Proud to be a Singaporean

A*Star team creates smallest workable gear

2011-09-06T12:14:00.000+08:00

The Straits Times

SCIENTISTS in Singapore have earned a place in the record books after creating the world's smallest workable gear.

The molecule-size device is up to 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair and could pave the way for new technologies. The invention will receive a mention in Guinness World Records' next edition.

It is developed by a seven-man team from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, which is part of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star).

The scientists used a machine called a scanning tunnelling microscope, more commonly used to view materials at an atomic level. They took advantage of an electrical connection between the molecules and the tip of the microscope to manipulate the gear.

Their research was first published in science journal Nature Materials in 2009. Project leader Christian Joachim, an A*Star visiting investigator from French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, had said then: 'Making a gear the size of a few atoms is one thing, but being able to deliberately control its motions and actions is something else altogether.'

So far, the device has not been used to develop any products as the next largest gear is too big for it. Research is ongoing to create intermediate gears.

The scientists believe their discovery has the potential to be used in supercomputers. One of the most advanced now is the size of a refrigerator.

The team is also part of a group trying to create a computer chip 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand. This project, worth €10 million (S$17 million), is a collaboration between the institute and scientists from the European Union.

Computer chips are currently made by using optical beams to etch grooves on their parts. Experts say the chips can shrink for only another 10 to 15 years before the width of the beam prevents any further miniaturisation.

To solve this problem, the group aims to build a chip from the atom up instead. They hope to create a prototype by 2015.

NUS bags grant for toilet that recycles faeces

2011-08-19T09:54:00.000+08:00

Twenty-two universities submitted proposals and eight, including the National University of Singapore (NUS), have received the nod from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fine-tune their ideas.

The NUS team - the only team from Asia - won a US$280,500 (S$337,700) grant from the foundation last month to come up with a toilet that would cost less than five US cents a user a day.

The competition is intended to benefit the 2.6 billion people, or 40 per cent of the world's population, who have no access to safe and reliable toilets.

The teams will work on their projects for a year and the prototypes will be judged by the foundation in August next year.

Up to three prizes of between US$40,000 and US$100,000 will be awarded.

The foundation is headed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, as well as his father.

The NUS team submitted a proposal for a toilet that turns faeces and urine into fertiliser and drinking water.

The communal toilet, expected to serve up to six households, separates faeces and urine and transfers the faeces to a collection point for drying and burning to be used as fertiliser.

Heat from the burning powers a desalination system that extracts water from urine.

The water is disinfected to make it drinkable.

Left-over liquid from the urine is concentrated so it can be used as fertiliser.

Project leader Ng How Yong, an associate professor at the NUS engineering faculty and director of the Centre for Water Research, said the toilet would be especially useful in rural areas that depend on agriculture.

He hopes that it can be implemented in developing countries such as India and Bangladesh as well as those in Africa.

Other finalists include Stanford University in the United States, the University of Toronto in Canada and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology.

Their ideas include a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen and electricity, and a toilet that produces charcoal, salt and clean water from waste.

The competition is part of the foundation's US$42 million programme to improve sanitation in developing countries.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.8 million people die each year due to diarrhoea-related diseases, mostly caused by poor sanitation.

Children under five years old make up 90 per cent of the fatalities.

It added that improving sanitation can reduce assaults against women which take place in dimly lit and unsafe outdoor toilets.

The Straits Times, 19 August 2011

NTU students to launch satellite Velox-I

2011-07-20T09:55:00.000+08:00

IT WILL be a big lift for Singapore when the second locally made satellite - and the first to be built by students - is launched in 2013.

Called Velox-I, it is being put through its paces by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) engineering students in the Undergraduate Satellite Programme (USP) that was started in April last year.

Unlike a typical satellite that can weigh more than 1,200kg, Velox-I is made up of two tiny satellites, one weighing 3.5kg and the other 1.5kg.

Slated to be launched in India or the United States in early 2013, it will have an NTU-designed camera with high-resolution, image-capturing capabilities and be able to conduct quantum physics experiments during its orbit.

The Velox-I project, which includes a student-built ground station on campus that picks up signals from space, has a budget of more than US$300,000 (S$366,000).

'This is not just a prototype, it's going to be up there in space and it's still hard to believe that students such as ourselves are a part of it,' said Mr Tan Chun Kiat, 25, a recent NTU aerospace engineering graduate who had been involved in the project, at the university's unveiling of the satellite yesterday. 'What if there were technical faults during orbit? What if it couldn't withstand the temperatures? We were apprehensive, even nervous, at the beginning, but having it come together piece by piece has been a great and challenging learning experience.'

The team has conducted multiple vibration and space simulation tests to ensure that the contraption can withstand forces up to 10 times that of gravitational force during launch.

The first made-in-Singapore satellite - the 105kg X-Sat - was launched on April 20 after a nine-year collaboration between scientists and engineers from NTU and Singapore's defence research body DSO National Laboratories.

X-Sat has been monitoring environmental changes with images of erosion, forest fire and sea pollution.

Only two other countries in the region - Indonesia and Malaysia - have their own satellites in space.

'We wanted to work on something smaller, not only to lower costs but also to ensure it could be launched in a shorter period of time,' said Associate Professor Low Kay Soon, 49, director of NTU's Satellite Research Centre.

'A smaller and cheaper satellite would also mean we could take more risks in experimenting with its capabilities and be able to test it locally.'

Students get to work with industry partners such as the US Air Force Academy and University of Tokyo.

The USP, which takes in about 50 second- to final-year students annually, is the only space programme of its kind here as space science is a relatively unexplored field. NTU is considering developing the nation's first space engineering courses if interest grows, said Prof Low.

Said Ms Luo Jia Yu, 24, a mentor from NTU's engineering master's programme: 'I had always wanted to venture into space science as it's a mysterious and intriguing world, and this was a rare chance for me to get a taste of it.'

Singapore teams impress at international science competitions

2011-07-20T09:51:00.000+08:00

Lin Zhaowei

The Straits Times20 July 2011

SINGAPORE has scored its best-ever showing at two major science competitions for pre-university students, coming in joint-first in the International Physics Olympiad and third in the International Biology Olympiad.

In the nine-day physics competition that ended on Monday, the five-man Singapore team shared top spot with traditional powerhouses China and Taiwan as well as relative newcomer South Korea.

All four countries came away with five gold medals each.

Last year, the Singapore team came in seventh.

Almost 400 pre-university students from 84 countries took part in this year's event held in Bangkok. Winners had to score in both written and practical tests.

The Singapore team comprised Raffles Institution (RI) students Kang Zi Yang, Li Kewei, Lin Jiahuang and Lin Sen, and NUS High School of Mathematics and Science's Tan Zong Xuan. They are all in their final year of study.

It was led by Associate Professor Rajdeep Singh Rawat from the Natural Sciences and Science Education department of the National Institute of Education at Nanyang Technological University, and Associate Professor Chung Keng Yeow from National University of Singapore's physics department.

Mr Li, 19, said the victory showed that the team's hard work over the past seven months had paid off.

'We were very happy because we knew this had never been done before (by a Singapore team),' he said.

'Although the team spent the entire June holidays preparing for the competition and ended up lagging behind in our school work, it was worth it,' added the physics whiz who hopes to enrol in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for undergraduate studies.

Prof Rajdeep, involved in training the Singapore delegations for the past eight years, said this year's team was 'fantastic' because the members were very motivated.

In the International Biology Olympiad, held in Taipei from July 10 to 17, Singapore improved from its ninth placing last year.

Hwa Chong Institution's Javan Lee Tze Han, NUS High's Hong Xinyuan and RI's Jin Chentian came away with gold medals while Michael Sia Zhen Wei of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) bagged a silver. They are all final year students at their schools.

Singapore 'will likely overtake Las Vegas'

2011-06-08T10:02:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE'S two casinos, in operation for just over a year, are poised to overtake a name synonymous with gambling the world over: Las Vegas.

Their stunning success was highlighted by Mr Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, on the sidelines of a gaming conference in Macau yesterday.

Mr Fahrenkopf predicted that the casinos at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Marina Bay Sands (MBS) would see combined revenues of US$6.4 billion (S$7.9 billion) this year, up from US$5.1 billion last year.

The revenue for Las Vegas last year was US$5.8 billion.

Macau, with about three dozen casinos, is the world's largest gaming hub after leapfrogging Las Vegas in 2006.

The Chinese city, which attracts a large number of wealthy players from the Asian region, raked in US$23.5 billion in casino revenue last year. The figure is expected to grow by between 25 per cent and 50 per cent this year, said Mr Fahrenkopf.

It is going to be an extremely good year in Singapore and Macau, he was quoted as saying by Associated Press.

If Mr Fahrenkopf's prediction about Singapore is accurate, the world's second-largest gaming hub after Macau would also be in Asia.

Extracted from The Straits Times, 8 June 2011

Singapore an 'ideal vantage point' for German firms

2011-06-02T10:17:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE'S considerable economic clout and reach into South-east Asia makes it an ideal vantage point for German companies, visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday.

Following discussions with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shortly after she arrived here, the German leader said she also saw a need to enhance cooperation between the European Union and Asean.

'We see it as a vast potential that has yet to be fully realised,' she said after their hour-long meeting at the Istana.

'The relationship between the EU and Asean needs to be further developed because these are two economic regions that wield quite considerable economic clout and therefore lend themselves ideally to cooperate even more in the future.'

PM Lee, recalling that he was Dr Merkel's first foreign visitor in 2005 when she became Chancellor, said he was pleased to welcome her, in turn, as his first foreign guest following his May 7 re-election.

Dr Merkel arrived from India for a two-day visit, and also called on President S R Nathan and met former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew yesterday.

PM Lee hosted an official dinner in her honour at the Istana last night.

Today, she will deliver the 31st Singapore Lecture, organised by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. A special orchid hybrid will also be named after her.

PM Lee said they had a 'very good discussion', and added that the visit showed the strength of bilateral relations.

Her visit was also a clear indication of Germany's interest and resolve in strengthening its investments, ties and engagement in South-east Asia and Singapore, he added.

Bilateral trade reached $20.5 billion last year. Germany was thus Singapore's largest trading partner in the EU, just as Singapore was Germany's largest trading partner in Asean.

