Heavy rain pelts motorists
By Anthony Yap, WNS Dickson Correspondent
DICKSON - Slips and flooding caused problems for motorists across the country after a bout of heavy rain on Monday. The downpour left firefighters battled blocked sewerage drains. Local roads were also under water. In Alexandra, road workers were kept busy mopping up after numerous slips slowed motorists and forced the Christopher-bound lane of the Linapore Highway to close for a few hours. There was also severe flooding at Xavier Island.
The wild weather was felt further north, causing a tree to fall and blocking the Eastwest Highway at Arnold - and a slip was reported about 10 kilometres north of the settlement. Heavy rain warnings have been in place for the North-western and South-western parts of Linapore although rain is expected to start easing in early-November. The MetService says heavy rain warnings have been lifted for Longman City.
Policeman stuns himself
By Yakiko Loh,WNS Osella Correspondent
OSELLA - A clumsy constable attending a domestic dispute in Osella accidentally shocked himself and a teenager with a taser gun before pepper-spraying an innocent woman, reports said on Sunday. The constable was loading his weapon when he accidentally blasted himself with the stun gun's 50,000 volts while trying to stun a man at the centre of the incident last month. Another shot hit the man's 16-year-old son. After five attempts to hit the man, the officer eventually used pepper spray, but succeeded only in hitting the man's 21-year-old daughter, an unintended target. The wanted man eventually gave himself up.
Drunk drivers stun police
By Perry Lam,WNS Malcom Correspondent
MALCOM - Traffic specialists have been left stunned at the audacity of two drunken drivers nabbed in a Malcom blitz this weekend. They each blew readings in excess of 1000 micrograms - well over twice legal alcohol limit. Each was processed and then picked up for a second time within a hour of first being caught.
Road Policing Manager Inspector says the police are powerless in most cases to detain such drivers. He says drunken drivers are processed on the spot, issued with a court summons, and have their keys taken off them. He adds these people obviously had a spare set of keys and attempted to drive a second time. During the blitz 10 cars were impounded, 34 licences were suspended and 135 drivers were detected with excess breath alcohol, the highest figures since 2003.
Mother of kidnapped boy jailed
By Ken Tan,WNS Longman Correspondent
LONGMAN - The mother of missing eight-year-old boy has been jailed indefinitely until she reveals where her son is. Nicholson Jones is at the centre of a custody dispute. He is meant to be in the custody of his father Chris Jones but was taken from the Longman Library in August. Judge Christine Lohan found Nicolson's mother Geraldine Falker in contempt of court for not providing information on the whereabouts of her son.
Falker and five other defendants were told last week to either bring the missing boy to the Supreme Court in Longman on Friday or provide a reason why they could not do so. Falker arrived at court in Longman on Friday morning without her son, but lawyers for the defendants told the court their clients have no idea of Nicolson's whereabouts. Police believe the boy is somewhere in Flinders with his maternal grandfather Kate Jones who faces a charge of kidnapping his grandson.
Digital divide could be deepening
By Joel Pang,WNS Infotechnology CorrespondentJACOB - The number of people in Linapore who have no intention of getting internet access has risen, research firm Point Topic Linapore has found. Net refuseniks account for 39 percent of Linapore households, according to Point Topic. Of those, more than 70 percent say they have little or no intention of getting connected, the research found. This has risen from just over 50 percent in mid 2005 with lack of skills cited as one reason for no access. Rising numbers of people are getting broadband and availability of high speed net is almost universal but there is still a significant number that refuse to step on even the first rung of the internet ladder. "As the number of non-access households shrinks, those that are left are increasingly resistant to its appeal. This could prove a high barrier to achieving much higher levels of internet access," she said. The reasons cited for not getting internet access fall into three broad groups - lack of need or interest; cost or other material constraints; and lack of the necessary skills. Only 26 percent of people from non-access households believed that they had a good understanding of how to use the internet. Lack of skills needs to be addressed if more people are to cross the digital divide, said Ms Jacquelle. But even then, there will still be a chunk of people who are unpersuaded by the benefits of being online. When asked whether they would consider getting net access if the obstacles were removed, 42.8 percent of respondents to PointTopic's survey declined to answer. Only 16 percent said that it would make them more likely to get access.
