gelsenkirchen and he’s doing his all for the club. He’s still a brilliant player with a perfect fitness level. Some days ago Rangnick pointed out that Raul is in very good shape. Most English fans know about Manuel Neuer, Christoph Metzelder and Raul but who are the other key players? One of the best players against Inter was the Brazilian Edu. He had no real chance under Magath because he played in the wrong position. But under Rangnick he plays in the middle of the attack and that’s perfect for him. You’ve also Benedikt Hoewedes, who’s a very young player who Bayern Munich are very interested in. Other good players are Alexander Baumjohann, Jose Manuel Jurado and Jefferson Farfan. And please don’t forget Klaas-Jan Huntelaar when he’s fit. Who are the weak links in the team? They have a very good keeper with Neuer, but sometimes the defence is not great. If Christoph Metzelder is not in the best shape he makes some mistakes. And Hoewedes is very young and sometimes a little bit inexperienced. Will Schalke be particularly attacking at home? I think so. They will get one goal because the perfect result would be 1-0. Raul can score always a goal and that will be the plan. Schalke hopes for one or two good chances and Raul has to score. Or Edu… so they have some different options. Do you think Schalke have any chance of qualifying? Schalke clearly is the underdog against Manchester United. But in my opinion the have a 50-50 chance because in the two games against Inter they were very strong. In this shape they can beat every team - including Manchester United. Qualifying for the final is not impossible.

Schalke 04 Champions League FACTFILES Mon, 25 Apr 03:01:00 2011 Schalke 04 players' individual factfiles: Schalke 04 (Germany) Champions League appearances: 4 CL record: 1 semi-final (2011) CL match record: P32 W14 D6 L12 F48 A33 European titles: UEFA Cup 1 (1997) Overall match record: P121 W60 D26 L35 F188 A127 Coach: Ralf Rangnick (Germany) CL Record: P8 W4 D2 L2 CL matches this season: P10 W7 D2 L1 F21 A8 14.09.10 GP A v Olympique Lyon 0-1 29.09.10 GP H v Benfica 2-0 Farfan, Huntelaar 20.10.10 GP H v Hapoel Tel Aviv 3-1 Raul 2, Jurado 2.11.10 GP A v Hapoel Tel Aviv 0-0 24.11.10 GP H v Olympique Lyon 3-0 Farfan, Huntelaar 2 7.12.10 GP A v Benfica 2-1 Jurado, Hoewedes 15.02.11 KO A v Valencia 1-1 Raul 9.03.11 KO H v Valencia 3-1 Farfan 2, Gavranovic 5.04.11 QF A v Internazionale Milan 5-2 Matip, Edu 2, Raul, Ranocchia og 13.04.11 QF H v Internazionale Milan 2-1 Raul, Hoewedes Scorers: Raul 5, Farfan 4, Huntelaar 3, Edu 2, Hoewedes 2, Jurado 2, Gavranovic 1, Matip 1, own goal 1 Squad (A/G=CL Appearances/goals, 1=current season, 2=with current club, 3=total career) Goalkeepers A/G1 A/G2 A/G3 Other clubs Manuel Neuer (Germany) 10/0 20/0 20/0 Matthias Schober (Germany) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Lars Unnerstall (Germany) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Defenders Benedikt Hoewedes (Germany) 9/2 12/2 12/2 Atsuto Uchida (Japan) 9/0 9/0 9/0 Christoph Metzelder (Germany) 8/0 8/0 26/0 B Dortmund/ Real M Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Greece) 5/0 5/0 5/0 Hans Sarpei (Ghana) 5/0 5/0 5/0 Sergio Escudero (Spain) 2/0 2/0 2/0 Nicolas Plestan (France) 1/0 1/0 11/0 Lille Christian Pander (Germany) 0/0 2/0 2/0 Frank Fahrenhorst (Germany) 0/0 0/0 8/0 W. Bremen Marvin Pachan (Germany) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Midfielders Jose Manuel Jurado (Spain) 9/2 9/2 16/2 Real M/ Atletico M Joel Matip (Cameroon) 9/1 9/1 9/1 Lukas Schmitz (Germany) 8/0 8/0 8/0 Peer Kluge (Germany) 7/0 7/0 7/0 Julian Draxler (Germany) 4/0 4/0 4/0 Ciprian Deac (Romania) 3/0 3/0 5/0 CFR Cluj Christoph Moritz (Germany) 3/0 3/0 3/0 Alexander Baumjohann (Germany) 2/0 2/0 2/0 Hao Junmin (China) 2/0 2/0 2/0 Ali Karimi (Iran) 1/0 1/0 6/1 Bayern Munich Mario Gavranovic (Switzerland) 1/1 1/1 1/1 Danny Latza (Germany) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Predrag Stevanovic (Serbia) 0/0 0/0 0/0 Strikers Raul Gonzalez (Spain) 10/5 10/5 140/71 Real Madrid Jefferson Farfan (Peru) 8/4 8/4 42/8 PSV Eindhoven Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Netherlands) 7/3 7/3 12/4 Ajax/AC Milan Edu Goncalves (Brazil) 6/2 6/2 6/2 Angelos Haristeas (Greece) 1/0 1/0 9/1 Werder/Ajax Also played Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) 5/0 12/0 12/0 (now with Sevilla) Jermaine Jones (U.S.) 4/0 12/1 14/1 B Leverkusen (now with Blackburn Rovers) Erik Jendrisek (Slovakia) 1/0 1/0 1/0 (now with Freiburg)

