World Cup Opener: Brazil 3 Croatia 1

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/world-cup/brazil-recover-from-early-own-goal-tied-with-croatia-at-halftime/article19147387/

Nervy Brazil fell behind to an 11th-minute Marcelo own goal in the opening game of the World Cup against Croatia on Thursday, but got back on level terms thanks to a sublime Neymar strike just before the half-hour mark at the Corinthians arena.

Roared on by a fanatical home support, Brazil gradually exerted control over the Group A opener and went in to the halftime break looking more like the team many expect to win a record-extending sixth World Cup.

The host nation took the lead on a Neymar penalty kick in the 70th minute. Oscar made it 3-1 on a solo dash in extra time.

Inconsiderate cyclists pose danger to others

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http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/inconsiderate-cyclists-pose-danger-others-20140613

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Inconsiderate cycling is an indication of a wrong cycling culture.

Many pedestrians feel that their safety is threatened if they have to share walkways with cyclists. It has nothing to do with gracious living as mentioned by Mr Puah Kim Siong ("How to make cycling safer and more convenient"; Forum Online, June 3).

Even if a cyclist cares to sound the bell when approaching a pedestrian from behind, the action is more for the pedestrian to stop or step aside for the cyclist to pass without having to slow down.

This is our typical Singapore cycling culture right now.

If the opinions of senior citizens were sought, chances are that they would not want to have any cycling activities along walkways that are not built for that purpose. A senior crippled because of a bicycle accident will only add to the burdens of his or her family.

As bicycles do not carry licence plates, it can be difficult for a pedestrian to report or seek redress when involved in an accident with a cyclist.

Cyclists who ride across pedestrian crossings at traffic junctions and through bus stops are a hazard to all road users.

Accidents can happen when people at bus stops, unaware of a bicycle approaching behind them, rush to flag an arriving bus.

Any form of inconsiderate cycling can pose a danger to other road users and is an indication of a wrong cycling culture in development.

Chee Chi Weng

Ensure second-generation PR youths do NS

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http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/ensure-second-generation-pr-youths-do-ns-20140613

Ms Neo Seok Kian's suggestion that the inclusion of children in a person's application for permanent residency won't solve the problem ("Share criteria for granting permanent residency"; Tuesday).

Many foreigners obtain permanent residency for themselves and their young children until the age that the boys are liable for national service (NS).

They then cancel the permanent residency and send their children back to their home country or other countries for studies, for example.

It is regretful that these children get to enjoy all the privileges of being a permanent resident without any commitment to Singapore.

The parents, meanwhile, remain in Singapore and continue enjoying the benefits that come with permanent residency.

Perhaps the authorities could do more to ensure that these children with permanent resident status are not able to dodge the responsibility of doing NS.

Arunachalam Thinnappan

Brown water flows out of taps in 50 Punggol blocks

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/brown-water-flows-out-taps-50-punggol-blocks-0

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Residents in 50 blocks in Punggol received a shock when they turned on their taps yesterday afternoon and saw brownish water running out.

However, the national water agency PUB said the discoloured water is safe for drinking.

It explained that the discolouration was caused by sediments in a water pipeline that were stirred up during valve operations it carried out at noon yesterday.

These sediments are actually minerals in tap water that settled down over time in the pipes, it added.

It added that the water will clear after leaving the taps running for a while.

The PUB also deployed two water tankers and water bags to provide temporary water supply to those affected.

For feedback, members of the public can contact PUB’s 24-hour call centre at 1800 284 6600.

Grisly legless body find: Two Pakistanis held

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/grisly-legless-body-find-two-pakistanis-held-murder?singlepage=true

In the span of less than six hours yesterday, two Pakistani men were nabbed as suspects in the case of the legless body found stuffed in a bloodied suitcase along Syed Alwi Road on Wednesday, and the victim’s legs were found in a luggage bag dumped at a cemetery nearby.

The victim is believed to be a 59-year-old Pakistani man, while the murder suspects are aged 25 and 43. It is unknown if the three are related, but TODAY understands they were all here on social visit passes.

Up till nearly noon yesterday, police officers were still canvassing residents and shopkeepers near where the body was found, showing them pictures of the two suspects.

Only hours later, though, at 3pm, they nabbed the duo at a tourist lodge along Rowell Road, which is only two streets away from the gruesome find.

And at around 8pm, the legs — dismembered at the thighs — were found in a piece of luggage at a Muslim cemetery at Jalan Kubor, a short distance from Syed Alwi Road. The cemetery, which is next to the Madrasah Aljunied Al Islamiah and close to Stamford Primary School, lies across Rochor River.

The suspects are being held for investigations for murder and will be taken to court tomorrow.

The scale of police operations resulting in the suspects being tracked down less than 24 hours after the dismembered body was discovered emerged in a news release the police issued yesterday evening.

