SingaporeSurf

Singapore, Qantas Holding Merger Talks
by AAP
Singapore's transport minister confirmed that Singapore Airlines and Australia flag carrier Qantas are holding talks about joining businesses.

Singapore Won't Tolerate Olympic Protests
by Associated Press
Singapore police intend to clamp down on any protest designed to disrupt the vote for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Adopt-A-Reef Project Aimed At Saving Corals
by DPT
An adopt-a-reef programme to save corals has been launched in Singapore's most ambitious undersea conservation effort, marine experts said Tuesday.

Farmers Using Modern Method To Stay Competitive In Singapore
by Arul Rajoo, Bernama
With growing competition from China, vegetable farmers here in Cameron Highlands are turning to safer use of pesticide, modern packaging and technology to keep their lucrative market share in Singapore.

Education As A Bridge To Better Ties With Singapore
by Mazwin Nik Anis, The Star
Education will be used as a bridge to strengthen the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore, especially among the youth of the two countries. Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the meeting of minds would involve ministry officials, teachers and students.

JB Fertility Centre Draws Singapore Couples
by Salma Khalik, Straits Times
The 15-month-old Damansara Fertility Centre's selling point is its high in-vitro fertilisation success rate, which puts it among the best in the world.

Singapore 'No Sure Thing'
by David King, The Advertiser
Qantas will merge with another international carrier within five to 10 years — but it would not necessarily be Singapore Airlines. After a week of speculation by politicians about a possible deal with the Singaporean carrier, Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon moved to quash rumors of an imminent alliance.

Singapore-Based Bakery Chain Lands In Hong Kong
by People's Daily
Singapore bakery chain giant BreadTalk Sunday announced the opening of its first outlet in Hong Kong and plans to expand rapidly in the city.

Body Parts Case: Lawyer Can't Meet Accused
by Wong Fei Wan, Today
When should an accused person be allowed access to his lawyer? And is he presumed innocent until proven guilty? These fundamental questions were hotly debated in court yesterday.

LTA Raises Toll Rates For Vehicles At Second Link
by Channel NewsAsia

After MBAs, Singapore May Tap India For Doctors
by Andy Mukherjee, Bloomberg

Clifford Pier Slated To Be Lifestyle Hub
by Daryl Loo, Straits Times
The two old buildings in Collyer Quay will turn the Marina Bay waterfront into a strip ringed by a dizzing array of shops, hotels and nightclubs that will have commanding views of the bay.

Howard Talks Merger, But Singapore Flies Solo
by Scott Rochford, The Age
Singapore Airlines yesterday refused to be goaded into negotiating a possible merger with Qantas, saying the federal government should focus on increasing airline competition into Australia.

Singapore Aims To Be A Biotechnology Hub
by John Burton, Financial Express

Singapore Excited About Olympic Vote
by En-Lai Yeoh, Associated Press
For Singapore, playing host to the vote for the 2012 Olympics might be the next best thing to hosting the Olympics themselves.

Prices Hold Steady In Singapore
by Sara Webb, Bloomberg
Singapore's consumer prices were unchanged in May from a year earlier as a drop in car prices offset a rise in food costs, the government said Thursday.

Singapore Casinos May Create 3,400 Hotel Rooms
by Associated Press

Maid To Sweat In Singapore
by Kalinga Seneviratne, Asia Times
A rare, passionate public debate on a social issue is raging here on how this tiny, affluent Southeast Asian nation treats the thousands of maids or foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in the city-state.

Malaysia Not Competing With Singapore To Be Financial Hub
by Bernama
Malaysia is not competing with Singapore in efforts to become a financial hub, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Thursday.

Howard Gives Wings To Qantas Merger Plan
by Katharine Murphy, News.com.au
John Howard revealed yesterday he had discussed the merger idea with his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in a private conversation two weeks ago.

Singaproe Casinos May Spur Gaming Growth
by Gillian Wong, Associated press
Singapore's recent decision to lift its ban on casino gambling will likely lead more Asian countries to follow suit, gaming companies said Wednesday.

Now, A Clearer Way To Pay
by Christie Loh, Today
Government agencies putting new measures in place after PAC report.

Singapore Airlines Says Qantas Merger Idea 'Interesting'
by AFX
Two days after expressing little interest in merging with its Australian rival, SIA said industry consolidation was 'logical', although it continued to emphasize that such reforms remain a long way off.

Australia Hasn't 'Shut Door' On Singapore Air, Howard Says
by Bloomberg
Australia hasn't permanently ruled out giving Singapore Airlines permission to fly between Australia and the U.S., Prime Minister John Howard said.

