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Last 4 members of unlawful 12-person gathering on Lazarus Island fined $3,000 each

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The last four members of a 12-person group who spent a day on Lazarus Island last year in breach of Covid-19 rules were fined $3,000 each on Wednesday (Feb 24). British nationals Helen Ann Sullivan, 31; Joshua Adam Roth, 31; James Riby Oram Trimming, 31; and Edward John Joseph Lee-Bull, 33, pleaded guilty to a charge of meeting others for a non-permitted purpose and without reasonable excuse under the Covid-19 regulations. The other eight people were earlier fined $3,000 each. They are William Edwin Dunford, 32; Richard Henri Lagesse, 31; Lowri Mair Jeffs, 31; Zoe Louise Cronk, 30; Jeff Richard Alexander, 32; Luong Thi Thu Ha, 31; Natalie Joanna Sarkies, 29 and Paul Jonathon Gold, 32. All of them are British except for Sarkies, who is Singaporean, and Ha, who is Vietnamese. Their trip took place during phase two of Singapore's reopening, when only groups of up to five people were allowed to meet outside their homes for social purposes. The court heard that at about 11am on Aug 8 last year, the group took a ferry to St John's Island, before walking to the beach at Lazarus Island. They spent the day there before taking a ferry back to mainland Singapore at about 6pm. Laza...

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Man accused of laundering over $10m in Covid-19 scam has case postponed after falling sick

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 40-year-old man who was to face charges over allegations that he had laundered more than $10 million in a Covid-19 scam had his case postponed after coming down with a fever. Defence lawyer Thong Chee Kun on Wednesday (Feb 24) told the court that his client, Thye Wee Boon, has to take a swab test. His case has been adjourned to March 3. Thye was to have faced 19 charges for offences including dealing with the benefits of criminal activities. To date, the authorities have managed to recover more than $6.4 million of the amount taken in the ruse - the largest single recovery since the formation of the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) anti-scam centre, which was set up in June 2019. Police were alerted in March last year that a French pharmaceutical company had been scammed of €6.636 million (S$10.64 million). According to the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol, a suspect had taken the identity of a legitimate company and advertised the fast delivery of surgical masks and hand sanitisers. "Once the pharmaceutical company transferred the funds to a bank in Singapore, the items were never delivered and the supplier became uncontactable," said the agency in a sta...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 24

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Feb 24. Workers, employers welcome progressive wages in Singapore's retail sector But some retailers may find it harder to implement a progressive wage model than others, say experts. READ MORE HERE Cop's wife admits starving, torturing maid to death; Myanmar victim was just 24kg in her final days In the last 12 days of her life, the maid was tied to the window grille at night while she slept on the floor. READ MORE HERE Golfer Tiger Woods hospitalised with multiple injuries after car accident His injuries were not believed to be life threatening, said media reports. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news PM Lee calls for global cooperation to ensure Covid-19 vaccines for all S'pore is discussing vaccine certification with countries to resume the possibility of travel, he said. READ MORE HERE Man to be charged with laundering more than $10 million from Covid-19 scam Police said an overseas pharmaceutical company transferred the monies to a local bank, but the items were not delivered. READ MORE HERE Delivery assistant staying in Kranji dorm sole locally transm...

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13 months’ jail for 4th man involved in ruse that cheated WDA of $51,000

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old man has become the fourth person to be sent to jail for his involvement in a ruse that cheated the now-defunct Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of $51,000 in total. Lim Biao, also known as Lim Qi Chuan, was sentenced on Tuesday (Feb 23) to 13 months' jail for the offences in 2016 against the WDA, now known as SkillsFuture Singapore. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts of engaging in conspiracy to cheat involving $4,500 and one count of obstructing the course of justice. Another 187 charges involving the remaining amount were considered during sentencing. Three other men had earlier been sentenced to between 24 weeks and two years' jail. They were Muhammad Hakimmul Hisham Razni, 35, as well as Tay Sheng Yang and Ng Yong Jing, both 28. The cases involving three alleged accomplices - Chia Bing Lun, 27; Sng Kee Jin, 28 and Joshua Tan Jun Liang, 29 - are still pending. The ruse involved the SkillsFuture Credits (SFC) scheme, launched in January 2016 to encourage individuals to take ownership of their skills development and lifelong learning. It gave all Singaporeans aged 25 and older an opening credit of $500 in their SFC accounts, which could be used to pay for a...