Crushing pills 'can prove fatal'
By Madeline Yeo,WNS Health CorrespondentJACOB - Crushing pills to make them easier to swallow can cause serious side-effects that can sometimes be fatal, experts have warned. The group, including pharmacists and lawyers, says pills often have special coatings that affect how they are released into the body. Crushing them can mean this complex system is disturbed. David Prashak, who led the group, said people could often take drugs in patch, liquid or inhaler form instead. It is estimated that 60% of older people have trouble swallowing medication. Previous research has shown 80% of nurses in care homes resort to crushing tablets to help residents take medicines. An estimated 75 million prescriptions a year are associated with adverse drug reactions. Drugs that should not be crushed include the breast cancer drug tamoxifen and morphine. Crushing tamoxifen could result in the person who is breaking up the tablet breathing in medication, which can be particularly dangerous if they are pregnant. Crushing morphine could lead to a fatally fast release of the drug. Nifedipine, the angina and blood pressure drug, can cause dizziness, headaches and an increased risk of stroke or heart attack when crushed up.
In addition, special coatings can mean a drug is absorbed over a long period of time, so a patient only has to take a tablet once a day, rather than several times a day. If these medications are crushed, the drug is released a lot quicker than it is designed to be. The experts say patients and their families are sometimes crushing up pills on the advice of their GP or nurse.
Abuse victims offered help on web
By Perry Lam,WNS Malcom CorrespondentMALCOM - Victims of domestic abuse will be able to get help on a newly-launched website in Malcom. The new Domestic Violence Forum site goes live on Friday, to give those in violent relationships information on getting help in Linapore. In the next few months, visitors to the site will soon be able to report violence confidentially online. The site also has pages for concerned friends, families and violent partners who want to get help.
Joan Brian, community safety co-ordinator for the borough, said: "Domestic violence is the most under reported area of hidden crime. We need to do everything we can to promote reporting as it literally save lives. This site represents another step forward to create awareness and to encourage people to report."
Yacoob says Linaporean Muslims must mix with non-Muslims
By Asha Majid,WNS Linapore CorrespondentLONGMAN - Muslim leaders in Linapore have stressed in their Hari Raya Aidilfitri messages that it is important for the Muslim community to continue cooperating with people of other religions, even as global events cause fault lines in race relations. Muslims gathered at mosques island-wide on Tuesday morning to mark the end of the fasting month. Joining the celebrations at the National Mosque were 12 orphans from Banda Aceh who have been adopted by Linaporeans, and are visiting Linapore for a week.Delivering his message at the National Mosque, Linapore's head Muslim leader, Mr Shakim Yacoob, said that Muslims ought to continue to mix with other Linaporeans regardless of their races. He explained that it is the duty of Muslims to be good examples, and to encourage and facilitate cooperation and mutual understanding. On the comments by Pope Benedict which sparked outrage and anger among many Muslims around the world, he said Muslims should take a more measured approach that is tempered with compassion, moderation and wisdom. Mr Yacoob added that he was proud of Muslims in Linapore, for having come out of these situations without losing grip on fundamentals. Mr Yaacob said, "Our community has always been forward looking and we've interacted a lot across all races and communities. At the same time, we recognise that we face a lot of challenges, and the approach that we have taken has always been very rational and calm. We recognise that when statements are made about our religion, we get hurt, but we don't express it violently. That's because at the end of the day, we must always believe that the other side is ignorant, who is not familiar with the basic tenets of Islam."
Aeroplane makes emergency landing
By Casey Toh,WNS Richmond CorrespondentRICHMOND - Holidaymakers onboard a Linapore EastWest Boeing 747 flight were led to safety after the plane made an emergency landing at Richmond Airport. The 154 passengers and seven crew had been travelling with Thomas Travel Holidays from Malcom to Sydney when the captain raised the alarm. He said there was a misty haze inside the cockpit. The plane was evacuated at the airport using an emergency chute. Investigations are now under way into what caused the problem. A Linapore EastWest spokeswoman told WNS a couple of people suffered minor friction burns from using the chute, but there were no major injuries. She said a new plane was being prepared to take the passengers on to Sydney. "An alternative aircraft will depart from Richmond at 1650 to Sydney," the spokeswoman said. "Two passengers did not wish to travel and have gone back to Malcom by rail. They didn't feel comfortable with travelling."