Sony chases Apple with launch of Android Tablet By Isabel Reynolds | Reuters – Wed, Apr 27, 2011 2:53 AM SGT TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony launched its first tablet computers on Tuesday in an ambitious attempt to grab the No.2 spot from Samsung in a fast-growing market dominated by Apple's year-old iPad. The gadgets, based on Google's Android 3.0 operating system, could be some of the Japanese company's most important new products since the Playstation game console made its debut in 1994. Sony, also the inventor of the Walkman and once a symbol of Japan's high-tech might, is now struggling to come up with hit devices and improve profit margins as it competes with Apple, Samsung Electronics and Nintendo. "Expectations are low that any company can present a credible challenge to Apple," said Jay Defibaugh, director of equity research at MF Global in Tokyo. Sony's tablets join more than 100 iPad challengers based on Android, and may struggle to differentiate themselves, although Sony does have the advantage of being able to link the tablets to its gaming and entertainment offerings. "Being late into the tablet market is not necessarily a bad thing," said Geoff Blaber, head of mobile device software research at British IT analysis firm CCS Insight. "If certain manufacturers are taking their time to come to market with something genuinely differentiated from the iPad... that can be good for them in the long run." Samsung's Galaxy Tab is Apple's strongest competitor while Motorola, LG Electronics and HTC are flooding the market with tablets running Android. A survey published on Tuesday showed that Android is already losing some allure for software developers smitten with Apple -- meaning that fewer of the apps that attract customers to buy a product are likely to be available for Android. Sony's black, glossy devices, code-named S1 and S2, will be the first tablets to enable the use of PlayStation games, Kunimasa Suzuki, deputy president of the consumer products and services group, said at Tuesday's media launch. Sony is banking on the unusual, off-center design of the S1 and access to first generation PlayStation games and its other networked content to differentiate the products from the flood of tablets in the market. Sales of tablet devices are expected to quadruple to about 294 million units between 2011 and 2015, with almost half that Android-based, research firm Gartner has forecast. Sony gave no clues on the price of the new tablets, which will need to compete with the iPad2, offered at $499 and upwards depending on the model. "It has to be the same price as the iPad or less," said analyst Shiro Mikoshiba of Nomura Securities. "They are in the position of having to catch up with Apple, so they have to be attractive in terms of price." Price alone may not be enough. Research in Motion, which has priced the PlayBook to match the iPad, has struggled to win consumer fans since launching the device last week. Hewlett-Packard Co unveiled its entrant in the tablet race in February. Sony's tablets will be WiFi and 3G/4G compatible. S1 has a 9.4-inch display and a curved design that Sony said makes it easier to hold for long periods of time. The S2 has two 5.5-inch displays in a clamshell design, which Suzuki emphasized by producing one of them from his jacket pocket during the launch. Sony has seen its share price slide in the past decade as it struggled to keep up with rivals. Helped by its success in TVs and other products, Samsung's market capitalization of some $134 billion dwarfs Sony's $30 billion market value. Sony's Kazuo Hirai, seen as a likely successor to CEO Howard Stringer, made his first public appearance at the event after the company promoted the gaming division chief to the number 2 position last month. Google's Android chief Andy Rubin was also on hand. Shares in Sony, which unveils its quarterly results on May 26, fell 2.1 percent on Tuesday in a Nikkei market down just over 1 percent. (Additional reporting by Miyoung Kim in Seoul and Georgina Prodhan in London; additional writing by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

Sexy Ghost too SEXY for most ??? By Ezekiel Lee Zhiang Yang | Yahoo!Branded Cinema Online – Wed, Apr 20, 2011 5:24 AM SGT 20 Apr - A sex scene between Chinese beauty Crystal Liu Yi Fei and Louis Koo in "A Chinese Ghost Story" has apparently been lost to the cutting room floor for its 18-rated theatrical release in Malaysia. Playing demoness and demon hunter in yet another adaptation of the popular story, the said scene appears very early on in the film and is part of a flashback montage about their ill-fated romance. No comment can be obtained from Golden Screen Cinemas, who played it at the Malaysian preview for pressmen yesterday. However, it is learned that the Singaporean version, rated a tame PG (Parental Guidance), does not suffer the same. 23-year-old Crystal Liu plays Nie Xiaoqian in this Wilson Yip ("Ip Man") reupdate on the Qing Dynasty fable. The cross-genre movie reveals plenty of bareback action from her, while she was also noted to have appeared in a low-cut golden dress to compliment her figure at the Beijing launch earlier in February. In 2008, Liu starred with martial arts icons Jet Li and Jackie Chan in "The Forbidden Kingdom", in which she played Golden Sparrow, an orphan seeking revenge against her parents' killer. In 2010, she starred in "Love In Disguise" with Wang Lee Hom. "A Chinese Ghost Story" opens tomorrow in Malaysia under the distribution of Golden Screen Cinemas and in Singapore under the joint-distribution of Golden Village Pictures and Encore Films.