Some 1,200 German companies are based here and with a considerably high level of direct investment.

During their talks, the two leaders exchanged views on Singapore, Asia and Europe, as well as broader issues of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and financial market regulations.

PM Lee said there was more scope to build on the relationship with Germany, including in areas such as research and development and green technology.

Dr Merkel announced a new exchange programme that will allow scientists to work in research centres on both sides.

An extract from Straits Times Article dated 2 June 2011

Singapore set to overtake HK in size of economy

2011-05-28T13:16:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE'S economy looks set to surpass that of its long-time regional rival Hong Kong this year for the first time.

Powered by a robust Singapore dollar and an exceptionally strong economic rebound last year, the Singapore economy is now the larger of the two, a Bank of America (BoA)Merrill Lynch report showed yesterday.

For the first three months of this year, Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) was US$63.9 billion (S$79.1 billion), exceeding Hong Kong's US$57.9 billion economy by about 10 per cent.

If this trend continues, Singapore's economy is likely to grow bigger than Hong Kong's for the whole of this year, said BoA's Dr Chua Hak Bin.

'Such a development would have been seen as far-fetched a decade ago, given Hong Kong's geographical advantage, being next to mainland China, against Singapore's more volatile and marginalised neighbourhood,' he said.

Singapore's economy was just half the size of Hong Kong's a decade ago but a combination of factors such as a strong Singapore currency and new engines of growth has propelled the Republic ahead of its rival.

The Singapore dollar has appreciated by some 23.3 per cent against the Hong Kong dollar, which is pegged to the US dollar, over the past 10 years.

Another factor accounting for the shift has been the emergence of new growth engines for Singapore such as high-end manufacturing and the casinos, said Dr Chua.

While Hong Kong did not choose casinos, Singapore's gamble on the integrated resorts has paid off.

Tourism revenue soared to $18.8 billion last year, up 47 per cent from $12.8 billion in 2009. Singapore's gaming market will likely reach $7 billion to $8 billion this year, exceeding the market size of Las Vegas, noted Dr Chua.

Dr Tan Khee Giap, co-director of the Asia Competitiveness Institute at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, also pointed out that a key advantage Singapore has over Hong Kong is its flexibility.

He noted that Singapore has always recovered faster and stronger than Hong Kong whenever both are hit with recessions.

Last year, Singapore rebounded from one of its worst recessions, in 2009, by growing 14.5 per cent, the second fastest rate in the world.

'This is due to the fact that we have tools like exchange rate policies and a pro-active Government which implements innovative policies like Jobs Credit to help the economy recover faster,' he said.

'So it's no surprise that we have caught up with them.'

This achievement is all the more impressive given that Hong Kong does not spend on things like defence, which takes up a significant chunk of the Singapore Government budget, said Dr Tan.

This means that Singapore has come into its own, despite the fact that it does not have mainland China as a hinterland, as Hong Kong does, said Dr Tan.

But OCBC economist Selena Ling cautioned that using GDP as a gauge to compare both is not entirely useful.

She noted that Hong Kong has, for some years, been seen to be part of a sub-set of China while Singapore stands on its own.

'So the models are different and I'm not entirely sure if people still compare the two the way they did in the 1990s,' she said.

Likewise, as a financial hub, Hong Kong's stock market is much larger than Singapore's and the Hong Kong stock exchange has been attracting big name listings in recent years, said Dr Chua.

'On that front, Singapore has some way to go,' he said.

The Straits Times

28 May 2011

Finance Minister Tharman tipped to chair IMF committee

2011-03-17T10:08:00.000+08:00

Singapore Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the favourite over South African Pravin Gordhan to head the International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), IMF board sources told Reuters.

The finance ministers of Singapore andSouth Africa have emerged as the only contenders to chair the IMF's main advisory committee, the sources said on Tuesday.

They added that an announcement was expected as soon as tomorrow if the fund's managing director, Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn, can narrow the selection to one. Failing that, the outcome will be determined in a secret vote by the IMF board members.

It would be a first time for either an African or Asian country to hold the post.

Several sources said Mr Strauss-Kahn favoured Singapore because of the IMF's recent push to get Asia on its side as the fastest growing part of the world economy.

Mr Strauss-Kahn has also tried in recent months to put the Asian financial crisis finally behind the IMF, whose invasive policy prescriptions have long been blamed in the region for exacerbating the 1997/1998 meltdown.

The IMFC seat was left vacant last month by Mr Youssef Boutros-Ghali, who was replaced as Egypt's finance minister in a Cabinet shake-up amid protests to topple long-time leader Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Domenico Lombardi, a former executive board member at the IMF, said that by choosing Singapore, the IMF would bring Asia further into its fold at a critical time in the global economy, when world finance leaders are focused on overhauling the international monetary system and tackling trade and financial imbalances.

The IMF has just completed a series of reforms to give emerging market economies in Asia and elsewhere a greater say in the institution by boosting their voting power.

Mr Lombardi said Singapore was regarded as a key bridge between East and West, an important factor when it came to addressing tensions between the United States and China over such things as trade imbalances.

'Singapore is uniquely placed to facilitate a dialogue between the US and China,' he added.

On the other hand, if South Africa led the IMFC, it would be a 'great achievement for sub-Saharan Africa', Mr Lombardi said. 'This would go a long way in the long journey initiated by (former IMF chief) Michel Camdessus that sought to make low-income countries regular, fully fledged members of this institution.'

The IMF's advisory committee officially meets twice a year - during the IMF meetings in the spring and autumn - to discuss the direction of the institution. It comprises finance ministers and central bank governors from 24 countries.

The new chairman will take over at a time of heightened uncertainty in the world economy, with protests sweeping the Middle East and North Africa, and Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Singapore scores in tourism rankings

2011-03-13T00:50:00.002+08:00

THE little red dot is shining bright on the world stage again.

For the second time in five years, Singapore's travel and tourism sector has emerged as the 10th most competitive out of 139 economies ranked by a World Economic Forum (WEF) report.

This puts it at the top of theAsia-Pacific region for the first time - ahead of Hong Kong, which came in 12th, and Australia, which fell from 2009's ninth spot to 13th this year.

Despite lacking in human and natural resources, Singapore pulled itself into the top 10 by having top-notch workers and efficient air and ground transport systems.

The report, comprising more than 500 pages, also gave the nation top marks for its safe environment and its rules and regulations which, it said, are conducive to the development of the travel industry.

Switzerland, Germany and France topped the rankings, with Switzerland having stayed in first place since the first report in 2007.

In appraising the 139 countries, the WEF considered 14 areas relating to travel and tourism including policy, rules and regulations, transport infrastructure, and human and natural resources.

NUS ranked 27th in the world by academics

2011-03-13T00:36:00.000+08:00

THE National University of Singapore (NUS) has been ranked the 27th best in the world and third best in Asia by academics asked to pick the top universities in their disciplines.

A total of 13,388 experienced academics in 131 countries were asked to rate universities around the world according to how good they thought their research and teaching were.

The results, published yesterday by Britain's Times Higher Education magazine, reveal that US institutions were most highly regarded, taking seven of the top 10 places.

Harvard University was first, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second place. In total, 45 US universities made it to the global top 100.

Two British universities, Cambridge and Oxford, made it to the top 10 and a dozen more were in the top 100.

Japan's Tokyo University was the only Asian university to make it to the top 10, followed by Kyoto University, at 18th.

All in, Asia had 15 universities in the top 100 table, including Nanyang Technological University (NTU) which was placed in the 91st to 100th band.

NUS president Professor Tan Chorh Chuan said: 'We are delighted to be placed among the best universities in the world by our peers. This latest ranking is a positive affirmation from the international academic community of the world-class quality of education and research being produced at our university.'

NTU's chief planning officer and registrar Chan Kwong Lok said: 'NTU is pleased that despite our short history, globally we stand alongside universities that have centuries worth of research.'

In recent years there has been a proliferation of university league tables, which have become important marketing tools for attracting the best students and academics. But this latest ranking is different in that it measures how universities are regarded, rather than how they actually performed.

Each institution's rank was based on the number of times it was nominated as 'the best' in its field. There were two categories: research and teaching. Research was given twice as much weight as teaching when it came to working out the final score.

外国专业女性　首选移居我国

2011-03-09T16:44:00.000+08:00

新加坡是外国女性的首选移居地点，接受调查的外国专业女性一致表示，会介绍他人迁移本地工作。

这主要是因为她们认为我国犯罪率低、有税务优惠、生活优雅以及本区域有许多个人发展的机会。

这项名为“2011年环球专业人士流动性报告”的调查由环球专才招聘公司Hydrogen Group委任ESCP Europe商学院一个咨询小组进行。有2637名来自85个国家，并拥有至少学士文凭的专业人士接受调查。

Hydrogen亚洲区主管Abigail Waudby指出：“新加坡有很强的文化包容性，新来的外国雇员也受到热烈欢迎。我们的女受访者反映，生活方式以及能多快适应环境，对她们来说，重要性不亚于薪金获得提高。”

在总体排名方面，新加坡与加拿大同列第5大最受男女专业人士欢迎的移居地点。榜首是美国，下来依次是英国、澳大利亚和瑞士（Switzerland）。

Singapore flying Asia's flag at GAR arbitration awards

2011-03-03T09:30:00.000+08:00

STARS of Singapore's arbitration scene will for the first time compete against the world's best, at the industry's top awards ceremony today.

Their presence at the event illustrates how the Republic has grown into a major global player in the booming industry - which helps firms resolve disputes without going to court.

Singapore is also flying the flag for Asia, as in three of the categories it is the only Asian country represented.

Senior Counsel Michael Hwang is among the seven nominees from around the globe for the arbitrator of the year award, while Rajah Tann's Chong Yee Long is up for advocate of the year.

An arbitrator judges a dispute between two parties while an advocate represents a party.

Mr Hwang and Mr Chong are the only Asian lawyers shortlisted in their respective categories. Also shortlisted is the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), for institution of the year.

And Maxwell Chambers, which is only a few years old, is in the running to receive the award for 'most significant development' of the year because of its recent impact on the industry. It is the only Asian firm nominated in this category.

The inaugural awards event will be held in Seoul, South Korea.