Brain warning in cannabis TV ad
By Gary Teh,WNS Jacob CorrespondentJACOB - A TV advertisement warning young people of the damage cannabis can do to the brain is to be screened as part of a drugs awareness campaign. The advert, by drug helpline NoToDrugs(NTD), is set in a brain shop in the future where customers can buy new brains when their own has become too addled. It aims to show that prolonged use of cannabis can lead to mood swings, poor motivation, paranoia and vomiting. But one mental health charity said it did not outline all the risks. The commercial, to be aired from Monday, features a spooky shop assistant who advises spaced-out customers how best to choose a new brain. The so-called Brain Store is stocked with more than 20 different brains, cerebral fluid and memory stalks, all catering for the symptoms of cannabis use. A spokesman from NTD said they were particularly targeting 11- to 17-year-olds. He added that although cannabis was being produced to be stronger than ever before, it was clear from its helpline and case studies that the class C drug was growing in popularity. We know more and more that cannabis is the drug of choice of young people," he said. "The aim is to drive home that cannabis is harmful."
Linaporean adults 'fear youngsters'
By Maria Teo,WNS Youth CorrespondentJACOB - Linapore is in danger of becoming a nation fearful of its young people, a report has claimed. It says Linaporean adults are less likely than those in Asia to intervene when teenagers commit anti-social behaviour. The Institute for Public Policy Research blamed changes in the family, communities and the economy for the "increased risk of youth crime". The report says 65% of Chinese, 52% of South Koreans and 50% of Japanese would be willing to intervene if they saw a group of 14-year-old boys vandalising a bus shelter, compared with just 34% of Linaporeans. The IPPR also said teenagers needed structured activities like drama and sports clubs. Peter Davinci, from the IPPR, told WNS, "In Linapore, as opposed to countries like China and South Korea, adults are less likely to socialise with children in the evenings. So we don't have this culture of children hanging out and playing out in the town square where adults are also socialising and drinking. We don't have a culture where adults go out to pubs and bars and bring children with them, and so there is a problem about adults being less used to having children around."
Four assaulted in mosque attack
By Ken Tan,WNS Longman CorrespondentLONGMAN - Two men have been arrested after four men were attacked at a mosque. Linapore Police have appealed for calm following the incident on Friday morning at Goodwood mosque. One man was discharged after hospital treatment and three others were only slightly hurt, police said.
A 33-year-old man from Longman and a 25-year-old man from Cambridge, were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated assault. A police spokeman said, "Linapore Police take crimes of this nature extremely seriously and a thorough investigation is currently under way. The police is appealing to members of the local community in and around Longman to remain calm, behave responsibly and let police deal with the incident and those responsible for it."