Among the areas they covered was the nearby Mustafa Shopping Centre in Little India. A worker at the mall told Chinese evening dailies that when police officers showed him the pictures of two suspects yesterday morning, he instantly recognised the older man, who had bought a S$119 electric saw from them on Wednesday morning.

He added that the man, who was in the shop for only about five minutes, was captured on their surveillance footage, which police officers asked to view.

The legless body was discovered at about 6pm on Wednesday after eyewitnesses saw the bloodstained hands of an 81-year-old rag-and-bone man who was trying to heave a bag onto a shopping trolley.

Strong winds recorded early yesterday morning

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/strong-winds-topple-trees-tents

Strong winds at speeds of as high as 103.7kmh were recorded early yesterday morning, toppling trees and collapsing tents in different parts of the island.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said a Sumatra squall — which is common during the Southwest Monsoon season that typically lasts from June to early October — affected Singapore between 2.15am and 3.30am.

The squall brought rain and gusty winds to many parts of the island. Yesterday’s highest wind speed of 103.7kmh was recorded at the south-western part of Singapore near West Coast Highway. In comparison, the highest wind speed recorded in Singapore was 144.4kmh on April 25, 1984.

The intense gusts and rain resulted in 18 fallen trees, 30 fallen branches and six snapped trunks, said Mr Oh Cheow Sheng, director of Streetscape at NParks. There were no reports of injuries and the obstructions were cleared up.

MSS said there could be a few days of short afternoon showers with one or two Sumatra squalls over the next fortnight.

The public can call the NParks helpline at 1800 471 7300 to inform them of fallen trees.

Singapore firm charged with smuggling weapons to N Korea

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-firm-charged-smuggling-weapons-n-korea?singlepage=true

  An MiG-21 fighter jet seized from a North Korean
-flagged ship Chong Chon Gang

Criminal charges were filed against a Singapore-registered shipping company yesterday for helping to smuggle missiles and fighter jets from Cuba to North Korea.

Chinpo Shipping Company allegedly transferred US$72,000 (S$90,000) to C B Fenton and Co, a Panama shipping agent, on July 8 last year, knowing that the money could be used to contribute to the “nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related, or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes or activities” of North Korea.

This was in breach of United Nations sanctions restricting arms trading with North Korea because of its nuclear weapons programme.

The charge carries a fine not exceeding S$1 million.

The shipment of weapons was seized near the Panama Canal, hidden under a cargo of sugar on Chong Chon Gang, a North Korean container ship. Two Cuban fighter jets in perfect condition, missiles and live munitions were found.

In March this year, the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee named Chinpo as one of two firms trying to smuggle arms to North Korea — the other was Pyongyang-based Ocean Maritime Management.

A UN report also alleged that North Korea’s embassies, including in Singapore and Cuba, were used to shift arms to Pyongyang via complex financial methods that were “pioneered by drug-trafficking organisations”.

Chinpo was also said to share a Beach Road office address with the North Korean embassy here. The report added that Chinpo acted as the agent for Ocean Maritime Management, which operated the Chong Chon Gang.

In a joint statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs said it received information about Chinpo in January and immediately launched an investigation.

Chinpo was charged with a separate offence of carrying on a remittance business without a licence between Apr 2, 2009 and July 3 last year.

Tan Hui Tin, 50, was also charged with helping her father and Chinpo director Tan Cheng Hoe, 80, withhold electronic evidence from the Commercial Affairs Department in February this year. She is understood to have been an accounts executive in the firm at that time. If she is convicted, she could be jailed for up to one month and/or fined up to S$1,500.

Chinpo and Tan are represented by Mr Edmond Pereira, who requested for time to make representations and take instructions yesterday.

The case will be heard on Aug 1.

Forced mediation should be last resort for feuding neighbours

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/forced-mediation-should-be-last-resort-feuding-neighbours-say-respondents

More than a year after the Government mooted the idea of mandating mediation for feuding neighbours, a six-week public consultation exercise has found that views are mixed as to whether this would be the best way forward.

Some mediators consulted saying that mandatory mediation might undermine the ethos of such a process.

And while a tribunal will be set up by the second half of this year to hear such cases before a judge, those who gave feedback felt adjudication should be the last resort and “upstream measures” are more important.

Currently, disputing parties who cannot resolve their problems privately or with the help of grassroots leaders may be asked to approach a Community Mediation Centre. However, mediation is voluntary and parties may not attend.

Under the new tribunal — announced in March — a judge would hear cases and have the power to give orders and sanctions, as well as compel parties to attend formal mediation. Failure to do so could result in prosecution.

Releasing a summary of the responses collected, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said respondents felt a tribunal should be the “last resort”, and that views were mixed on mandating mediation.

Those in favour of mandating mediation said the tribunal would be useful for bringing disputing parties together, but some trained mediators cautioned that mandatory mediation might undermine the ethos of the process and be abused by vindictive neighbours to punish another neighbour.

With respondents agreeing that “upstream measures” to resolve disputes early were important, the MCCY said this could include strengthening public education efforts and improving frontline responses.