Jail term more than doubled for fake sugar daddy agent who duped women into having sex with him
SINGAPORE - A man who appealed against his sentence for duping at least 11 women into having sex with him had his jail term more than doubled, from 31/2 years to eight years and five months, on Wednesday (Dec 1). De Beers Wong Tian Jun, 40, had pretended to be an agent for "sugar daddies" and told his victims, who were aged between 18 and 24, that he needed to have sex with them to assess whether he should recommend them to his wealthy clients. In enhancing the sentence, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said Wong's culpability and the harm he caused fell at the very highest end of the spectrum for cheating. "The appellant had procured penetrative sex from the victims, which represented one of the most grievous intrusions of bodily autonomy," said the Chief Justice. "Not only did the appellant act with clear premeditation and subterfuge, his behaviour was simply cruel. He showed no remorse or doubt whatsoever when going about his spree of offending behaviour." CJ Menon also rejected a psychiatric report that Wong relied on to seek a lighter sentence. He said the report by Dr Ken Ung Eng Khean was predicated entirely on the narrative Wong had given the psychiatrist, which turned out to ...
Hougang day care centre opens makeshift store to engage seniors bored from staying at home amid Covid-19 surge
SINGAPORE - A makeshift store sits at a corner of the NTUC Health Day Centre for Seniors (Ci Yuan) in Hougang Avenue 9, for seniors who miss the shopping experience. The centre had set it up in April, after learning that some of the 60 seniors who visit it were bored from staying at home to remain safe amid the surge in Covid-19 cases here. Centre supervisor New Lay Yeow, 52, said: "The seniors may miss going out to buy things for their family during this period, so we came up with the idea of setting up a booth in the centre for them." Masks on, the seniors first take part in activities such as colouring and stretch band exercises, to keep them occupied. They are awarded a point for participating in each activity. These points can then be used to redeem items such as toilet rolls, biscuits, canned food, handicrafts made by the seniors, umbrellas and thermal bottles, for between 20 and 1,000 points. Centre manager Yang Zou Fang, 41, said: "To encourage our seniors to continue with centre activities and stay engaged during Covid-19, we also award them points when they come to the centre." The centre hopes to run the store once every month, from its current once every three months sc...
Bedok residents spread vaccination message
SINGAPORE - Residents living in Bedok Reservoir know her as "Hua Jie", a cheery 54-year-old who turns up every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon to distribute free food and groceries. With the help of six to 10 volunteers, the co-owner of a tentage company has been providing free advice about the pandemic measures and vaccination programme since the onset of the pandemic in Singapore. "We will brief the residents on what the Government had announced recently," said Madam Sandy Goh Siew Hua, who is fluent in English and Mandarin. When needed, she speaks to the seniors in Cantonese, Teochew and Hokkien as well. "We will also tell them to go for the booster shot, and tell them where they can get it, such as at the nearby clinics. We will also help them make an appointment," added Madam Goh, whose nickname means Sister Hua. She and the volunteers have even accompanied the seniors to get their jab. She took the booster shot this month. Madam Goh and her group are currently assisting about 350 families living across 55 blocks in Bedok with food and groceries from private donors and welfare organisations like Willing Hearts and Food From The Heart. She stations herself at Block 702 before co...
Youth praised by PM Lee for helping the homeless slept on the streets when she was a teenager
SINGAPORE - When undergraduate Roslina Toh read about Malaysians working in Singapore who were stranded after the Malaysian border was closed to stem the spread of Covid-19 in March last year, she decided to help at once. She led a a team of about 200 volunteers from various churches and for more than a month, they spent almost every night looking for people who were sleeping rough and wanted a refuge. The Home Away from Home initiative brought those who wanted a temporary roof over their heads to Transit Point, a shelter for the homeless run by New Hope Community Services, and offered food and sleeping bags to those who prefer to rough it out on the streets. Ms Toh, who is studying social work at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said: "I was homeless before and people helped me. So I want to give back and to do something for them." Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned Ms Toh in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday night (Aug 29) when he thanked her and others in the frontline for serving during the pandemic. "It was an honour," Ms Toh said when she was asked how she felt to be singled out by PM Lee. At 24, she has come a long way from her troubled childhood. Her...
Penny stock Heeton is bigger than it seems
SINGAPORE - Penny stocks are classified by many definitions. Some folks see them as small-cap issues with a market capitalisation of between $50 million and $100 million. Others classify them as shares trading at 99 cents and below. The Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States classifies penny stocks as those trading under US$5 (S$6.75) a share. 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.
VetCoin Dedication: Austin “Bud” Burrell. A Legacy Earned
TAMPA, FLA., Jul 5, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The VetCoin team dedicates this effort to the memory and legacy of C. Austin "Bud" Burrell. Bud served with the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam and went on to work for more than 35 years on Wall Street. He was a senior derivatives specialist, development stage company investment banker, and later became a chief executive numerous times. During his career, he helped launch countless fruitful business ventures. Perhaps more importantly, Bud invested in people as a leader and mentor, which resulted in the successful launch of many careers. Mr. Burrell was an outspoken critic of financial fraud and its connection to national security issues. He often referred to illegal naked short selling as a "glaring hole" in the U.S. financial system and is still recognized today by new generations as a champion for ethical action on Wall Street. Bud was a 1968 Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a graduate of the Army's Finance Officer Advanced Course.Every year on Veteran's Day, VetCoin will recognize the most innovative Veteran's Charity in America with the "Burell Award for Outstanding Support to the Veteran Community" and ...
Tips for the kitchen: How to make food last longer
• Keep garlic and onions fresh by putting them in mesh bags or unused stockings, which help keep moisture at bay. • To prevent bananas from ripening too fast, wrap the stem with a plastic wrap. This prevents ethylene gas, produced naturally in the ripening process, from reaching other parts of the fruit and prematurely ripening it. • To make celery to last longer, trim the leafy tops before wrapping the ribs tightly in foil and refrigerating them. Save the leaves for a tasty salad. • Keep herbs fresh and handy by mixing chopped herbs with butter or olive oil and freezing them in an ice cube tray. Use the frozen cubes to season steaks, chicken cutlets, fish or steamed vegetables. You can also defrost them to spread on toast. • Save money by growing your own ingredients. You can throw leftover ginger, garlic or scallions into a pot of soil. You will get a new pot of ingredients in just two weeks. More on this topic Related Story How two Singapore homes turned minimising food waste into a habit Related Story Portraits of Purpose: Kenny Eng found a use for 'ugly' produce