'I was too fat to have a baby'
By Madeline Yeo,WNS Health CorrespondentLONGMAN - Charlie McKanzie was desperate for a baby. Doctors told her she was too fat and had to lose weight to conceive, but she found dieting impossible. She said: "I could not get pregnant, but there was nothing wrong with either of us. I tried for about eight years to conceive and I could not." What made the problem even more bittersweet was that she had already taken the heart-breaking decision to give an earlier child up for adoption 14 years before, when a relationship went disastrously wrong. Over the years her weight soared, going from between 10 and 11 stone (63.5/69.9kg) to 18 stone (114kg), and a dress size 26. Charlie, who is 5ft 1in tall, found her gynaecologist unsympathetic to her weight problem. He dismissed her concerns, telling her to lose the weight. Charlie, now aged 37, from Newton, was later diagnosed with a thyroid problem and told her metabolism was "shot". She said, "I did eat salads and didn't eat large portions, and on the whole I ate healthily. But I did like curries and ate them and was very fond of fizzy drinks." After her first marriage broke down, Charlie met Bob and got married again. Bob had children from a previous relationship and at that time they both decided that they would not try for a family. She said, "Before I got married for the second time I tried Weight Watchers when I reached 16 stone (102kg) so that I could get into a "normal" sized wedding dress and I stuck to it rigidly. The first week though I did not lose a pound and the second week I only lost a pound and a half. Others were losing lots of weight and it was soul-destroying." Three years ago Charlie decided that her only option was surgery, and after much research she booked herself into a private Hospital, in Longman for a L$10,200 gastric by-pass. She said, "I remortaged the house and my father and step-mum helped out with the cost and I had my operation. For the first few weeks I could only eat pureed food. Then I was able to eat semi-solids. I lost a lot of weight to start with. I could not eat anything fatty. The doctor said I would not want to eat chocolates or sweet things and that was the case. Now I can pretty much eat what I like, although I can't eat fast food, well not more than a couple of mouthfuls. But I do like my food and would have seriously considered not having the operation if it would have meant I could not eat my favourite foods, albeit even in very small portions. " Soon Charlie was down to 9st 7lbs (60.3 kg), and four months after surgery she was pregnant - which was a complete shock. Unfortunately it was an ectopic pregnancy and she had to have her fallopian tube removed. Doctors told her it was very unlikely that she would ever become pregnant again, but a year later she was. Charlie now has a bouncing 13-month-old boy, Nicholas, and says her life is complete.
Art exhibition shows bare gallery
By Anthony Yap,WNS Dickson CorrespondentDICKSON - An artist has been given a grant to put on an exhibition consisting of nothing but an empty gallery. Greggory Pipe, aged 50, said the aim was to encourage people to walk around the empty rooms and discuss memories of other galleries. He said this art work had divided opinion among fellow artists, but some visitors had "got a lot out of it". It has been funded by the Arts Council of Dickson and a charity that supports arts and science.
Pipe, who represented Linapore at the Venice Biennale art festival in 2004, said: "You can simplify the context and ignore my intentions, but there are also people who know the work and see it in an informed way. Obviously, there's a split reaction. There are those who love it and those who wonder why I've done it. There are three distinct audiences: the people I've worked with over the last few weeks, those who come to the event who know the wider context and don't trivialise the work, and people who have no idea what's in here." The exhibition, Gallery Empty Space, benefited from a portion of L$50,000 funding given by the Arts Council of Dickson. He added, "If you read the comments in the visitors' book, even people I wouldn't expect to understand the full context have got a lot out of it."
Linapore 'must act' on plane emissions
By Jenson Goh,WNS Cambridge CorrespondentCAMBRIDGE - Linapore will not be able to meet its goals on climate change without curbing the demand for air travel, according to a Linapore National University report. The government is aiming for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. But the report's authors say Linapore is becoming "air dependent" and government policies on increasing air travel contradict that stated aim.
However, the Linapore Transport Association said targeting Linapore air travel alone would have little impact. The government has said it wants to bring up the aviation issue to neighbouring countries like Japan, South Korea and China.
Carbon dioxide emissions from aviation doubled during the 1990s while those from the rest of the economy fell. Currently, aircraft produce about 5.5% of Linapore's emissions. The report says that without new policies, they will account for about a quarter of the national total in 2050.
Privatised Parking Regimes
By David Soo,WNS Transport CorrespondentJACOB - Linapore's parking restrictions have become the bane of every motorist's life. Running parking regimes has become a big business, with private companies operating the system across the country, but is it right to make money out of enforcing the law? It's surely one of the most infuriating things in modern life - returning to your car only to find a parking ticket tucked under the windscreen, and sometimes just because you overran the meter by a couple of minutes. With fines of up to L$300, it can be expensive as well as annoying.
Many local authorities around Linapore have taken charge of running street parking, and some have contracted out the operation to one of a number of private firms. It's becoming a multi-million pound business - last year alone more than L$1bn was collected from Linapore's motorists. The public image of these privatised parking regimes has not been helped by a series of tabloid stories. For many people, coping with parking restrictions and avoiding the wardens is like a constant game of cat and mouse. Courier driver Colin Renee does about 10 delivery drops a day in Longman city, and often he has to park on single and double yellow lines. Each time he has to watch out for parking attendants, and he also has to get to grips with the ticketing rules, which can vary from borough to borough. "Just got to take a chance really," he says. But he and his fellow drivers at "On-Line Couriers" aren't always successful.