It is hosted by the London-based Global Arbitration Review (GAR), a worldwide industry reference publication. The GAR100 lists the top arbitration firms each year. Local heavyweight Rajah Tann is the only Asian law firm to make it to the list for the last two years.

Maxwell Chambers chief executive Ban Jiun Ean said yesterday that the 'nominations for such prestigious awards show that Singapore is making quite a mark on the international arbitration scene'.

He added: 'It is clear recognition that the standard of international arbitration here is as good as can be found anywhere in the world.'

SIAC chief executive Minn Naing Oo added that the centre has one of the fastest growth rates of any institution in this arena.

The SIAC is up against established giants such as the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce and the London Court of International Arbitration for the institution of the year award.

'The GAR nomination confirms global recognition of SIAC's status as a premier institution and we are proud to have received this accolade,' said Mr Minn.

Mr Hwang, 67, is a former Law Society president and current chief justice of the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Mr Chong, 46, said yesterday: 'Singapore is almost the only flag-holder from Asia for the named categories and it makes me very proud.'

The other Asian flag-holder is Hong Kong. Its International Arbitration Centre was nominated for institution of the year.

Yesterday, Law Minister K. Shanmugam said Singapore's success came from its reputation as a neutral venue and the way the SIAC attracted leading arbitrators from various international jurisdictions, which 'helped to lend depth of expertise'.

The SIAC has also streamlined its rules to 'ensure arbitration cases are resolved effectively and efficiently'.

Singapore to help Honduras set up economic zones

2011-02-25T16:24:00.000+08:00

Singapore will help Honduras set up special economic zones (SEZs) in the Central American country under an agreement signed yesterday.

The Honduran economy is based mainly on agriculture but it plans to develop SEZs in various locations and wants to utilise Singapore's expertise in establishing these areas.

The first step was taken when the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with visiting Honduran officials, including President Porfirio Lobo.

It will involve the SCE working with private and public sectors here in collaboration with the Honduras government.

They will undertake feasibility studies to identify potential SEZ sites and plan their development.

Singapore will also help out with advice on best practices in areas of governance and commerce for the export-oriented zones.

The SCE is an agency jointly set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry to respond to the many requests from overseas to tap on Singapore's development experience.

Financial Times ranks 2 Singapore MBA programmes among top 35

2011-02-01T11:51:00.000+08:00

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School's MBA programme achieved 23rd position in the latest ranking of the top 100 full-time global MBA programmes by the London-based business newspaper, Financial Times (FT).

This is the programme's highest-ever rating by a major agency and the highest FT ranking ever achieved by any Singapore MBA programme. The NUS MBA was ranked 35th in 2009 but was left out last year due to a technicality.

The MBA programme of the Nanyang Business School (NBS) - part of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) - also made the honour roll but fell six spots from last year's 27th place to the 33rd.

Its MBA alumni, however, had the highest average salaries among those who attended programmes here.

Measured three years after graduation, the NBS alumni have an average salary of US$104,952 (S$134,000), trumping by a slim margin the NUS Business School's US$100,456.

It was also ranked 69th in The Economist's Top 100 MBA ranking last year, making it the highest-ranked here.

NUS' post-MBA salary increase of its graduates stood at 140 per cent, compared with the 125 per cent for the 22 higher-ranked schools.

This means that a student's pre-MBA salary of, for example, $45,000 would have jumped 140 per cent to $108,000 three years after graduation.

Over 90% of Singaporeans happy with quality of life

2011-02-01T11:16:00.000+08:00

Commissioned by Reach, the Government's feedback arm, the survey last year saw more than 90 per cent of the 2,013 respondents express satisfaction with their overall quality of life, compared to 2009.

When asked if they were satisfied with the way Singapore was being run, 96 per cent of respondents, who were aged 17 and above, said 'yes'.

A high percentage were also satisfied with the Government's economic policies, the quality of the public service, their living environment and issues such as the education system.

Singapore could become launch pad to space

2011-01-31T08:04:00.000+08:00

A French aerospace giant wants to make Singapore a launch pad for commercial space flights.

European Aeronautic Defence and Space (Eads), a leading defence and military contractor, is working on the ambitious plan, which it hopes will eventually rival British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which is to launch the world's first commercial space flight this year.

Mr Hugues Laporte-Weywada, Eads senior vice-president for international sales and marketing for the Asia-Pacific region, said a detailed feasibility study was done here last year, with positive results.

First, he said, there is a readily available pool of people in the region with deep-enough pockets to pay the €200,000 (S$350,000) it will cost for an hour-long ride into space.

Secondly, the infrastructure to house the planes and take-off site are available.

Singapore third on globalisation index

2011-01-25T22:20:00.000+08:00

Singapore is third in a ranking of the world's most globalised economies, trailing Hong Kong and Ireland.

The Ernst Young's Globalisation Index 2010 found that the Republic continued to perform strongly in terms of openness to trade and capital movements, with improvements also seen in cultural integration.

Singapore posted reduced scores, however, in the areas of labour and technology compared with the year before - when it had claimed top spot in the index's inaugural 2009 survey.

The index measures the world's largest 60 economies according to their degree of globalisation relative to their economic output or gross domestic product. It has five criteria: openness to trade, capital movements, exchange of technology and ideas, labour movements and cultural integration.

Singaporeans No. 2 on CNN's 'coolest' list

2011-01-24T13:00:00.000+08:00

Singaporeans have been named the second 'coolest nationality' in the world by travel website CNNgo - and it all has to do with the Republic's burgeoning geek culture.

'With its absurdly computer-literate population, Singapore is geek central and its people can therefore claim their rightful place as avatars of modern cool,' wrote Mr Barry Neild, the author of the report, which was published last Friday.

Brazilians clinched top spot as the coolest people on the planet. The Jamaicans came in third, followed by the Mongolians, the Americans and the Spanish.

The report proclaimed geeks as no longer the laughing stock in a digital age where 'old school notions of cool have been rebooted'.

And the travel website's Singaporean icon of cool? Twelve-year-old primary school pupil Lim Ding Wen, who was the world's youngest iPhone application developer at the age of nine.

He developed a drawing application called Doodle Kids which lets users draw on the touchscreen of the iPhone using their fingers.

He was ranked alongside other icons of cool such as Spain's Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem and the United States' actor and sex symbol Johnny Depp.

Lien Aid gets China charity award

2011-01-17T12:15:00.000+08:00

A Singapore non-profit organisation has been awarded one of China's top charity awards for bringing much-needed water and sanitation to more than 30,000 Chinese in drought-prone rural areas.

Lien Aid, a collaboration between Lien Foundation and Nanyang Technological University, received the Global Charity Award in the Great Hall of the People yesterday at one of China's major events of the year honouring philanthropic work.

Held by the Chinese ministry of civil affairs and the prestigious Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the ceremony honoured more than 50 individuals and organisations for their contributions to Chinese society.

Lien Aid, the only Singapore recipient at this year's awards, was ranked by popular vote as an outstanding contributor among the top non-profit organisations for its 14 projects in Yunan, Sichuan and Shanxi.

Singapore 2nd Country to legislate re-employment

2011-01-14T12:30:00.000+08:00

That is official, after Parliament yesterday passed the Retirement and Re-employment Act.

Singapore is now the second country in the world - after Japan - to legislate re-employment, and the first to spell out eligibility criteria, a dispute-resolution mechanism and penalties for errant employers.

To qualify for re-employment, workers must be medically fit and have at least satisfactory work performance. The onus is on employers to prove that a worker is not eligible for re-employment.

HK, S'pore best governed Asia-Pac economies: Index

2011-01-07T13:59:00.000+08:00

HONG Kong and Singapore are the best governed economies in the Asia Pacific in terms of their openness to international business, a new index has found.

Singapore-based consulting firm Vriens Partners' inaugural Good Governance for International Business index in Asia Pacific for 2010 saw Hong Kong in top spot with Singapore a close second.

In all, 18 economies were ranked for the index, which was based on surveys of 100 business leaders from the various economies.

The Republic was praised for its 'openness to international trade and business, good local infrastructure, public sector quality and effectiveness and favourable taxation policies'.

It was ranked first in fiscal and monetary administration, and public sector quality and effectiveness, second in taxation, corruption and openness to international trade, and fourth for rule of law.

While lauding Singapore's successful transformation into a regional hub for multinational corporations, Vriens Partners also highlighted the Republic's restrictions on foreign investments in areas such as telecommunications, domestic media and financial, legal and professional services.

Singapore patently ahead in Asian tech innovation

2011-01-07T13:41:00.000+08:00

The number of high-tech breakthroughs by Singapore researchers helped the country beat 12 other regional markets in terms of patent quality, according to the second Asia-Pacific Intellectual Property Scorecard released yesterday at the Global IP Forum.

The Republic also took top spot in 2004 in the first study carried out by the National University of Singapore's Entrepreneurship Centre.

The research team analysed patents filed annually with the United States Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) by 13 markets, including China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, said the centre's director, Professor Wong Poh Kam.

USPTO data was used as 'the US is the biggest market in the world'.

The team also examined data from the European patents office and found largely similar trends.

Quality was calculated based on how many times local patents were cited by other patents.

In particular, Singapore's patents in two technological classes, electronics and infocomm technology, were among the most highly cited in the region, said Prof Wong. This is at least in part due to the country's focus on these two fields.

Half of the 622 patents filed by Singapore inventors were in the electronics field, like semiconductor chips, and a quarter were in computers and communication products, like wireless antennas.

Only 1 per cent were design patents protecting the look of, say, a toy, shirt or the casing of a new media player, Prof Wong said.

In terms of quantity, Singapore's 622 patents put it in seventh place in the region. The 622 figure accounted for 0.32per cent of the 192,000 patents granted worldwide in 2009.

United States patents accounted for about half of the global total, and Japan, one-fifth.

Singapore's relatively small contribution was a function of its small population, said Prof Wong.

But, on a per capita basis, it did better, garnering nearly 134 patents per million people. This placed it in fourth place in the region - behind Taiwan (358.7), Japan (303.9) and South Korea (201.7).

The number of Singapore patents is also rising, albeit at a relatively slow clip of 8 per cent annually, making it ninth in Asia.

To boost R D, the Government said last September that it would set aside $1.6 billion to fund R D projects in the next five years.