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Covid-19 vaccination drive kicks off for over 50,000 eligible cabbies, private-hire drivers

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5 minutes

SINGAPORE - More than 50,000 active taxi and private-hire car drivers will be offered the chance to get their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the week, as the effort to vaccinate front-line land transport workers kicked into higher gear. About 300 drivers got their first jabs at the vaccination centre in the former Hong Kah Secondary School on Tuesday (Feb 23), the first day of the vaccination exercise for the point-to-point sector. Eligible cabbies and private-hire drivers will progressively receive SMSes with a unique link for them to book their vaccination appointments online at a time and place that is most convenient for them. These drivers can get their jabs at any of the 14 vaccination centres, 20 polyclinics, or 22 Public Health Preparedness Clinics currently operating as vaccination sites across the island. The latest vaccination drive follows exercises last month to vaccinate aviation, maritime and public transport workers last month. It is a joint effort by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), supported by the National Taxi Association (NTA), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and the taxi and private-...

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Singaporean student who imported child sex doll in Australia sentenced to 11 months’ jail

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2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean student living in Australia who imported a child sex doll and possessed child abuse material has been sentenced to 11 months' jail. However, the 27-year-old, who was not identified, was immediately released on a two-year good behaviour bond. The Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police said in a joint statement last Saturday (Feb 20) the judge had also ordered that the man be placed on the sex offenders' register. In 2019, the Singaporean was arrested after border officials intercepted a parcel from China containing the doll at a Perth air cargo depot on Christmas Eve. The doll was ordered online and was addressed to the man's residence in the Perth suburb of Beckenham. Around two weeks later, border investigators arrested the Singaporean following a search warrant for the address on the package. Warrant investigators seized a mobile phone, computer tower, laptop and hard drive belonging to the man. These devices were handed to the Australian Federal Police, which identified child abuse material in the tower, laptop and hard drive through a forensic digital investigation. In Australia, those who import child sex dolls can be imprisoned for up ...

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3 former Shell employees linked to $200 million gas oil heist charged with graft

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2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Three former Shell Eastern Petroleum employees linked to a $200 million gas oil heist have been charged with bribing employees of surveying companies who inspected vessels which the oil giant supplied fuel to. Juandi Pungot, 44, Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram, 40, and Richard Goh Chee Keong, 51, appeared before a district court on Tuesday (Feb 23) to have their charges read out to them. All three had previously been charged with criminal breach of trust over their alleged involvement in a conspiracy that led to more than 300,000 tonnes of gas oil worth about US$150 million (S$200 million) being stolen from Shell's biggest global refinery. Juandi and Muzaffar Ali Khan face 13 charges each while Goh faces four charges, all for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Between 2014 and 2017, Juandi and Muzaffar Ali Khan allegedly conspired to give bribes totalling about US$91,900 to 10 employees of surveying companies to inaccurately report the amount of gas oil loaded onto vessels which the employees were engaged to inspect. Between 2016 and 2017, Goh is accused of bribing three employees of surveying companies with a total of US$25,000 for the same reason. The th...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 23

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Tuesday, Feb 23. Biden calls for national moment of silence for 500,000 US Covid-19 deaths More people have died in the US due to Covid-19 than any other country in the world. READ MORE HERE Singapore begins islandwide Covid-19 vaccination drive for seniors aged 70 and above This next phase in the inoculation drive comes after a pilot in Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar. READ MORE HERE Husband of SIA cabin crew who previously tested positive for Covid-19 is sole community case The other nine cases are all imported. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Two wild boar attacks in a night shock Punggol residents The boar has not been found despite a 20-man effort to track it down over the weekend. READ MORE HERE Kranji woodland cleared by mistake: How it happened Here is a timeline of what transpired, according to JTC. READ MORE HERE 'Monstrous' fish at MacRitchie: Don't breed species if you can't keep them, say fish collectors Owners who can no longer care for their pets can ask for help from a community dedicated to rehoming fish. READ MORE HERE Nasa releases first audio and ...

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Private clinic nurse allegedly molested male patient at Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital

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1 minute

SINGAPORE - A male nurse from a specialist clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital is accused of molesting a male patient in 2018. Ivan Lee Yi Wang, now 32, is said to have targeted the man twice on Oct 31 that year at the hospital in Irrawaddy Road, off Balestier Road. The Singaporean faces two counts of molestation and is claiming trial on Monday (Feb 22). The 26-year-old alleged victim cannot be named due to a gag order. Lee is represented by lawyers Peter Low and Christine Low. An online search of registered healthcare professionals in Singapore reveals that he is still a nurse. Healthcare provider Parkway Pantai, which runs the hospital, told The Straits Times that Lee had been hired by the clinic independently and was not hospital staff. Its spokesman added: "We are unable to comment further as the matter is before the courts." For each count of molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned. More on this topic Related Story Former IMH employee who molested patients and insulted colleagues' modesty given jail, caning Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories LISTEN TO THE BIG STORY PODCAST

