Year 2008

Singapore Airspace Shut Down

Tuesday, 23rd December 2008

The airspace was shut down last night when two missile-armed Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F16D jets were scrambled to intercept a civilian plane heading here without an approved flight plan. The fighter jets went into action at 6.42pm and intercepted the single-engine turboprop Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian (a float plane able to land on water) and escorted it to land at Changi Airport. The resulting lockdown of Singapore's airspace triggered by the intrusion affected 17 inbound flights, which were forced into holding patterns. Six departures were delayed.


First Taoist library opens in Singapore

Saturday, 20th December 2008

But the San Qing Gong Taoist Library is its first in Singapore, and its 3,000 volumes of religious texts - often abstract and mellifluous in nature - will surely provide enough hours of study for disciples of the Tao. About half of the texts in San Qing Gong Taoist Library were donated from private collections, and from local and Chinese schools, including Sichuan University and Xiamen University. The other half were purchased. The San Qing Gong Taoist Library is part of the new Taoist College offering a diploma programme in Taoist studies.


Singapore Grand Prix wins FIA award

Sunday, 14th December 2008

Ong Beng Seng, the man that is instrumental in bringing the Grand Prix to Singapore, receivied the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Promoter of the Year trophy on behalf of Singapore GP, which he controls, in the aptly named Salle des Etoiles (Room of the Stars) at Monaco's Sporting Club. Singapore GP was selected for 'its magnificent effort in organising the sport's first-ever night race in September 2008. The FIA award, the most prestigious in Formula One.


More Training centres for pre-school education professionals

Saturday, 13th December 2008

To meet the demand for pre-school education professionals in the next five years, a Centre for Continuing Education and Training has been appointed for the sector by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).  These training centres will be rolling out various programmes to train more than 1,500 individuals including mid-career professionals over the next three years. There are about 750 childcare centres and 480 kindergartens. Over the next five years, another 200 centres are expected to open. This will provide more job opportunities in this particular education sector.


PAP town councils invested in defuncted bond

Thursday, 11th December 2008

Holland Town Council and Bukit Panjang Town Council, both People's Action Party (PAP) town councils, had invested $12 million in troubled in the Lehman Brothers-linked Minibonds and the Merrill Lynch Jubilee Series 3. The 2 PAP) town councils send out a detailed explanation of their investments to about 53,000 households under their care.


Rich Barry conned 4 thirty-something women

Wednesday, 10th December 2008

A man, known as Barry on Internet Chatline, who cheated four women he came to know on Internet chatlines of nearly $40,000 was jailed for 27 months. The 29 year-old, Tan S#e L###g (aka Berry) boasted that he came from a very wealthy family, was living in Bukit Timah. Two of his victims were conned after he said he was looking for a personal assistant who would get $15,000 to $20,000 a month to run his errands. His ploy was to get his "personal assistant" to pay for his expenses first and he promised to reimbursed them later. Both victim handled over some of their savings. After that, Rich Barry disappeared.


Drive to recruit teachers

Tuesday, 9th December 2008

A fake classroom set up opposite Raffles Place MRT station greeted workers during their lunch breaks. The "classroom" were part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) four-day drive to recruit mid-career teachers. MOE (Ministry of Education) used to hold recruitment seminars at hotels for mid-career entrants to the teaching force. But time round, MOE is probably out to looking out for interested applicants that may be leaving their currently industry due to the slow down in the economy and mid-career professionals consider joining teaching force.


Pork products from Ireland Banned

Monday, 8th December 2008

Singapore has suspended the import and sale of all pork and pork products from Ireland. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority's (AVA) decision comes after the Irish government recalled all Irish pork products following the presence of dioxins in samples tested by Irish authorities. Dioxins are environmental contaminants. Singapore importers and retailers have been instructed to recall the products from the market immediately. Consumers who have bought pork products from Ireland were advised to discard them. According to AVA, Singapore import about 200 Metric Tonnes of Irish pork a month.


Bus Heading to Singapore Crashed in Malaysia

Sunday, 7th December 2008

10 passengers were killed when the Super Nice Grassland Express bus overturned along the North-South Expressway. The accident happened between Tangkak and Pagoh at the Kilometre 146 waypoint on E2. Fourteen victims including the driver and co-driver were treated at Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar (Johor, Malaysia). The bus left Pantai Remis, Perak at 7pm on Friday night heading for Singapore. Seven hours into the journey, at around 2am it skidded off the highway, overturned several times, smashed into a tree and plunged into a shallow ditch.


Indonesia Maid Jailed for Lying

Friday, 5th December 2008

A magistrate court in Singapore sentenced 25-year-old Nurhayati to three months' jail for giving false information. Nurhayati was worried that her employer would find out about her relationship with a Singaporean man, who works as a fruit stall assistant, made a police report claiming that he tried to rape her. She alleged that he removed her Tee-shirt, kissed and fondled breast her. The man was then arrested and held in custody. Nurhayati later admitted that she had lied about the attempted rape.


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