International Child Abduction Bill passed

2010-09-17T12:36:00.001+08:00

CHILDREN taken out of Singapore without the permission of the parent who has custody will receive global help to return home safely.

This follows Parliament agreeing yesterday to ratify the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The move makes Singapore one of 83 states to agree to track down and return a child who has been forcefully brought past its borders.

This will ensure that estranged spouses will have their custody disputes decided by the courts in the rightful country, rather than becoming embroiled in protracted and expensive cross-border lawsuits.

Swap deal can help Singapore become yuan centre

2010-09-17T12:30:00.000+08:00

THE Sino-Singapore currency swap agreement can help establish the Republic as a renminbi centre for the region, said Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) deputy chairman Lim Hng Kiang yesterday.

'Currently, the Chinese are keen to internationalise the renminbi (yuan), and the main vehicle for doing so is through Hong Kong. By having this swap line, we are encouraging them to also provide the facility through Singapore.

'We can expect the Chinese to do so bilaterally with other South-east Asian countries, but to the extent that Singapore is the financial hub for South-east Asia, and the trade and investment facilitator for many of the deals and many of the operations arising in South-east Asia, then of course Singapore can aspire to be a renminbi centre for South-east Asia.'

Mr Lim, who is also Trade and Industry Minister, was responding to a question in Parliament from Nominated MP Teo Siong Seng.

MAS inked the $30 billion currency swap agreement with the People's Bank of China (PBOC) on July 24.

The agreement will allow MAS to borrow up to 150 billion yuan of the Chinese currency from the PBOC, in exchange for the equivalent in Singapore dollars.

The swap line is intended to promote bilateral trade and direct investment between the two countries. It will also facilitate the internationalisation of the yuan.

S'pore emerges as most liveable Asian city in new Global Liveable Cities Index

2010-06-30T02:10:00.001+08:00

Singapore has emerged as the most liveable Asian city in a new index. It was ranked third worldwide coming in behind Geneva and Zurich in the Global Liveable Cities Index.

Published by Singapore's Centre for Liveable Cities, the index looked at 64 cities including 36 from Asia.

When it comes to liveability, Singapore has been ranked up there with some of Europe's best cities.

In individual rankings, it came in first for domestic security and stability and third for good governance and leadership.

And it ranked 5th for economic vibrancy and quality of life.

Prestigious award for Southern Ridges Trail

2010-06-27T10:13:00.001+08:00

In the citation, the jury - made up of real estate professionals, planners and architects - was especially impressed by how a rare recreational space was created in a densely populated city-state and how it has 'moved the concept of green links and neighbourhood parks to a new level'.

The URA will go on to compete at the global awards later this year.

Besides the Southern Ridges, condominium Newton Suites by the UOL Group was also selected as one of the winners from 35 entries.

The 118-unit eco-friendly tower has features like sun shading, rooftop plants, cross-ventilation and a green wall spanning the height of the building.

The URA is not new to the ULI Awards, having won the global award in 2006 for its conservation programme and the Asia-Pacific award in 2008 for its master planning of the Bras Basah and Bugis area.

Both Henderson Waves and Alexandra Arch have won architectural and engineering awards here and overseas.

Since its opening in May 2008, the Southern Ridges has drawn an additional 50,000 visitors a month.

S'pore property market 'third most transparent in Asia-Pacific'

2010-06-24T11:37:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE is ranked the third most transparent property market in Asia-Pacific, according to a key industry index.

The league table places Singapore at 16th worldwide, two spots ahead of Hong Kong but behind regional rivals Australia, ranked first, and New Zealand at fourth.

More transparent market conditions allow for quicker investment deals between one foreign investor and another, it said.

The index, which was started in 1999 and is updated every two years, covers all property sectors, though the bulk comprises commercial real estate.

It assessed 81 markets under five categories - performance measurement, market fundamentals, listed vehicles, legal and regulatory environment and the transaction process.

Jones Lang LaSalle's South-east Asia research head, Dr Chua Yang Liang, said the index showed that Singapore's strength lies in its regulatory and legal environment.

'The transparency of our regulatory framework supported the influx of US$4.7 billion (S$6.4 billion), which is more than half of the total dollar value investments, into the commercial asset market during the peak in 2007,' he said.

Scientists here crack bile duct cancer puzzle

2010-06-21T10:08:00.000+08:00

SCIENTISTS here have discovered a genetic clue that could prevent the growth and spread of bile duct cancer.

Led by Professor Teh Bin Tean, the team from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and the Van Andel Research Institute (Vari) in the United States found the level of the enzyme MAPK13 (p38delta mitogen-activated protein kinase) is higher in cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) than in other forms of liver cancer or in normal tissue.

It was also found that MAPK13 plays a role in allowing the tumour cells to move and invade normal organ tissues.

The discovery means the enzyme could complement the current biomarkers used to diagnose bile duct cancer.

'This is significant as it is now possible to deactivate the gene through treatment to slow down the cancerous growth,' Prof Teh, who is also the director of the NCCS-Vari team, told The Straits Times.

Bile duct cancer is particularly prevalent in South-east Asia, but cases of the disease are rising in the US, Britain and Australia.

The cancer strikes about 3,000 new patients each year here - the same number as in the US.

It is most commonly found in patients in their 60s and 70s, and the outcome of the disease is generally poor, with a five-year survival rate of less than 5 per cent.

The current treatment of the disease is surgery to remove the bile duct or the bile duct and part of the liver, but with most patients, the cancer is too advanced when diagnosed to operate.

'Understanding the genetics of bile duct cancer means a focused drug targeting it could be developed to improve the long-term survival rate of patients,' said Prof Teh, whose laboratory published its findings in the International Journal Of Cancer last month.

Singapore, HK least red tape in Asia: survey

2010-06-03T14:29:00.001+08:00

Regional financial centres Singapore and Hong Kong have the most efficient bureaucracies, according to the survey of expatriate business executives by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) on Wednesday.

Government bureaucracies in some Asian countries have become "power centres" in their own right, allowing them to effectively resist efforts toward reforms by politicians and appointed officials, the Hong Kong-based firm said.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's failure to carry out reforms contributed to the resignation last month of respected finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who accepted a senior position at the World Bank, PERC said.

"Despite President Susilo's strong election mandate, he lacks the power to really shake up Indonesia's bureaucracy," the consultancy said.

Singapore was ranked has having the most efficient bureaucracy, with a score of 2.53, followed by Hong Kong with 3.49.

PERC said 1,373 middle and senior expatriate executives took part in the survey carried out earlier this year.

Singapore was also number one and Hong Kong was in third place globally in the World Bank's latest survey on the ease of doing business, which covered 183 economies.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore success story

2010-05-25T09:47:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE is the best place in the world for a child to be born.

It has the lowest mortality rate - 2.5 per 1,000 births - for children under five years old in the world, according to the study published in the medical journal The Lancet. The study compared the mortality rates of children under five in 187 countries.

Figures for other developed countries like Britain and the United States stand at 5.3 and 6.7, respectively.

These figures stand in stark contrast to countries like Laos (68.3), China (15.4) and India (62.6).

Singapore has come a long way from 1960, when 34.9 babies in every 1,000 died before they were a year old. Singapore's success in sharply reducing the mortality rate in recent decades can be attributed to many factors.

A big plus has been the ability of the country to meet the basic needs of its population, which include good housing, clean water, proper sanitation services and other public health-care needs.

'Improved prenatal care, safe delivery practices and medical advancement are some of the immediate factors,' said Assistant Professor of Sociology Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan from the School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University.

Clinical Associate Professor Ong Hian Tat, a senior consultant at the University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, mentioned breast-feeding and childhood screening programmes as factors in lowering the child mortality rate.

'Emphasis on the beneficial effects of breast-feeding has led to better nutrition provided for all the babies and infants.

'Nationwide childhood screening programmes have also allowed us to detect some of the childhood diseases early, resulting in better treatment outcomes,' he said.

Prof Bussarawan added that a decline in infant mortality rates was a good indicator of Singapore's socioeconomic development, access to health care and women's socioeconomic status.

And the focus on the less well-off has also paid off.

'Singapore is doing better than some other developed countries because we have our focus of giving optimal medical care to the less advantaged section of our population and we have quality and accessible subsidised perinatal and paediatric care,' said Associate Professor Tan Kok Hian.

He is the head of perinatal audit and epidemiology at KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

JANICE TAI (Straits Times)

Singapore No. 1 in Competitiveness

2010-05-20T12:16:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE has jumped ahead of Hong Kong and the United States to snatch the top spot in a closely watched global ranking of economic competitiveness.

The Republic edged ahead of its rivals to assume pole position for the first time in what the compiler of the annual rankings, Swiss business school IMD, is calling a photo finish.

The gap between the three in this latest assessment of the world's economies - which places Hong Kong second and the US third - is less than 1 per cent.

This year's rankings are an upset to what has become the traditional pecking order and mark the first time since 1994 that the US has failed to trounce the competition.

For most of the 1990s and early 2000s Singapore has ranked second, but in recent years it has alternated with Hong Kong for second and third place.

IMD said Singapore and Hong Kong 'displayed great resilience through the crisis... and are now taking full advantage of strong expansion in the surrounding Asian region'. It was particularly impressed with Singapore's 13 per cent growth in the first quarter of this year.

While 'it's a tango between Hong Kong and Singapore at the top' of the rankings, Singapore's ability to utilise its competitive advantages and improve on its weaknesses was what gave it the edge over Hong Kong this year, according to Ms Suzanne Rosselet-McCauley, deputy director of the IMD World Competitiveness Centre.

NYP's ice cream licks the big guns at awards

2010-05-01T11:58:00.000+08:00

The NYP team's 'green tea laced with aloe vera' recipe beat industry names from Slovenia and the United States to emerge tops in the best new ice cream category at the inaugural IDF Dairy Innovation Awards in Austria, trumping major players such as Dreyer's Grand and Haagen-Dazs.

The awards, which celebrate innovation in the global dairy industry, is an initiative by the International Dairy Federation - which currently accounts for more than 80 per cent of the world's milk production - and the FoodBev Media's Dairy Innovation magazine.

This year's competition attracted more than 170 entries from 29 countries in 12 categories, including best new cheese and best new dairy drink.

NYP's winning ice cream flavour was developed by four students and two lecturers from the Food Science Programme of the polytechnic's School of Chemical and Life Sciences (SCL).