Many Singaporeans Feel Hawker Centers, Wet Markets Should Be Preserved
by Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore Banks To Replace Credit Cards Affected By Security Breach
by Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia
Major banks in Singapore have been scrambling to assure their credit card customers that they will not be held liable for fraudulent card transactions.

Singapore Eyes Islamic Financial Services
by Associated Press
Singapore wants to enter the Islamic financial services market and local companies could soon be offering Islamic bonds to global investors, a senior government official said Tuesday.

Western Media Chastised For Negative Reporting Of Asia, Middle East
by Japan Today

Electronics Slowdown Hurts Singapore Exports
by Sara Webb and Amit Prakash, Bloomberg

Airlines Deny Merger Talk
by Herald Sun
Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines both poured cold water today on talks of a merger.

Woodlands Shops Ready To Quit
by Daryl Loo, Straits Times
193 shop tenants in seven precincts have been offered $60,000 if they want to close their business.

Vaile Backs Potential Singapore Deal
by Katharine Murphy, News.com.au
Trade Minister Mark Vaile has backed a merger between Qantas and Singapore Airlines to ensure Australia's national carrier remains viable in the challenging commercial environment facing global airlines.

Singapore Minister Aims To Forge Middle East Ties
by John Burton, Financial Times
Goh Chok Tong's efforts have led to the meeting today of the first Asia-Middle East Dialogue to explore business opportunities between the two regions.

Australia Voices Support For Possible Qantas-Singapore Airlines Merger
by Associated Press
Australia should not rule out the possibility of Qantas merging with rival Singapore Airlines, Australia's trade minister said.

Neighborhood Watch Movement Among Most Active In Region
by Bernama
Despite its young age, Singapore's neighborhood watch zone scheme can count itself among the most active grassroot movements in the region.

Spending Shift
by Li Xueying, Straits Times
Instead of basics like food, Singapore households spent more on housing in 2003; health care and communications sectors saw sharpest hike in spending.

Singapore's Japan Prostitute Era Paved Over
by Takehiko Kajita, Japan Times
Countless Japanese women worked in Singapore as prostitutes between the late 19th century and early 20th century, women who were referred to simply as "Karayuki-san."

Singapore May Be At risk Of Recession On Surprise Fall In Exports
by AFX
Singapore's non-oil domestic exports surprisingly fell for the first time in nearly three years in May on weak global demand for electronics, sparking concern the economy may contract for a second straight quarter and slip into a technical recession, economists said.

Singapore To Delay Casino Tender Until Third Quarter
by MarketWatch
Singapore will defer issuing formal requests for proposals for its two casino resorts till the third quarter of 2005 as it wants more time to review feedback from interested parties, a Singapore Tourism Board spokeswoman said Thursday.

Government Delayed $80 Million In Payments, Refunds
by Christie Loh, Today
When it owes money to others, the government is not quick to repay.

Singaporeans Keep On Shopping
by Sara Webb and Amit Prakash, Bloomberg
Singaporeans have continued to spend, even though the $104 billion economy shrank and added fewer jobs in the first quarter.

Poverty Among Singapore's Elderly Makes It Hard For Many To Afford Good Food
by Eveline Gan, Today

Singapore's Unemployment Rate Rises
by Associated Press

SIA Denied Access To Pacific Route
by Reuters
Australia has decided not to grant Singapore Airlines access now to the lucrative Sydney-Los Angeles route, the government said on Wednesday.

Ads Make Appeal For ST Reporter
by Reuters, AFP
More than 1,000 journalists and university alumni in Hong Kong yesterday took out separate full-page advertisements in three Chinese-language newspapers to ask China for open and just treatment of detained Straits Times correspondent Ching Cheong.

Tender Period For Singapore's New Financial District Extended
by Jeana Wong, Channel NewsAsia

New MRT Extension To Serve Integrated Resort, Financial Centre At Marina
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
The government has given the green light for an MRT extension in the new downtown that will bring commuters straight to new developments like the integrated resort and the new financial center at Marina Bay.

More Cabbies Failing To Pay Rental
by Goh Chin Lian and Christopher Tan, Straits Times
Rising number of cabs, fewer users mean many can't make ends meet.

Would You Let Your Sick Kid Die?
by Sheralyn Tay, Today
A new father could not have a harder decision to make.

Government Mulls Singapore For Qantas Route
by AAP
Prime Minister John Howard's office denied reports the government had "indefinitely deferred" the decision. "The prime minister has said that cabinet will discuss the matter over the next few weeks in the context of broader aviation policy."

