N Level results out Friday

CANDIDATES of the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) Level Examinations will know their results on Friday, Dec 17.

School candidates may obtain their result slips from their respective schools from 2.30pm.

Those who wish to apply for the various courses offered by the Institute of Technical Education can obtain the application forms when they collect their results.

Private candidates will be able to obtain their results through the Singapore Examinations and Assessment board website from 2.30pm.

They will also be notified of their individual results by post.

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School bus fees to go up

SINGAPORE - School bus operators are expected to increase fees by between 10 and 20 per cent next year - due to the increase in oil and rubber prices, as well as insurance premiums.

Operators told MediaCorp that diesel prices have increased by up to 35 per cent since last year, hitting $1.46 per litre. And insurance premiums for a small 11-seater bus has more than doubled to about $2,000. For bigger buses, the increase has been between 35 and 50 per cent over last year.

They added that tyre prices have also increased by about 40 per cent over the last year and are expected to go up further.

The Singapore School Transportation Association (SSTA) said it was reasonable to expect operators to raise prices, given that school bus fees have been maintained at almost the same rate for about three years,

SSTA chairman Wong Ann Lin noted that the operators charge between $40 and $150 - depending on the distance - which was "still below cost".

"I think we are still considered as very practical," said Ms Wong.

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Man walks into McDonald's at 4am to buy coffee - naked

This naked man walked into a McDonald's outlet at Ridout Tea Garden to buy a cup of coffee at 4am yesterday (Dec 12).

According to STOMPer Sean, he seemed oblivious to the fact that patrons were staring at him in shock.

He even kicked up a fuss and complained when the counter staff refused to serve him.

In an email to STOMP (Dec 13), a police spokesperson said:

"Police received a call on 12 Dec 2010 at around 4.35am informing us of a man appearing nude at a McDonald’s outlet in Queensway.

"Upon police's arrival, the man was spotted naked along Queensway and was placed under arrest.

"He has since been referred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric assessment."

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LTA tightens motorised cycling rules

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will impose heavier penalties on cyclists and retailers of motorised bicycles that do not meet its technical requirements from next year.

Most of the fines will be doubled for errant cyclists and suppliers.

Cyclists will face a fine ranging from S$100 to S$500, up from the current fines of S$50 to S$200.

Retailers will face more severe penalties, with fines starting from S$500.

Only low-powered models of motorised bicycles which are approved by LTA and have an LTA seal, are allowed on public roads.

For the first ten months of this year, LTA caught 832 offenders using illegal motorised bicycles on the road, up from 268 for the whole of 2009.

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Name the Downtown Line 3 station

THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called public help to name the MRT stations for the new Downtown Line 3.

From today till Jan 12, members of the public may submit their suggestions and a brief paragraph explaining the context of their choice and suitability to the LTA.

The proposed station name should identify the location readily so commuters can easily remember the names and identify the area of the station.

The name may also illustrate the history and heritage of the surrounding area and reflect Singapore's multi racial and multi cultural character.

However the station may not be named after a public structure, commercial or residential development.

The stations that LTA is calling for suggestions are:

River Valley,Bencoolen, Sungei Road, Jalan Besar, Kallang Bahru, Mattar, Ubi, Kaki Bukit, Bedok Town Park, Bedok Reservoir, Tampines West, Tampines East, Upper Changi

The public can send their suggestions to LTA at http://talk2lta.lta.gov.sg, fax to 6396 1192 or mail your suggestions to:Land Transport Authority No. 1 Hamsphire Road Blk 8 Level 2 Singapore 219428 (Attn: Feedback Dept).

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HSA warns against pills

THE Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has issued a warning for an unapproved brand of pills that contain two undeclared controlled substances under the Poisons Act.

The HSA detected 'potent' western medicinal ingredients dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine, which are controlled under the Poisons Act, in a health product labelled 'JianBu HuQian Wan', which is meant to treat joint pain, muscle aches and weak limbs.

The product was reported to HSA's Vigilance Branch by a member of the public who became suspicious of the product after her mother experienced unusually rapid relief from body aches soon after taking the pills.

The illegal product is presented in a yellow and green outer box, which contains a white bottle with red and white capsules. The product's label carries an invalid Malaysian Product Registration Number 'MAL05121196T'. The label also contains inaccurate information regarding its manufacturer and distributor.

HSA strongly advises consumers who have purchased this product not to consume it. If consumers have taken this product, they should seek medical attention if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health.

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Off-Duty Officer Is Shot in the Bronx

An off-duty New York police officer was shot after an argument outside a Bronx diner early Sunday, the police said.

Detectives from the Eastchester Road station house, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing, said the dispute was over a minor two-car accident outside the Pelham Bay Diner on East Gun Hill Road just before 5 a.m.

The officer was a passenger in one of the vehicles, a Nissan that was being driven by a friend. Several men were in the other vehicle, a dark Chevrolet Caprice, the police said. Tempers flared and someone from the Caprice shot the officer in the buttocks with a .25-caliber pistol before they all fled, the police said.

The officer did not have a weapon with him, and it was not clear whether he had identified himself as a police officer, the department said.

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Blackburn fire Allardyce

SAM Allardyce was fired as manager of Premier League side Blackburn on Monday, less than three weeks after being assured by the club's new Indian owners that his job was safe.

The experienced Allardyce's two-year spell at Ewood Park came to a surprise end 24 hours after a 2-1 defeat at Bolton, its third loss in five matches which left the team in 13th place in the standings.

The announcement was made by Venky's Group, the Asian poultry giant who bought Blackburn for 46 million pounds (S$95 million) on Nov 19. A week after the takeover, the company's chairman Anuradha Desai gave his backing to Allardyce, insisting 'he deserves a chance,' and added he would be happy with a top-12 finish.

Since the buyout, Blackburn has won three matches but among its three defeats was an embarrassing 7-1 thrashing by Manchester United at Old Trafford. 'We have taken this decision as part of our wider plans and ambitions for the club,' Venky's said in a short statement.

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Goodbye Sengkang Punggol Dolphins, hello Hougang United Cheetahs

SINGAPORE: In 2006, two former S-League clubs based at the Hougang Stadium, Paya Lebar Punggol and Sengkang Marine, merged to form Sengkang Punggol.

The new club never finished better than the last two spots in the S-League but Bill Ng, who took over the club's chairmanship last year, has promised that things will be different next year and has asked for six months before making any judgment on the club's progress.

One change they have already decided on is the name of the club.

From next season they will be known as Hougang United, to identify with the community around their base of operations. They have also swopped the Dolphin mascot for the Cheetah.

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Heads-up Park puts United on top

PARK Ji Sung scored the only goal of the game as Manchester United moved to the top of the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over former leaders Arsenal at Old Trafford here on Monday.

South Korea midfielder Park was on target four minutes before half-time when, after Nani's cross deflected off Gael Clichy, he scored with an improvised header.

Victory left United two points in front of Arsenal with a game in hand over the Gunners and fellow title rivals Manchester City, while champions Chelsea are a further point behind.

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