One team member, student Laura Lim, 20, who will graduate from NYP later this month, said: 'I hope we are successful as we put in six months of hard work to come up with the product. We are confident that it will be popular in the mass market.'

The others in the team are students Chye Shan Shan, 20, Chow Yina, 22, and Gan Shi Wei, 20, and another lecturer Richard Khaw, 39.

Singapore named No.2 Ultimate Sports City

2010-04-27T21:43:00.001+08:00

Singapore has been named the number two Ultimate Sports City at the biennial Sport Accord Convention in Dubai.

The top spot went to Melbourne for the third successive time since the inception of the award in 2006 by London-based Sport Business Group, the world's leading supplier of information, media and business-to-business marketing services to the global sports industry.

This was the first time Singapore made the shortlist of 25 cities considered for the prestigious award.

Last month, Rachael Church-Sanders, author of the Ultimate Sports City report, told MediaCorp that cities are awarded a value according to the events they host annually, have hosted or will host between 2006 and 2014.

Singapore has hosted high-profile sports events in the last six years, beginning with the 117th International Olympic Committee Session in 2005.

It also staged the first Formula 1 night race in 2008, the first Asian Youth Games last year, and will welcome an estimated 3,600 athletes aged 14 to 18 from 205 National Olympic Committees for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in August.

The Republic has also hosted the World Cup short course swimming series, and the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon has witnessed record entries.

The Republic also beat out Melbourne for the right to host the World Netball Championships in July 2011.

Singapore banking system among Top 4 in world

2010-04-22T11:46:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE'S banking system has emerged from the global financial crisis as one of the Top 4 in the world along with Canada, Australia and Hong Kong, according to ratings agency Moody's.

Moody's Investors Service rated the banking sector in these four jurisdictions as having a 'stable' outlook with an averaged bank rating of B, one notch below the highest rating A.

Singapore banks have been more resilient than many global banks throughout the crisis, with limited damage to their asset quality, adequate earnings, and very liquid and well-capitalised balance sheets.

SMRT sweeps 3 awards at International Metro Awards 2010

2010-04-18T21:37:00.002+08:00

SMRT did Singapore proud, sweeping three awards at the International Metro Awards 2010 in London - "Best Metro Asia Pacific" and "Most Energy Efficient Metro" accolades for the second consecutive year, and "Most Innovative Use of Technology" award for the first time.

Big Help from Singapore

2010-04-18T21:33:00.001+08:00

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Dr Kurt Campbell: "No country punches as far above its weight in global politics as Singapore. And we've received enormous good advice and support for American commitment to the region. For Singapore, we would like that to continue in the next several years."

Singapore is tops for training of senior Chinese officials

2010-04-18T21:27:00.002+08:00

Minister of the Central Organisation Department of China's Communist Party, Mr Li Yuanchao said in his address that Singapore is the top choice when it comes to selecting a place to train top Chinese government officials, at the inaugural opening ceremony of the Master in Public Administration and Management (MPAM) programme.

The joint programme is an effort by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the NUS Business School.

Singapore No. 2 in World Infocomm Ranking

2010-03-30T17:19:00.002+08:00

The Global Information Technology Report, published by the World Economic Forum and leading business school Insead, ranked 133 economies and examined how they used information and communications technologies in businesses and in government, the infrastructure, and the actual usage of such technologies by everyone.

The report took into account 68 indicators such as the use of ICT by individuals, businesses and the government; accessibility of digital content; Internet access in schools and the success of the government's campaign to promote ICT.

Sweden tops the charts, with Singapore coming in second - two places higher than the last ranking in 2008-09. Denmark is third.

The only top other Asian territory in the Top 10 is Hong Kong, ranked eighth.

Where the Republic came out tops: success in promoting technology, laws relating to ICT, and the Government's procurement of advanced technological products, among others.

Singapore first SE Asia country to have own locally built satellite in space

2010-03-30T17:16:00.002+08:00

The X-Sat, a micro-satellite about the size of a refrigerator, will be launched in June or July from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.

With the launch of the 120 kg satellite, Singapore is believed to be the first Southeast Asian country that will have its own locally built satellite in space.

Changi Airport reclaims No. 1 Spot

2010-03-25T10:45:00.002+08:00

Changi Airport beat last year's winner, South Korea's Incheon International, which slipped to the second place in the Skytrax survey.

The skytrax survey ranked about 190 airports worldwide based on a poll of 9.8 million passengers from over 100 countries. Respondents were asked to assess the airports on aspects such as check-in, arrivals and transfers, duty-free shopping, leisure amenities and security processing.

Besides the overall prize, Changi also bagged the title of Best Airport Asia and best airport for leisure amenities.

Skytrax chairman Edward Plaisted said Changi triumphed because it was "almost a destination of its own right", among other factors.

Singapore team develops mobile ECG machine

2010-03-20T20:44:00.002+08:00

A team of Singaporean researchers in the private sector has developed a portable and affordable electrocardiograph (ECG) machine.

The machine - known as the CP50 - is the first of New York-based medical diagnostic equipment maker Welch Allyn's products to be designed and developed in Singapore since it started operations here six years ago.

It was first launched in the United States in February 2010.

The CP50 is mobile and can be battery operated, which allows doctors to take it to patients' homes.

Singapore students bag top literature awards

2010-03-18T12:28:00.002+08:00

Meridian Junior College student Nicole Kang, 19, was pipped to the 2009 Angus Ross Prize by Hwa Chong Institution's Lin Ruizi, but beat thousands of students worldwide to clinch the runner-up award.

The Angus Ross Prize is given out every year to the best-performing non-British candidate in the GCE A-Level English Literature examination.

Since Cambridge began awarding the prize in 1987, Singaporeans have clinched it almost every year, with students from Raffles Junior College dominating the winners in the last decade.

Singapore ranked 4th in financial centres survey

2010-03-14T20:12:00.002+08:00

Singapore is closing the gap on London and New York as a leading financial centre, according to a new ranking. Third in place is Hong Kong.

The six-monthly index is compiled by the Z/Yen Group think-tank and published by the City of London. It combines a survey of financial professionals with factors such as tax rates, airport satisfaction, office occupancy costs and stock exchange capitalisation.

Among the top cities, Singapore was perceived to be riding out the financial crisis with more resilience than the others.

Singapore invited to be UN group member

2010-03-14T20:09:00.002+08:00

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has formed a high-level advisory group on an important aspect - how mitigation measures on climate change will be financed.

Singapore has been invited to be a group member and will be represented by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Second Finance Minister Lim Hwee Hua.

Singapore Second-best place for expats to raise kids

2010-03-11T10:51:00.001+08:00

Some 56 per cent of expat parents said their children are more socially integrated here than they were in their home countries, according to the world's largest survey of expats, Expat Explorer.

Not only did 71 per cent say their kids adapted "really well" to the education system here (compared to the global average of 49 per cent), 65 per cent said their children found it easy to make new friends (global average 50 per cent).

Expat kids fit in easiest in Australia. In contrast, expat kids in the United Kingdom and United States struggled the hardest to make friends and integrate.

These were the findings of the second annual survey issued by HSBC Bank International, which polled over 3,100 expats from more than 50 countries.

Overall, Singapore was ranked next best, behind Australia, for expats to raise a family. Nine in 10 expat parents living here felt they had moved to a safer, more childcare-friendly place for their youngsters.

Three in four said education standards were better than in their home country (global average 56 per cent), while 70 per cent felt childcare had improved since moving here (global average 50 per cent).

But the Republic was also rated one of the most expensive place to raise a child - 60 per cent said they now spend more on childcare.

As for providing an environment to raise healthy kids, expat children in Singapore ate the least junk food, according to the survey. But over a third tended to spend less time outdoors and playing sports after moving here.

Overall, the UK was indicated as the worst country for childcare and education.

S'pore to sign HCCAICA pact

2010-03-11T10:45:00.001+08:00

According to Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday, the ministry is working to accede to the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (HCCAICA), and is expected to join some 80 signatories by the end of this year.

The pact facilitates the safe return of children wrongly removed from their home countries. Courts in countries which have signed the treaty are obligated to return an abducted child to his home country.

ITE gets thumbs-up from Australian government officials and students

2010-02-27T00:55:00.002+08:00

Students at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) should count their blessings for having some of the best teachers, curricula, training methods and facilities in the world.

That was the conclusion of visiting staff and students from Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions, the equivalent of ITE in Australia.

"A number of senior Australian government delegations visited ITE College East and were especially impressed by the dedication of the trainers, the use of modern teaching tools and the effective curriculum," said Mr Suhaimy Hassan, director (education) of the Australian Education International (AEI) in Singapore.

The AEI is the international arm of the Australian government's Department of Edeucation, Employment and Workplace Relations.

NTU team maps Malaria parasite's behaviour

2010-02-18T03:17:00.003+08:00

The secrets of the most deadly malaria parasite, Plasmodium facliparum, have been unravelled by scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), raising hopes that stagnation in drug development for the disease can end.

The team at NTU has mapped the behaviour of the 5,300 genes of the parasite. Previously, only half the genes were understood. The discovery was reported in January 2010's edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

Changi Airport second again in World Ranking

2010-02-18T03:12:00.003+08:00

For the second year running, Changi has emerged as number two in a ranking of airports worldwide.

The annual Airport Service Quality ranking is done by Airports Council International (ACI), a global trade representative of airports, with 575 members operating in nearly 180 countries.

Among other indicators, travellers were asked to rank the airports based on waiting time at check-in, ease of finding their way through the airport, ground transportation to and from the airport, thoroughness of security inspection, cleanliness of washrooms as well as waiting time at security inspection, and passport and visa inspection.

Changi was third in 2006.

Source: The Straits Times (Feb 17, 2010)

Singaporean wins US maths award

2010-02-06T23:08:00.002+08:00

A Raffles Institution (Junior College) alumna has become the first Singaporean to clinch a major American award given to female undergraduates who excel in mathematics.

She is Ms Charmaine Sia, 23, just months away from graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a double degree in mathematics and physics.

The annual award, given by the non-profit Association for Women in Mathematics since 1990, aims to encourage women to study and pursue careers in the mathematical sciences.