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 22

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Feb 22. Singapore hopes to balance its Budget as economy picks up: DPM Heng With vaccination exercises taking place globally, there is hope for the economy to gain strength in 2021. READ MORE HERE Over 20 roads to be assessed for space to provide cycling paths They include stretches along Aljunied Road, Braddell Road and Upper Serangoon Road. READ MORE HERE Malaysian truck driver with Covid-19 suspected of visiting Resorts World casino earlier He was denied entry to Singapore after he tested positive at Woodlands Checkpoint. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Dover Forest case: Debate over alternative sites highlights core land, housing issues The potential clearing of Dover Forest to make way for BTO flats sparked concerns among the public. READ MORE HERE S’pore firm's high-rise fish farm to produce 2,700 tonnes of fish a year by 2023 Apollo Aquaculture's eight-storey fish farm is the tallest in Singapore and the region. READ MORE HERE 2 injured after wild boar attacks in Punggol One of the victims was reportedly bitten and dragged for nearly a metre. READ M...

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S’pore’s tallest fish farm to produce 2,700 tonnes of fish a year by 2023

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1 minute

SINGAPORE - High-rise living is not just for humans in Singapore. An eight-storey fish farm - the tallest in Singapore and the region - is slated to start operations in the first quarter of this year. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Battle for young hearts and minds as extremists grow savvy online

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1 minute

A 17-year-old detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in January last year had begun to walk down the path of radicalisation in 2017 when he was 15 years old, after imbibing Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) material online. Last December, a 16-year-old became the youngest detainee yet to be dealt with under the ISA, and the first to be enthralled by far-right extremist ideology. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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15,600 first-time flat buyers get $500m in grants

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1 minute

About 15,600 first-time flat buyers have received nearly $500 million in grants under the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant since the scheme was launched in September 2019. Of these, 7,700 bought new flats and got about $270 million in all. Another 7,900 bought resale flats, getting about $226 million in grants. The Housing Board yesterday said it has also disbursed some $748 million under the Proximity Housing Grant scheme to about 40,200 households since August 2015. SEE THE BIG STORY

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Almost $500 million in Enhanced CPF Housing Grants given to 15,600 first-time HDB flat buyers

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4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Close to $500 million has been disbursed to about 15,600 first-time flat buyers since the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) was launched in September 2019. Another $748 million in Proximity Housing Grants (PHG) has been given to about 40,200 households since August 2015, said the Housing Board in a statement on Sunday (Feb 21). Both figures were accurate as at Dec 31 last year. The EHG, which goes up to $80,000, is available to eligible first-time buyers regardless of whether they buy a new or resale flat, and has no restrictions on the flat type and location. Of the 15,600 households that received EHGs, 7,700 were first-time buyers of new flats who received about $270 million in total. A further 7,900 were first-timer households who bought resale flats, receiving a total of about $226 million in grants. Another 400 households who are buying resale flats and have applied for the EHG will receive it when their resale transactions are completed. The EHG was announced in 2019 by then National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, and replaced the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) and the Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG), which each amounted up to $40,000. Mr Wong said then th...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 21

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Feb 21. Over 8,600 fines issued for breach of Covid-19 safety measures From April to December last year, more than 6,900 fines were meted out to those who broke safe distancing and safe management rules. READ MORE HERE Two killed in Mandalay city in bloodiest day of Myanmar protests Hundreds of police and soldiers gathered at Yadanarbon shipyard in Mandalay to disperse protesters. READ MORE HERE Tanjong Pagar crash: Several factors could impact insurance claims If you voluntarily get into a car knowing there are risks involved, and end up in an accident, the amount - and result - of your compensation claims may be affected. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news 'I jaywalk because I'm fast enough': Why senior jaywalkers continue to risk life and limb The number of senior pedestrian deaths ranged from 25 to 28 between 2015 and last year. READ MORE HERE Marina Bay view could be priciest real estate feature in Singapore A collection of five penthouses, put up for sale recently at Marina Bay Residences with an indicative price of $138 million, will give a sense of ho...