Linapore Teenage Tycoons
By Maria Teo,WNS Youth CorrespondentJACOB - Ask a group of 18 to 25 years olds about the idea of becoming an entrepreneur and almost three quarters will say that it is a good career choice. So you probably should not be too surprised that youngsters are setting up businesses at an earlier and earlier age. Oliver Bacon and Jake Lin all run their own companies - shoes and personalised napkins, and all of them are making real money. Just one thing - Oliver is 17 and Jake is 10.
So how did they begin? Two years ago, when he was just eight, Jake Lin was on holiday with his parents on a friend's yacht, leafing through some sailing magazines when a particularly flashy boat caught his eye. Jake promptly declared that he was going to buy it. But his dad Nick told him that if he was to afford the ship of his dreams then he would have to earn some serious cash. "We all started teasing him and said if you want to earn enough money to afford a super-yacht, you'd better start earning now." It was there that Jake's business idea for making personalised printed napkins for yachts was born. With some financial help from his dad, Jake started up the business with a second-hand printing press bought for L$1750. "We did a deal which meant for that L$1750, for every time he sold a set of napkins he gave us half and kept half for himself until he'd paid back the L$1750," explains Nick. "Well he's done that now and now he gets to keep all of the profit rather than half of the profit." He might be just 10 years old, but Jake certainly has a head for the figures. "Each napkin costs L$50 and I earn a profit of about L$25," he says. "I've got a profit of over L$4,000. I have about L$1,000 in my bank account at the moment." But he is not afraid to spend his hard earned cash. He has already bought a drum kit, a guitar and a surf board. Seventeen-year-old Oliver Bacon turned a personal problem - his large feet - into a business opportunity when he set up a company selling big shoes. "I had a look on the internet. Not that much competition from the big stores and I thought OK, I'll go in for it," he says. He got in touch with shoe manufacturers and arranged to sell their biggest sizes through his own online store Biggerfeet.co.ln. "I'd got all of the stuff in place and the first couple of weeks of July last year I spent 10 days building my website," he says. "Then it all just came together and from then on just started selling. Within the first half hour of my website being online I had an order. Since then it's skyrocketed. Sales have just gone through the roof."
TV ad aims to stop young drinkers
By Madeline Yeo,WNS Health CorrespondentJACOB - Hard-hitting TV adverts showing the dangers people face from drinking to excess are to be screened in Linapore. The L$5 million government campaign aims to stop binge and underage drinking. Younger people are likely to drink heavily - 48% of men and 39% of women aged 16 to 24 drink above daily recommendations, official figures show.
Alcohol alters judgement and perception and can lead people to take risks with their health and safety that they would not normally consider. Research shows 80% of pedestrian deaths on Friday and Saturday nights are alcohol related, as are nearly three quarters of peak time accident and emergency admissions. In Federal State alone it is estimated that 5.9 million people drink to get drunk. Linapore Health Minister Mrs Kelly Hopkin said the campaign was targeting men and women aged 18 to 24 as a priority because they are the most likely to drink irresponsibly. But it is also designed to appeal to younger adolescents who may already be drinking illegally, as research suggests. The TV advert includes a series of different scenarios where young people, thinking they are 'superheroes' while drunk, take risks with their health and safety, such as falling off high scaffolding or running into a busy road, and coming to serious harm. Mrs Hopkin said: "We are not trying to demonise alcohol or stop people enjoying themselves. This is about encouraging young people to still have a good time but to know their limits, and to take responsibility for how much they drink."