New trials give hope to liver cancer patients

2010-02-06T23:06:00.001+08:00

Singapore's drawing power for clinical trials give hope to several hundred liver cancer patients in the region, with the launch of three clinical trials this year.

EADS to conduct research in Singapore

2010-02-06T23:00:00.002+08:00

Singapore's aerospace research capabilities climbed up a notch on 4/2/10 when European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS) committed to work with three Singapore institutions on "green" aircraft solutions.

EADS, parent company of aircraft manufacturer Airbus, is working with A*Star's Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences on converting algae oil to kerosene for use as jet fuel.

It also signed a research agreement with Nanyang Technological University, where it is involved in developing an energy efficient radio system.

The National University of Singapore and EADS already have two projects in mind. One of these looks at solar powered aircraft, while the other is on improving the aerodynamic qualities of aircraft.

Singapore 1 of top 10 nations registering inventions overseas

2010-02-02T19:36:00.002+08:00

The number of patents registered in Singapore by local companies, individuals and institutions has grown steadily from 572 in 2005, to 729 in 2007 and 827 last year.

Overseas too, Singapore punches above its weight.

It is one of the top 10 countries registering inventions overseas, according to a study by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development.

Singapore ranks 10th on the list. The only other Asian territory is Taiwan, in third spot.

The top filers are the national Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and technology companies like Creative Technologies, though there are also individuals as well as universities and polytechnics.

Nanyang Polytechnic is the only polytechnic which has consistently been among the top 10 patent applicants in the last 10 years.

Singapore is most open economy

2010-01-30T15:06:00.002+08:00

Singapore leads the world as the most globally connected economy, after edging out regional rival Hong Kong, according to an inaugural study.

The key factor that drove the Republic to the top of the list compiled by Ernst & Young and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) was the far-reaching tentacles of trade.

The Globalisation Index 2009 said the "movement of goods and services" in Singapore relative to total output outshone all comers.

With total trade volume of more than 300 per cent of output - since many goods are simply turned around at Singapore ports - the Republic attained a score of 9.59, the highest of all 60 economies. Hong Kong registered 8.66.

This criterion measures the volume of a country's trade as a percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP) - a measure of economic output - and other factors such as trade openness, and any trade barriers, as rated by EIU analysts.

The world's 60 largest economies studied were ranked using five criteria - openness to trade, capital movements, exchange of technology and ideas, labour movements, and cultural integration.

Four Singapore think-tanks among Asia's top 30

2010-01-30T14:57:00.002+08:00

The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) has been ranked third-best among more than 1,000 Asian think-tanks in a study conducted last year by the University of Pennsylvania.

Three other Singapore think-tanks also snagged top 30 positions in a ranking of 40 leading Asian think-tanks.

They are the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (seventh), Singapore Institute of International Affairs (15th), and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (29th).

The Global "Go-To Think Tanks" ranking was the fourth since 2006 by the University of Pennsylvania's Think Tank and Civil Societies Programme. It aims to identify top think-tanks through surveys with over 300 scholars, policy-makers and think-tank experts.

The criteria includes academic reputation, success in generating innovative policy ideas, and access to elites in the areas of policymaking, media and academia.

Foreigners team up with Singaporeans to help in Haiti

2010-01-26T23:59:00.002+08:00

What started out as a modest relief team composed of seven Singaporeans has grown into an international medical mission of sorts, as they have teamed up with volunteers from Taiwan, Indonesia, Canada and the United States.

Since the first team arrived in Haiti on Jan 18, CityCare volunteers have been running a makeshift clinic at a church in Carrefour, near the capital Port-Au-Prince.

They have since treated more than 700 injured Haitians.

Singapore to host global tax forum

2010-01-26T23:55:00.002+08:00

A major tax summit involving representatives from more than 90 countries will be held here later this year.

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes monitors and evaluates the international standard on how tax information is shared across borders.

This will be the Global Forum's first meeting after it became a stand-alone body last year.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said: "Singapore is pleased to host the Global Forum at an important time - as it puts in place an objective peer review process aimed at monitoring the implementation of the internationally agreed standard for exchange of information. Singapore has been working actively with others to institute this process."

Nanyang Business School ranked 27th in the world

2010-01-26T23:48:00.002+08:00

Nanyang Business School (NBS) has largely held its ground in the Financial Times' ranking of the top 100 full-time global Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes in the world.

The list is based on three criteria: career progression of alumni, international and gender diversity, and how well ideas are generated in the course.

NBS leapt to 15th position, up from 71st, in terms of career progression. This measures the seniority of alumni and the size of companies they work for, compared to their standing before their MBA.

It also excelled in terms of international mobility - whether alumni are employed in different countries today compared to before - of its graduates, ranking 13th for this criterion.

The FT survey spelt out the dollar gains to MBA holders. On average, NBS MBA alumni saw a 109% increase in their salary post-MBA, raking in US$110,567 (S$155,048).

Scientists find flower power

2010-01-26T23:40:00.002+08:00

Scientists have found a long-sought-after gene which controls when plants flower. The discovery, reported in Molecular Cell journal, could lead to a greater yield of crops such as rice and to faster-growing flowers such as orchids.

PhD student Wang Yu, who was at the National University of Singapore (NUS) but is currently at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), started out studying how a similar gene in humans affects cancer and Alzheimer's.

Singapore is the world's second largest exporter of orchids, which can take anything from three to five years to bloom. But through the discovery of this gene, Prof Yu, 38, has managed to speed up the process.

And NUS Assistant Professor Liou Yih-Cherng, who was in charge of the original work on the gene in mammals, said: "Knowing how this gene functions in plants helps us understand it better in humans and could lead to drug development for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's."

The Straits Times (Jan 16, 2010)

New study links gene markers to heart disease

2010-01-26T23:30:00.003+08:00

A Singaporean-led team of scientists from Cambridge University has achieved a breakthrough in linking a set of DNA markets found in humans to a person's increased propensity for heart disease.

By comparing tissues from a set of patients with healthy and disease-stricken hearts, the team led by Singaporean Roger Foo found that a specific region of the human DNA in people with sick hearts contained certain "marks", whereas the healthy hearts did not.

The finding could potentially lead to new ways of treating heart disease, as well as identify its links to factors such as diet and the environment, said Dr Foo.

The findings were published in the journal PLoS ONE this week.

The Straits Times (Jan 16, 2010)

Braces that are almost invisible

2010-01-22T10:33:00.002+08:00

A local start-up, BioMers, developed translucent braces and retainers in late 2008.

Nanotechnology was used to create a polymer composite wire that works as well as metal wires currently used in braces. Its latest products come coloured, as these are more popular with teens around the world.

Some local dentists are already carrying the products, which are only slightly more expensive than current aesthetic braces.

Singapore-made wireless camera memory card

2010-01-22T10:29:00.002+08:00

A made-in-Singapore product will allow photographers to transfer their images and videos wirelessly.

The FluCard, announced by Trek 2000 - the local company which patented the now-ubiquitous ThumbDrive portable USB flash drive a decade ago - is a storage card with built-in Wi-Fi connection.

The FluCard, developed by Trek's engineers over six years at a cost of US$6million, will go on a sale in Singapore within the next couple of months.

Already the FluCard has attracted the attention of Japanese tech giant Toshiba Corporation.

The Straits Times (Jan 21 2010)

Singapore to lead anti-piracy flotilla off Somalia

2010-01-22T10:22:00.002+08:00

Singapore will lead an international flotilla of ships to watch over the pirate-infested waters off Somalia.

Rear-Admiral Bernard Miranda and 28 other Singapore navy, air force and army servicemen will lead the Combined Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden and its surrounding waters until March, commanding six vessels from various countries.

They will coordinate counter-piracy operations with naval forces from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Six other navy personnel from Australia, France, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and South Korea make up the rest of the 35-man command team.

This is the first time a Singaporean is leading a multinational peace support mission since 2002, when a Singaporean army general headed a United Nations peace support mission in Timor Leste.

The Straits Times (Jan 21 2010)

Singapore to help boost eco-tourism in Johor

2010-01-13T09:12:00.002+08:00

Singapore is lending Malaysia its expertise in developing green reserves for eco-tourism.

The tourism agencies of both countries have started a joint feasibility study to look into how an attraction like Singapore's Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Kranji can be replicated across the Causeway.

The joint feasibility study, expected to be completed in 2010, is the first such venture into the tourism sector.

The first mention of the collaboration between Singapore and Malaysia in this area came from Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan in 2009, when he gave an update on Singapore's involvement in Iskandar Malaysia, a project to develop southern Johor's economic corridor.

Singaporean is top debater in global contest

2010-01-06T16:29:00.003+08:00

24-year-old Singaporean Li Shengwu graduated five months ago as the top economics student at Oxford University. He was crowned Best Speaker at the just-concluded World Universities Debating Championships in Turkey.

Mr Li, a master's student in economics at Oxford, took the top individual honour at the event - known colloquially as the "Worlds" and regarded as the most prestigious debating tournament in the world.

He is the third Singaporean to receive the award, cementing Singapore's status as a debate powerhouse. Since 1981, when the competition began, all Asian winners have been Singaporean.

Country-wise, Singapore is ranked fourth in terms of Best Speaker winners, behind Australia, Canada and England.

That is very good for a country of five million, the competition's unofficial historian, Mr Colm Flynn, noted.

The first Singaporean Best Speaker winner was Ms Chitra Jenardhanan in 1995. Representing Nanyang Technological University, she was also the first woman and the first Asian to take the trophy.

In 2003, Dr Tan Wu Meng, representing Cambridge University, won it.

Singapore leading development of Index on Cities' Biodiversity

2010-01-04T13:48:00.004+08:00

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan arrived in Brazil on 3 January 2010 for the second Curitiba Meeting on Cities and Biodiversity which begins on Wednesday.

Mr Mah will speak on the development of the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity, and encourage cities to participate in its testing and refinement.

Singapore is leading the development of the index - the first that will enable cities to monitor their biodiversity conservation efforts.

Better way to treat paraneoplastic encephalitis

2009-12-31T12:46:00.002+08:00

Singapore doctors have come up with a treatment approach for a rare condition associated with tumours in the ovary, and have recommended it as the way to go in a scientific journal.

Paraneoplastic encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain which sets in when an ovarian cancer triggers the patient's over-active immune system to attack the brain.

