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Weight loss product sold online contains banned substance: HSA

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A weight loss product sold online has been found to contain a banned substance, with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) warning people not to consume it.

According to a statement from the HSA, the product called 'Nutriline Bluvelle' was found to contain a banned substance, sibutramine, which has been found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

'Nutriline Bluvelle' was marketed as a health supplement for slimming, with claims that it contains natural plant ingredients which are 'safe and free of side effects'.

However, a woman in her 20s who consumed the product complained that she experienced rapid heartbeats, anxiety, a drastic decrease in appetite, dizziness and lethargy, said the HSA. Such symptoms are common adverse reactions associated with the use of the banned substance, sibutramine, they said.

The consumer had purchased the product from an online shop based in Malaysia, but HSA says the product was also sold on several other local and overseas online platforms. HSA is currently investigating the local sale of this product.

Dangers of sibutramine, a banned substance

Sibutramine was previously available as a prescription-only weight loss drug but was withdrawn from Singapore in 2010, due to the finding that it increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Other serious adverse effects associated with the use of sibutramine include high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, hallucinations and mood swings, said the HSA.

In the past, HSA had received adverse effect reports about consumers experiencing hallucinations or hearing voices, palpitations and breathlessness after consuming slimming products bought online. These products were tested to contain the banned substance sibutramine, even though they were marketed to contain natural ingredients.

The HSA advises members of the public to:

- Stop taking 'Nutriline Bluvelle' immediately, and consult a doctor if you feel unwell or are concerned about your health.

- Be wary of health products that promise or deliver quick and miraculous weight loss. Such products may contain prescription medicines which should only be taken under medical supervision, or undeclared potent or banned ingredients that may seriously harm your health. Do not gamble with your health.

- Do not trust online product reviews, as these testimonials usually cannot be verified.

- Exercise caution when purchasing health products online. Anyone can be a seller on these e-commerce platforms. You cannot be certain where and how these products were made. They could potentially be counterfeits or adulterated with undeclared potent or banned ingredients which can seriously harm your health.

Additionally, members of the public are encouraged to visit www.healthdangers.sg to learn more about the dangers of buying health products from dubious sources.

Anyone who supplies illegal health products is liable to prosecution and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to 3 years and/or fined up to $100,000.

Members of the public who have any information on the illegal local sale and supply of 'Nutriline Bluvelle' are advised to contact HSA's Enforcement Branch at 6866-3485 during office hours (Monday to Friday) or email: hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg.

candicec@sph.com.sg

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 14:16
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Lee Suet Fern says she and husband Lee Hsien Yang are in process of 'preparing to leave Singapore'

260 jobs to be offered in Marina Bay Sands' weekend recruitment drive

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It was only a month ago when McDonald's held its very first National Hiring Day, in which staff conducted hiring drives all across the island.

Now, it is Marina Bay Sands' turn where they will hold a recruitment drive with more than 260 jobs on offer this weekend (June 17 and 18).

The job openings are across a range of positions within Marina Bay Sands' bars and restaurants, as well as security, and front of house roles at the hotel.

Some of the job roles that will be offered are bartender, service attendants, valet drivers, game dealers and many others.

Photo: Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands promises to offer "a comfortable and inspiring working environment for its Team Members where they are able to enjoy an array of employment benefits and a wide variety of sporting and social activities".

There are also efforts to recognise their staff members. The company regularly holds the quarterly OneMBS Achievers Award and annual Best of Best Awards are held to recognise Team Members with exceptional contributions.

Interested parties can walk in to Marina Bay Sands' Talent Hub between 10am and 8pm on both days for more information. Selected applicants will be called for interviews on the spot.

For more details, applicants can visit their website

akosasi@sph.com.sg

 

 

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 14:45
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Photos: Mirror maze at Singapore Science Centre dazzles visitors

Man who threw himself on car was bank accountant who went bankrupt, says dad

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The 35-year-old man who threw himself onto a car along Pasir Ris Farmway 2 on Sunday (Jun 11) was a bankrupt who had lost his job as an accountant at a local bank earlier this year, the man's father, Mr Lim, told Shin Min Daily News in a report on Tuesday (Jun 13).