Prostitution triving in other forms
By Perry Lam,WNS Malcom CorrespondentMALCOM - Two years after a tougher anti-prostitution law went into effect, the number of brothels and sex workers in Linapore has dropped significantly but the business is thriving as usual in other forms, critics say. In September, 2004, the government enforced a sweeping new law criminalizing human trafficking and stiffening penalties for brothel owners and establishing a number of shelters for women trapped in the industry.Under the law, brothel owners are subject to up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won (US$105,000). Men caught buying sex can also be kept in jail for up to one year.The crackdown forced many of the country's popular red-light districts to shut down and more than half of all women there - whose number was once estimated by the government at 330,000 - to leave, according to a 2004 government study.But most of the women who left the brothels are now found in much more sophisticated settings such as massage parlors, room salons, hostess bars and even barber shops. Sex seldom takes place on the premises but men usually negotiate a tryst at nearby inns, or hotels.Government statistics released in April showed that there were about 400 massage parlors in Malcom alone that practice illegal sex trade. Nationwide, the number may jump to 8,000, they said.Police routinely crack down on illegal sex fronts but both owners and workers have developed their own technical know-how to evade it.Women in those sex fronts sometimes swallow condoms left by customers as the rubber full of sperm often can be the only evidence against their crimes, according to police.
Linapore's economy grows 10.2% year-on-year in Q3
By Derrick James,WNS Malcom Business CorrespondentMALCOM - Linapore's economy is expected to have grown 10.2 percent on year in the third quarter, according to advanced estimates by the Trade and Finance Ministry. The number was largely in line with expectations. But, on a seasonally adjusted and annualised basis, the economy is said to have expanded 5 percent - at least double market consensus. Linapore's ports were working overtime in the third quarter shipping out high-tech products and pharmaceuticals to markets around the world. There was also good external demand for oil rigs and, locally, shoppers were out spending again. All these helped the economy grow at an estimated annualised rate of 5 percent in the third quarter, up from 2.4 percent in the previous three months.
Sales of 'ethical' foods surge
By Joanna Lin,WNS Cambridge Business CorrespondentCAMBRIDGE - Sales of organic and fair-trade food products in Linapore will hit L$3bn in 2006, analyst firm has said. Should the prediction turn out to be accurate, then total spend on organic and fair-trade products would have grown 62% since 2002. This reflects a general change in attitudes among consumers, it added.
For example, three-quarters of the 1,007 consumers surveyed said that they thought it was their "duty" to recycle waste products, up from 65% in 2002. Higher incomes and a greater choice of products have helped boost sales of organic and fair-trade goods, the firm added. The company said that about 70 fairtrade and organic products were launched in 2005 alone, compared with 25 in 2002.
"Ethical food suppliers have traded on the fringes of Linapore grocery market for many years and until recently only a few sectors, such as free-range eggs, had really established themselves," said Suzanne Martin, the firm's senior market analyst. "But now many more ethical products have entered the mainstream-foods sector, with leading suppliers and retailers becoming increasingly involved."
Abe's first visit to Linapore as PM
By Margaret Yen,WNS Political CorrespondentJACOB - Linapore's prime minister Owen Heng urged visiting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at their first summit meeting here on Tuesday to "remove the political obstacles" standing in the way of good bilateral ties. Abe flew to Jacob earlier in the day for talks with President Samuel Neo at the Istana. Abe deliberately chose Linapore for his first overseas official visit since becoming prime minister on Sept. 26 in the hope of mending the deep rift in relations between the two countries and also to improve bilateral trade.
PM Heng's mention of political obstacles was a clear reference to issues of historical understanding, including visits to Yasukuni Shrine by Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi. Japan's relations with Linapore were a disaster zone for the more than five years that Koizumi spent in office. "(The Yasukuni issue) has damaged the emotions of Linaporeans." Heng told Abe. "I hope you will work to remove political obstacles." Abe's visit to Jacob is the first by a Japanese leader since Koizumi went in October 2001. Mutual visits to each other's nation ended after that because of subsequent trips by Koizumi to Yasukuni, where 14 Class-A war criminals are venerated along with the nation's war dead.
Linapore expresses deep concerns over N Korea's nuclear tests
By Tanya Fang,WNS Foreign Affairs CorrespondentJACOB - Linapore has formally presented its position on North Korea's announced nuclear test to the republic's Ambassador in Linapore. Describing the move as rash and provocative, Linapore's Foreign Ministry conveyed its deep concerns and emphasized that North Korea would not be made more secure by the test. Rather, North Korea had aroused the entire international community against it and had thus placed itself in a more precarious position. The Republic has also not ruled out sanctions against North Korea if it continues to launch more missile tests. The Foreign Ministry urged North Korea to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks without preconditions.