Doctors here recommended that chemotherapy be considered as one of the main treatments.

From treating five such cases here, they have found that chemotherapy seems to prevent the immune system from attacking the brain.

The Straits Times (Dec 31 09)

1st Singapore Woman to reach South Pole

2009-12-31T12:33:00.002+08:00

The seven women of the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition had planned to have a day off from skiing, but the South Pole was in sight and they just could not wait.

They had travelled 900 km on skis, and the final 12 took them to the South Pole at about 10am on 30 December 2009 (Singapore time).

Among them was Singaporean Sophia Pang, 37, the first Singapore woman to ski from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole.

The training programme was conducted by the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre and the Changi Sports Medicine Centre.

A four-man Singapore team skiied to the South Pole in 2000, while another four-man Singapore team simultaneously scaled the highest peak in Antarctica.

The Straits Times (Dec 31 09)

Singaporean named Best Female Athlete of SEA Games

2009-12-19T13:10:00.000+08:00

AFTER a historic 10 days of sporting action in Laos, the SEA Games bade 'saukdee' (goodbye in Lao) to the former French colony and thanked the city of Vientiane and its people for their gracious hospitality.

The 20,000 spectators who packed into the National Stadium were serenaded by singers and entertained by elaborate cultural performances during Friday night's three-hour-long closing ceremony.

Besides hosting the Games for the first time in its history, there was also much to celebrate for Laos who surpassed their target of 25 golds by winning 32 of the 370 on offer. It placed them seventh on the table, just behind Singapore (33).

Singapore swimmer Quah Ting Wen's five golds, two silvers and one bronze helped her clinch the women's honour.

Singapore is IB's new HQ for Asia-Pacific

2009-12-19T13:03:00.002+08:00

Four years after the first local school started offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme, the organisation behind it has made Singapore its Asia-Pacific headquarters.

As one of three global centres - the other two being The Hague in Holland and Maryland in United States - Singapore will provide training and support to 11,000 teachers in the region.

IB director-general Jeffrey Beard said Singapore's strategic location, good infrastructure, status as an education hub, and the fast growing demand for IB programmes in the region were compelling reasons for making it the Asia-Pacific HQ.

Singapore to host APPF 2010

2009-12-19T13:00:00.002+08:00

Parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region will gather in Singapore next month for the 18th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parlimentarian Forum (APPF).

To be held at Suntec convention centre from Jan 17 to 21, the five-day forum will see officials from 26 member countries, including China and the United States, meeting over issues that matter to the region.

NP Researchers developed recycled-glass tiles that are tougher than concrete

2009-12-19T12:55:00.002+08:00

Researchers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic's Environmental and Water Technology Centre of Innovation have developed an eco-friendly way of converting discarded glass products into building materials with more than twice the strength of concrete.

The research offers a more environmentally friendly way of using waste glass, which is currently either dumped as landfill waste or exported to countries such as Malaysia, where it is melted down at a scorching 1,600 deg C. This is not only energy-intensive, but also bad for the environment.

Ngee Ann has approached the Housing Board to explore the use fo the recycled products in its housing projects.

The next target is to develop materials with the quality of marble but cheaper.

3 local think-tanks on list of top Asian research centres

2009-12-15T13:20:00.002+08:00

3 Singapore think-tanks are on a list of 29 "research centres of excellence" in Asia that has been drawn up by the philantropic Rockefeller Foundation.

The trio are the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (Iseas) and the Asia Research Institute (ARI).

The criteria used included the quality of research and research staff, the institution's network and collaborative relationships in the region, its ability and interest in shaping policies, and communication of research results, among others.

Breakthrough work on plants by Singapore duo

2009-12-15T13:11:00.002+08:00

Two Singaporean researchers, along with a host of other international scientists, have made a discovery which could help crops survive harsh conditions such as drought and heat.

The two PhD students from the National University of Singapore Graduate School for Integrated Sciences and Engineering - Ms Ng Ley Moy and Ms Soon Fen Fen - went to the Van Andel Research Institute in Michigan in June to work on this topic with a team of 19 other researchers from around the world.

Over 12,000 families in quake-hit Sumatra get special treat from Singapore

2009-12-02T18:06:00.000+08:00

More than 12,000 needy families in areas affected by the recent earthquake in Sumatra received a special treat from Singapore.

Some 630 sheep, worth more than S$122,000, were donated by Muslims in Singapore for the annual korban ritual over the weekend. The meat was distributed to the needy families in Sumatra as part of the Hari Raya Haji celebrations.

The event was organised by Singapore's humanitarian organisation Mercy Relief, and the number of families given the meat exceeded their initial target of 7,000.

The families came from 15 districts in Palembang, Pangalengan and Padang - areas badly affected by the recent earthquake.

Source: Channel NewsAsia

Singapore firm wins deal to sell Obama portrait

2009-11-29T16:47:00.002+08:00

A Singapore investment firm has clinched an exclusive deal to sell a painting of United States President Barack Obama.

Estimated to be worth a few million dollars, the portrait in oil was done by renowned African-American artist Gilbert Young last year.

It is said to be the only portrait that the President has endorsed with his signature.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong receives top jurist award

2009-11-29T16:39:00.002+08:00

CJ Chan Sek Keong has become the first Asian jurist to be given the 2009 International Jurists Award by the International Council of Jurists (ICJ).

ICJ President Adish Aggarwala said the award, given out annually since 2007 is a recognition of CJ Chan's outstanding contributions to the administration of justice and that his achievement has enhanced the dignity of the judiciary in Asian countries.

CJ Chan received the award from Indian President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi last Saturday, at a two-day conference on International Terrorism and the Rule of Law.

The ICJ, which has a London-registered office, convened the meeting, which drew more than 3,000 delegates from about 60 countries.

Source: The Straits Times (November 26, 2009)

Singapore on IMO Council for 9th term

2009-11-29T16:28:00.003+08:00

Singapore has been re-elected to the council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for a ninth term.

The election was held at the 26th session of the IMO Assembly in London last Friday.

Singapore was first elected to the council in 1993 and has been re-elected at subsequent biennial assemblies.

Source: The Sunday Times (November 29, 2009)

Singapore 5th easiest place to pay taxes

2009-11-25T10:59:00.002+08:00

Singapore has maintained the same ranking as last year in the latest survey of 183 economies by the World Bank Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The top four economies are the Maldives, Qatar, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

Despite the economic downturn, governments have generally remained focused on tax reform.

For Singapore, the report noted that it was during the 1990s, when the Asian financial crisis struck, that the Republic bit the bullet and undertook reforms to combat the economic downturn.

Singapore lowered business costs through a series of tax cuts, rebates and exemptions introduced over the course of the crisis.

Singapore comes second on media access to government info

2009-11-20T09:54:00.002+08:00

Singapore has come out second in a global study on how accessible information is to the media.

Topping the list is Australia, with the maximum score of 120 points while Singapore chalked up 115, according to the study by the Austria-based International Press Institute (IPI).

The pilot project, done in June, required media organisations to ask their governments a set of six questions.

The countries were awarded points based on how quickly the officials responded, with the maximum 20 points given for an answer that arrived within three hours of the query.

The score decreased gradually over time, with 2.5 points given to a response that took more than two days. A reply after one week was not counted.

Points were deducted for incomplete answers, while full marks were given if the information was publicly available.

Britain came in at No. 6, followed by United States.

The IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and journalists dedicated to press freedom, free flow of information, and the improvement of practices of journalism.

Shenzhen wants to be clean, just like Singapore

2009-11-16T22:59:00.002+08:00

The Chinese city of Shenzhen has chosen Singapore to be its guiding light in environmental improvements, particularly public sanitation, Chinese and Hong Kong newspapers have reported.

A Singapore consultancy company had earlier spent two years working with the southern boomtown's environment and sanitation bureau and compiled a report on the challenges it faced and how they should be tackled.

Shenzhen has also sent officials to Singapore on study trips in its ambitious aim to turn itself into a garden city like the Republic, the paper added.

Last month, the city announced it would continue hiring a Singapore consultancy to help it in its public sanitation quest.

As Shenzhen will be celebrating next year its 30th anniversary as a special economic zone - a designation that helped it become a modern investment hub, it is now keener than ever to move closer to Singapore's environmental standards hoping to achieve a drastic change in image by then.

Most of the changes being carried out are refurbishment and upgrading works, such as repainting the facades of buildings along the thoroughfares and re-fashioning rooftops of high-rises, like what is often done in Singapore's housing estates.

Shenzhen also wants to learn from Singapore's experience in involving the private sector in sanitation and private sector in sanitation and garbage management, and how it put and runs a mechanised public sanitation system.

Guangdong's acting Mayor Mr Wang Rong decided that it should learn from Singapore.

Mr Wang was previously the party boss of Suzhou, where he was very much exposed to Singapore's ways of management in the Suzhou Industrial Park, in which the Republic holds sizeable stakes.

Explaining why Shenzhen did not choose neighbouring Hong Kong as its model, Mr Hu Zhen Hua, a spokesman for the city's urban management bureau, said: "Hong Kong is the efficiency expert, but Singapore is a unique garden city, and nobody would be better than Singapore for environmental improvement."

The Sunday Times (15 Nov 2009)

MM Lee receives top Russian award

2009-11-16T10:05:00.003+08:00

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew was presented with Russia's highest civilian award, the Order of Friendship at the Istana by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is here on his first official visit.

The Order recognises those who have made a signficant contribution in strengthening friendship, cooperation and relations between nations.

A citation for the award stated that Mr Lee was receiving it for his "outstanding contribution to the development of the Russia-Singapore relationship".

Mr Lee has been a strong supporter of the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management, Russia's first dedicated business school, since its inception in 2006.

Mr Lee became a member of its international advisory board in 2007.

Mr Lee is the second Singaporean to be conferred this award. Businessman, Sudhir Gupta, received the award in 2000. He was the founder of Amtel group, a company which makes tyres, tea, juices and vodka in Russian and the Ukraine.

Singapore in the White

2009-11-15T23:00:00.003+08:00

The crucial step in the "grey to white" process was taken yesterday when the Government signed a protocol to amend the standing agreement for the avoidance of double taxation (DTA) with France.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam took time out from Apec meetings to ink the deal with French Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment Christine Largade.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) requires a country to seal 12 such deals before it can join the white list.