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Ex-NMP steps down from NUS alumni advisory board

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3 minutes

Talk show host and former Nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan has stepped down as a member of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Alumni Advisory Board. This comes after allegations of sexual harassment made against him by two women. In an e-mail to its alumni yesterday evening, the university's Office of Alumni Relations said it would discontinue all projects with him and his communications consultancy firm, Strategic Moves. The NUS statement said this was in the light of the allegations made by stand-up comedian Sharul Channa and doctoral researcher Kiran Kandade against Mr Viswa. NUS said that "the university does not condone any behaviour or action that is disrespectful and disparaging of individuals, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or age". It added that the incident between Mr Viswa and Ms Sharul took place during the online interview series, Inconvenient Questions. The series is a collaboration between Strategic Moves and the National University of Singapore Society - a graduate club and registered society that is a separate and independent entity from NUS. Before interviewing Ms Sharul online about her profession and work on women's issues, Mr Viswa, 61, allegedly...

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‘I jaywalk because I’m fast enough’

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4 minutes

Last Monday, around 11.30am, an elderly man on crutches slowly approached the road along Circuit Road Food Centre, looking to get to the bus stop opposite. He looked to his right, where a traffic light was about 50m away. He then looked to his left, where cars were turning into the road he was at. Despite that, the old man crossed slowly, unconcerned about approaching cars. The drivers did not honk at him and slowed down to give way. He made it across safely that day. But 15 senior pedestrians died last year, about half of them from jaywalking. Last Monday's scene played out several times at Circuit Road and Serangoon Avenue 3 when The Sunday Times was there to observe seniors' attitudes towards road safety. Some were also using crutches, pulling trolleys and holding the hands of young children as they jaywalked. At Circuit Road, The Sunday Times found more than 20 seniors jaywalking to get to the Block 79 and 79A Circuit Road Food Centre or to Housing Board blocks, between 11am and 12.30pm. Though there was a pedestrian crossing nearby and a sign prohibiting jaywalking, many seniors jaywalked across the three-lane road. There were also many parked vehicles along the road, which co...

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9 in 10 Yale-NUS graduates employed within six months

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3 minutes

Nine in 10 Yale-NUS graduates found jobs within six months of completing their final examinations, with those who hold a Bachelor of Science with Honours degree earning gross median salaries of $5,350. This was higher than any of their counterparts at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said the liberal arts college in a statement yesterday. However, it noted that the salary figure was based on a relatively small sample of fewer than 30 graduates. Among NUS graduates, newly minted lawyers and doctors and those with computing degrees earned the most, with starting salaries also around the $5,000 mark. Those in more general fields, such as sciences or the arts, had lower salaries - especially if they did not do an honours degree. In the statement yesterday, Yale-NUS said graduates who hold a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree earned a median gross starting salary of $3,890. All its graduates secured jobs in a variety of fields, including IT, consulting, financial services, education and the public sector. In total, 147 of the liberal arts college's 187 fresh graduates took part in the annual joint graduate employment survey, details of which were released on Friday. The sur...

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Hawker stalls recognised for serving up heritage meals

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3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Seventeen hawker stalls at Ayer Rajah Food Centre were recognised on Saturday (Feb 20) for serving up delicious heritage meals, as part of a campaign to promote hawker culture. The hawker centre was the first of about 110 hawker centres across the island to have stalls receive the Singapore Top Heritage Food award given out by the International Business Federation (IBF). The stalls were chosen after three days of judging at the food centre by a panel of food ambassadors last week, said IBF president Frederick Yap. The next phase of the campaign in April will allow the public to vote for their favourite hawker stalls. Mr Yap said the results will be published in a guidebook listing the Top 10 hawker stalls for each Singaporean heritage dish, such as Indian rojak, wanton mee and nasi lemak. He added: "Our goal is to highlight the best heritage hawker food at each hawker centre in Singapore." Last December, Singapore's hawker culture was added to the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It followed three years of work by the National Heritage Board, the National Environment Agency and the Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapo...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 20

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2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, Feb 20. Seniors should wait for vaccination letters before registering: Gan Kim Yong Letters are being sent out in batches, starting with areas where vaccination centres are already in operation. READ MORE HERE S'pore on the lookout for more Covid-19 vaccine options: Lawrence Wong Having more than one approved vaccine provides the country with some sort of insurance, he said. READ MORE HERE Biden draws sharp contrast with Trump in presidential debut on world stage “America is back,” said Biden on an online virtual visit to Europe. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Calm and competence return to the White House But is the Biden team operating on wrong assumptions even as it seeks to undo Trump-era mistakes? READ MORE HERE China grapples with greying issue Since 2007, China's annual economic growth rate has dropped by more than half. READ MORE HERE Budget 2021 signals shift to supporting future growth: ST-UOB Roundtable The shift towards supporting growth is part of a delicate balance since resources are finite. READ MORE HERE Graduates of more specialised co...