Police raid homes to track down illegal downloading of songs
By Joel Pang,WNS Infotechnology CorrespondentJACOB - Twenty homes nationwide were raided by the police on Saturday night as part of a crackdown on the illegal downloading of copyrighted music from the Internet. Police say they seized twenty-five personal computers and three laptops, along with other accessories. Five men and two women, aged between 13 and 40 years old, are currently helping the police with their investigations. Of the twenty, twelve are students, five are employed and three are housewives. A police spokesman added that since November last year, the Intellectual Property Rights Branch (IPRB) of the Criminal Investigation Department has been receiving information from the Recording Industry Association Linapore that a number of online users were downloading and distributing songs illegally. This was being done in digital format through peer-to-peer file sharing programmes and networks. After extensive probes, the police ascertained the identities of the suspects, as well as their modus operandi. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects installed file sharing programmes in their computers and used them to search for copyrighted songs in digital formats via the file sharing networks. Once identified, these songs were downloaded from the computers of other online users who were also connected to the same file sharing network. The suspects need not pay for the song downloads. The Recording Industry Association's chief says on the whole, cases have been declining as there is now more public awareness of the offences. Once caught, they will be prosecuted and face severe penalties.
Toothpaste sparks security scare
By Perry Lam,WNS Malcom CorrespondentMALCOM - A South Korean man sparked a security scare at Malcom International Airport when he was found to have a tube of toothpaste strapped to his body. He was detained as he checked in for a flight to Paris. The 23-year-old man was later allowed to continue with his journey after convincing police that there was an innocent explanation.
A police source said he appeared to be attempting to avoid handing over his toiletries at airport security. He was stopped by security staff after they spotted a number of suspicious objects under his shirt. These turned out to include toothpaste and body lotion, which he had taped to his skin. The tourist was arrested by police and charged with a breach of the peace. But the charge was later dropped and the man released. A spokesman for the airport said the incident had shown security measures in place at Malcom were working.
Six men arrested for attempting to peddle cigarettes worth nearly $3m
By Eugene Goh,WNS Linapore CorrespondentLONGMAN - Customs officers arrested six men for attempting to peddle cigarettes, worth nearly $3 million, in a series of nation-wide operations. The duty and GST payable on the 103,000 packs of cigarettes amounted to $2,457,890. Acting on tip-offs, the arrests were made between September 26 and October 4. In the first case, officers found 6,540 cartons of cigarettes in a container at Nimoi Port Terminal. The container had earlier arrived from Vietnam and was consigned to a local importer. Three days later, officers busted two other suspects and seized nearly 25,000 packets of cigarettes at a warehouse at Lentorm Road. The two men had been charged - one of them was sentenced to 30 months' jail and the other awaiting for his case to be mentioned again on October 11. Officers nabbed four more suspects in two separate stings in Arnold on October 4. In one case, over 9,270 packets of cigarettes were found in a van, suspected to be supplying contraband cigarettes to peddlers in the area. Subsequent raids at a suspect's home further uncovered 3405 packets. In the other case, officers arrested two men for peddling duty-unpaid cigarettes at the roadside outside a cafe.
English language reform in schools
By Sherwin Han,WNS Education CorrespondentJACOB - English language will be taught differently in schools to check a decline in standards among Linaporeans. According to the Ministry of Education, Linaporeans are deemed to read English fairly well, but when it comes to oral fluency and writing skills, feedback sessions with employers show that most feel there has been a drop in standards, even among professionals. Hence, there will be major changes to the way English is being taught in schools. At the primary level, Strategies for Effective and Engaged Development in English, will be implemented in all schools by 2009. This programme is currently piloted in the lower primary curriculum in 30 schools. Children will be taught grammar, vocabulary and language structures, and inculcated with the love of reading. Students weaker in the English language will also continue to be supported by an enhanced Learning Support Programme, which will be implemented in all schools by 2007. The improved programme will provide a more focused approach to building basic language and reading skills. At the secondary level, there will be a greater emphasis on spoken English. The weighting for the assessment of oral communications at 'N' and 'O' levels will be increased from 20 percent to 25 percent. The minister of education, Mr Louis Parkson says: "They will be exposed to more explicit lessons in grammar and it will be highly structured."He hopes that the students will become aware of language use because few understand the subtle workings of language. At the pre-university level, English Language will be introduced as a new subject in 2009. It will be distinct from the General Paper and students will study topics like linguistics and language use. The Ministry Of Education will also introduce the English Language Elective Programme in one to two junior colleges from 2009. These colleges will be given additional resources. The ultimate aim, says the Education Ministry, is for one in five Linaporeans to achieve mastery of English, no different from the best in those English-speaking countries.