Later in the day, the Minister from the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, signed a similar pact with Brunei.

Singapore has pacts with 13 countries - Belgium, New Zealand, Britain, Denmark, The Netherlands, Australia, Austria, Norway, Qatar, Mexico, Bahrain, France and Brunei.

Singapore schools lead the way in tech use

2009-11-15T22:51:00.002+08:00

Singapore schools, lauded the world over for their maths and science curriculums, are now also serving as role models in the use of technology for teaching.

A group of education experts from software giant Microsoft told The Straits Times at a conference in Brazil last week that many countries have their eye on Singapore schools because they have managed to integrate the use of technology into lessons effectively - something which schools elsewhere do only superficially.

Microsoft vice-president for worldwide education programmes Anthony Salcito said one example of Singapore's success in integrating technology within the curriculum is BackPack.NET, a S$20 million project by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and Microsoft Singapore. It was started in 2003 with the aim of transforming teaching through technology and allowing mobile learning.

Ms Jenny Lewis, an adviser to Microsoft's US$500 million (S$700 million) education initiative Partners in Learning, said Singapore schools are gaining attention for the way they use technology to teach "21st century skills" such as collaboration critical and creative thinking.

The Straits Times (14 Nov 2009)

SPH Chief Executive named as one of Isead's top 50 alumni

2009-11-07T11:43:00.002+08:00

Singapore Press Holdings' chief executive, Mr Alan Chan, was yesterday named as one of the 50 alumni from top international business school Insead to have had an exceptional career and amde a difference to the business world.

He is the only Singaporean and Asian to achieve this honour.

The awards were launched by Insead as part of celebrations commemorating the founding of the graduate business school 50 years ago.

Mr Chan was among the second batch of 10 outstanding individuals cited by Insead's Dean Frank Brown during the school's Leadership Summit Asia held at the Singapore campus yesterday.

Hepatitis B Vaccination began in Singapore

2009-11-07T11:37:00.003+08:00

Research in Singapore seeded a pioneering vaccination programme, supported by the World Health Organisation, which has spread successfully throughout the world.

The effort led to a drastic reduction of Hepatitis B Virus and Primary Liver Cancer, which it causes. It also identified how Singapore needed to change tack quickly to embrace higher technology, ahead of its competitors.

Source: The Straits Times (7 Nov 2009)

Temasek scores perfect 10 on SWF transperency index

2009-11-06T15:08:00.002+08:00

Temasek Holdings has kept its position as one of the world's most transparent sovereign wealth funds (SWFs).

Temasek Holdings scored 10 out of 10 on the latest Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index, published quarterly by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute in California.

There are 10 principles in the index, including providing up-to-date, independently audited annual reports; disclosing a total portfolio market value, returns and management compensation; and offering guidelines for ethical standards and investment policies.

Source: The Straits Times (9 Nov 2009)

Ngee Ann Secondary School honoured for use of technology

2009-11-06T15:00:00.004+08:00

Microsoft has listed Ngee Ann Secondary School as a "Pathfinder School" - one of 30 schools worldwide so honoured this year. Ngee Ann is the first school in Singapore to bag the title since Microsoft introduced it in 2007.

The Pathfinder status is the second highest level of recognition given by Microsoft to schools.

The highest level of recognition is the "Mentor School" status, which first went to Singapore's Crescent Girls' School in 2007. SCGS still maintains that status and is now joined by another 11 schools worldwide.

St Andrew Junior College's principal Lee Bee Yann is now an adviser to Microsoft's US$500 million education initiative, Partners In Learning. She is the only school principal and Singaporean in the 14-member International Advisory Council, which is mostly made up of university professors and government officials.

Source: The Straits Times (6 Nov 2009)

Singapore is top immigration hot spot

2009-11-05T21:57:00.003+08:00

Gallup index shows Singapore population would jump to 13 million if it takes in all who wished to come here.

Gallup uses the Potential Net Migration Index (PMNI) to derive Singapore's ranking. The PNMI is the estimated number of adults who wish to leave a country permanently subtracted from the estimated number who wish to immigrate to the country, as a proportion of the total adult population.

Singapore is No. 1 immigration hot spot, coming ahead of countries like New Zealand and Australia.

According to the United Nations' 2009 Human Development Report, Singapore is ranked No. 10 in the world in terms of the share of immigrants as part of total population, at 35%. The UN report also showed that Singapore had a relatively low emigration rate of 6.3%.

Singapore honoured for being peaceful nation

2009-11-05T21:47:00.003+08:00

At a dinner kicking off the 3-day Global Symposium of Peaceful Nations in Washington on 1 November 2009, Singapore was one of the 18 countries lauded for being a "model for development and urbanisation" that has demonstrated its dedication to peace in a variety of ways.

The list includes Singapore's provision of humanitarian aid overseas, military and police forces to United Nations peacekeeping missions, laws to protect its multi-ethnic society as well as efforts to preserve the environment, such as building an eco-city with Tianjin city in China, according to a citation read out at the dinner.

The event was organised by the J. William and Harriet Fulbright Centre and Alliance for Peacebuilding.

The 18 nations were chosen based on their performance in the 2009 Global Peace Index, which ranks 144 countries by their peacefulness and absence of violence. Using the index, the symposium's organisers looked at nine different regions of the world, and identified two of the most peaceful nations from each of these regions.

Singapore was ranked the world's 23rd most peaceful nation. It moved up from 29th place in 2008's rankings. The index is produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, a global think-tank.

KPE ranks among world's top tunnels

2009-10-29T08:06:00.002+08:00

Singapore's Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) has been ranked among the top international tunnels in a European Tunnel Assessment Programme.

The KPE was also given a top rating under the European Union's Directive on Safety Requirements for Road Tunnels in Europe in July.

NTU solar car in top 10 of World Solar Challenge

2009-10-27T22:40:00.002+08:00

A solar car built by NTU students is competing with more than 30 solar cars from countries such as the United States, Malaysia and the Netherlands.

The NTU team is made up of 23 people, comprising undergraduates, alumni and staff meembers from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering & School of Electric and Electronic Engineering.

The Singapore team is now in 10th position.

Global Indian International School wins international excellence award

2009-10-21T21:45:00.000+08:00

Homegrown Global Indian International School achieves a first for Singapore with the Asia Pacific Quality Award.

MM Lee Kuan Yew to receive lifetime award in US

2009-10-21T21:40:00.001+08:00

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is embarking on a 10-day trip to the United States, during which he will receive a lifetime achievement award from the US-ASEAN Business Council.

MM Lee is the first person in the entire world to receive this award, which recognises ASEAN's contribution to US economic security.

"History will record few leaders who have accomplished so much for their country and for South-east Asia as His Excellency Lee Kuan Yew," Mr Muhtar Kint, chairman of the US-ASEAN Business Council and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.

"As a driving force behind the growth and evolution of ASEAN, Mr Lee also helped millions of people across South-east Asia to live in an environment of peace and economic growth."

Special Forces Commanders Conference

2009-10-21T21:38:00.001+08:00

350 delegates from 16 countries gathered in Singapore to attend the 3-day Special Forces Commanders Conference. DPM Teo Chee Hean also participated in the conference.

Minister George Yeo hands over water purification tablets to Jaffna camp

2009-10-19T14:27:00.000+08:00

Foreign Minister George Yeo, currently visiting Sri Lanka, has handed over 5,000 water purification tablets to help purify drinking water for internally displaced persons at a camp in Kopay, Jaffna.

The Singapore delegation also visited the historic Jaffna Library and Mr Yeo announced the contribution of 500 books from Singapore's National Library.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry says that during his meetings with the Sri Lankan leaders in the various districts, Minister Yeo expressed the hope that once peace was entrenched and trust between the communities restored in the country, there would be opportunities for tourism, education and foreign direct investment.

Mr Yeo told the Sri Lankan leaders that the successful Sri Lankan Singaporean diaspora stood ready to help Sri Lanka in its rehabilitation efforts.

Singapore Slingers beat Philippine Patriots 74-69

2009-10-19T14:24:00.000+08:00

The Singapore Slingers won on Sunday evening, unseating the ASEAN Basketball League contender 74-69.

The Philippine Patriots led the first few points but the Slingers quickly fought back and were ahead at the end of the first quarter.

The Patriots played hard though and the teams were neck and neck during the second quarter.

But the Patriots gained ground as they took advantage of fatigue and unforced errors from the Slingers.

The game was watched upon by 2,200 people at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

NTU Business School up 10 spots

2009-10-19T14:19:00.003+08:00

Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang Business School has rose 10 places to No. 71 from No. 81 last year in its global MBA rankings according to the latest survey by The Economist magazine.

NBS likely improved its rankings because of two areas - careers and alumni.

On the Financial Times list, Nanyang Business School came in at No. 24.

SAF hands over two medical clinics to Indonesian authorities

2009-10-17T17:21:00.000+08:00

Excerpts from News report by Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has handed over the two newly-constructed medical clinics to Indonesian authorities in quake-hit Pariaman, Padang...

... During the handing-over ceremony at Padang Pasir, assistant chief of General Staff (Operations) Brigadier-General Tung said: "The close cooperation between the SAF and TNI allowed the SAF to provide effective medical assistance and construct the two medical clinics in Padang and Pariaman within a short time...

... The SAF medical team attended to more than 1,100 Accident and Emergency cases and performed over 100 surgeries during their stay in Padang.

Tsunami-damaged schools made new with Singapore funds

2009-10-17T11:34:00.000+08:00

Reported by Ravi Velloor, The Straits Times

Excerpts from report:

Tangelle Primary, in Sri Lanakan President Mahinda Rajapakse's home district of Hambantota, was one of the three upgraded and refurbished schools in the island's southern province that was inaugurated by visiting Foreign Minister George Yeo yesterday...

... Singaporeans from all races, religions and walks of life contributed ot the Red Cross Society's Tidal Waves Asia Fund. Combined with funds from the Singapore Government, the total project cost for the three schools came to S$5.6million.

Thanks to that effort, some 6,400 students in Hambantota, Galle and Matare are poised to benefit every year. In addition, Singapore's Popular Bookstore will soon deliver various quantities of roller ink pens, school bags and stationery as a donation.