Visitors Want Treetop Walk To Be More Accessible
by Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia
The Treetop Walk is no walk in the park, say Singaporeans who are asking for the trail to be more user friendly.

Singapore Air Sour About Open Skies Delay
by Associated Press
Singapore Airlines on Sunday warned that Australia's tourism industry is "the big loser" in the government's refusal to let the Singaporean carrier fly between Australia and the United States.

Singapore, Not So 'Pink' Friendly
by AFP
Singapore's reputation as a gay-friendly metropolis has taken a hit after police banned an alternative festival coinciding with the city-state's 40th independence day celebrations in August.

Net Group Set Abuzz By Nude Blogger
by Straits Times
The local blogging community is buzzing after a girl posted nude pictures of herself on the internet.

CIQ Complex Is 'White Elephant' Without Bridge
by Bernama
The new RM2.5 billion Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor will become a 'white elephant' if the new bridge to replace the Causeway continues to be postponed, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said yesterday.

Grassroots Get Bigger Role In Giving Aid
by Lydia Lim, Straits Times

Malaysians Snapping Up Singapore Tourism Packages
by Paul Gabriel, The Star
It's a "sale-a-bration" in Singapore, and Malaysians are being caught up in the commercial lure of the Lion City.

Singapore To Launch Special Tests For Aging Drivers
by Associated Press
Singapore will launch a special testing programme for aging drivers, since 82 percent of the country's traffic deaths in the first quarter of 2005 involved people age 60 or older, an official said Saturday.

Call For Anderson To Resign
by The Australian
Prime Minister John Howard's decision to protect Qantas from competition on the Pacific route was a rebuff to Transport Minister John Anderson, Labor industry spokesman Stephen Smith said today.

Singapore's Millionaires Increase At Fastest Pace In World
by Bloomberg
The number of millionaires in Singapore rose at the fastest pace in the world in 2004, according to a report by Cap Gemini & Merrill Lynch & Co.

Howard Protects Qantas
by Dennis Shanahan and Patrick Walters, Courier-Mail
The Howard government will continue to protect Qantas from extra competition on its lucrative Pacific route, as it launches a wholesale review of hte aviation industry.

Australia Delays Indefinitely Decision On Giving SIA Access To Pacific Route: Report
by Channel NewsAsia
Australia has delayed granting Singapore Airlines access to the lucrative Australia-US route indefinitely as it prepares for a review of the aviation industry that could remove foreign ownership restrictionson Qantas, the Weekend Australian newspaper reported.

Johor Wants Approval for 'Crooked Bridge'
by New Straits Times
"We cannot wait forever for Singapore to join hands to build a straight bridge."

CPF Minimum Sum To Go Up From July 1
by Today

Agencies Want 4 Days Off A Month For Maids
by Wong Fei Wan, Today
Proposal aims to improve working conditions in Singapore.

Singapore PM Warns Against Pre-Emptive Strike On North Korea
by AFX

Singapore Cable Car Service Shut Down Temporarily
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore Cable Car Service said on Saturday that there were "inconsistencies" in one of the cables during a recent maintenance check.

Singapore PM: Containing China Is Short-Sighted
by Xinhua Net
"A strategy of confronting China will incur its enmity without seriously blocking its growth, while any attempt to contain China will have few takers in the (Asian) region."

Singapore Says Sea Attack Threat Real, Seeks Help
by Reuters
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on June 3 that a vital sea lane in Southeast Asia remained under threat from terror attacks and sought security support from countries outside the region.

Singapore's Temasek Eyes Malaysia Energy Sector
by New Zealand Stuff
Singapore state investment agency Temasek is scouting Malaysia for investment opportunities in the energy sector, as the two neighbors drive for closer collaboration, including possible cross-border electricity sales.

Straits Times Seeks Legal Advice For Detained Journalist In China: Wife
by AFP
The wife of a Hong Kong journalist detained in China on spy charges said Thursday the newspaper her husband works for is seeking legal advice to secure his safe return.

HK, Singapore Have Best Judicial Systems In Asia: PERC Survey
by AFP
The business executives gave weight to how lgal systems are used to enforce contracts, resolve disputes, fight intellectual piracy and enforce securities and exchange regulations.

Singapore Air To Talk With Airbux About A380 Delay Compensation
by Bloomberg

T-Factor Clouds Ching's Arrest
by Clement Mesenas, Today
The mystery surrounding the detention of Hong Kong-based journalist Ching Cheong took another twist yesterday when his wife said that Beijing probably suspected he had been spying for Taiwan.