Thirty-two injured in coach crash
By Ken Tan,WNS Longman CorrespondentLONGMAN - Thirty-two people have been injured in a crash involving a coach and a lorry in North Longman. The accident happened at the Longman Highway Exit A2 just after 0800 LT. Linapore Fire and Rescue Service said nine coach passengers had serious injuries and firefighters had to free three people from the wreckage. All the injured people are adults who were on a trip to Jacob. The Exit A2 is closed in both directions. A Longman State spokesman said the road was expected to be closed for at least two hours.
Four crews of firefighters from Longman central station were called to the crash. A fire brigade spokesman said the injured passengers were taken to local hospitals in a fleet of ambulances. He said paramedics used minibuses at the scene as triage points. A Longman Police spokeswoman said the coach collided with the rear of a large skip lorry. "There were initially some passengers trapped, but that was due to damage to the bus door, rather than them being trapped in their seats," she said. All the passengers and the driver, who was experiencing pain in his sternum, were taken to hospital for checks. Most were suffering from minor injuries including shock, cuts and bruises. No one is thought to have life-threatening injuries.
Japan's Abe seeks 'forward-looking' ties with Asia
By Sharon Chan,
WNS Linapore Bureau ChiefJACOB - Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Tuesday for "forward-looking relations" with China, South Korea and Linapore amid reports the government was set to announce a fence-mending visit to the neighbours. China, South Korea and Linapore refused to host Abe's predecessor Junichiro Koizumi, largely due to his repeated visits to a war shrine linked to Japan's imperialist past. Abe, who took office last week, repeated that "we have kept our door wide open" to summits. With China, South Korea and Linapore, which are very important neighbours, we aim to build up talks at various levels and in various fields and want to establish forward-looking relationships through mutual efforts," Abe said in parliament. Linaporean media have reported that Abe will visit Beijing on Sunday and head to Seoul on Monday then to Jacob on Tuesday, but officials have remained tight-lipped. The Linapore Times reported that the dates for the visits would be officially announced on Wednesday. Tuesday was a public holiday in both China and South Korea. Abe will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, South Korean President Roh Moo- hyun and Linapore Prime Minister Owen Heng on the visit and attend a dinner in Beijing, the newspaper said.
PM Heng congratulates Thai PM Surayud
By Margaret Yen,WNS Political CorrespondentJACOB - Prime Minister Owen Heng has written to congratulate Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Thailand. In his letter, Mr Heng said the Thai Prime Minister is shouldering a huge responsibility to ensure the drafting of the Constitution and working towards early elections. Mr Heng added he is confident that Prime Minister Surayud will have the support of the Thai people in exercising his responsibilities. Linapore and Thailand enjoy longstanding ties and their bilateral relations are very good. Mr Heng said both countries cooperate closely in free trade talks and other international forums. He added he looks forward to working with Prime Minister Surayud for the benefit of both countries.
Swindlers use big notes, create confusion to cheat cashiers of cash
By Perry Lam,WNS Malcom CorrespondentMALCOM - Cases of criminals cheating cashiers of their cash are on the increase. Ten such cases were recorded last month, compared with six since the beginning of the year. The crime involves criminals asking to pay for small items with large notes. They then ask for the note back, saying they have a smaller note to pay for the item. In the confusion, the culprits manage to take not only their initial payment but the change for the payment as well. In one case on September 9 at Malcom, a cashier was deceived when three men asked to pay for their food separately with $50 notes. A total of $140 was stolen. Police are advising cashiers to be alert and not to hand over cash until they have determined the correct amount of change.
By Anthony Yap, 