The man had worked as an accountant at the bank for over ten years after he graduated from university, and drew a salary that was upwards of $10,000. He also dabbled in the stock market on the side, but lost a large sum of money after getting burnt, said Mr Lim.

Stocks that the man invested in crashed in September last year, and he had to declare bankruptcy. Then, in another huge blow, he lost his job early this year, said Mr Lim. He became a delivery driver in March, but quit within three months, added Mr Lim's wife.

Mr Lim, who is in his 70s, said his son had been searching for ways to pick himself up ever since he went bankrupt, and was likely under tremendous amounts of stress as a result. He said his son "behaves normally" usually, but "acts up" when under stress, said Mr Lim, but did not elaborate.

According to Mr Lim, his son said he was going to look at pets when he left the house on Sunday (June 14).

The drunk man was filmed by a car dashboard camera later that day, standing in the middle of Pasir Ris Farmway 2.

When the driver of the vehicle pulled to a stop in front of him, the man ran and jumped onto the stationary car, punched and kicked it a few times, before claiming that he had been injured and demanding compensation from the driver.

The driver of the car, 47-year-old Terry Loo Peng Leong, later uploaded the footage onto Facebook.

The man was subsequently arrested by the police for committing a rash act.

His mother revealed to the Chinese daily that he is currently undergoing examination and treatment at the Institute of Mental Health.

Mr Loo, a vice-president of sales, told Shin Min Daily News that he did not intend to demand compensation from the man. Instead, he hoped that the man would receive the necessary help and assistance.

"We are extremely grateful that the driver is not demanding recompense, but as this incident was brought about from our son's actions, we wish to apologise to (Mr Loo)," Mr Lim said.

According to the Shin Min Daily News, neighbours of the man described him as gracious and polite, and said they were shocked by the news.

A neighbour who lived on the same floor said he initially thought the footage was fake, and could not recognise the man at all.

"I've known him for over ten years, and he's never behaved strangely. Everything appeared normal," he told the paper.

pariel@sph.com.sg

Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - 17:41

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Dispute with PM Lee would not have been publicised if it were merely a 'family affair': Lee Wei Ling


No political ambitions for my son, says PM Lee

Lee Hsien Yang says he feels compelled to leave Singapore

Couple in Toa Payoh hawker centre dispute charged

How Singapore's Changi Airport became the best in the world

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Singapore's Changi Airport recently unveiled plans to open a mixed-use complex in 2019, promising a five-story indoor garden, among other attractions.

The pressure is on to maintain the title of world's best airport -- in which it's held for the past five years -- as ranked by Skytrax's World Airport Awards.

It's also considered the best airport to sleep by many reviews and bloggers.

The airport's offerings and amenities are far and wide ranging from a free movie theatre, outdoor swimming pool and butterfly garden featuring more than 1,000 insects ranging from 40 different specifies.

It's even marketed as its own destination within Singapore, where it's not uncommon to see families visit Changi to shop and dine on weekends.

It's also known to be a hot spot for students looking for a coffee shop to study in.

CNBC went behind the scenes to explore how the world's best airport is designed.

1) Real-time data

Changi receives more than 1.8 million clicks of feedback each month from passengers ranking everything from restrooms, customer service agents and even the gardens.

Some of the data is actually used to help inform real-time business operations.

For example, passengers leaving the restroom have the choice between ranking the facilities between excellent, good, average, fair or poor.

The operational staff monitors that data and deploys cleaning staff to any location that isn't rated highly.

2) Carpeting instead of tile

It's not very common to see an airport decked out in carpet, but at Changi, it is the norm.

This is done to increase the level of luxury, while also done to absorb many sounds that often make airports feel noisy and chaotic.

A less-noisy airport, often means more relaxed passengers.

3) Bringing in natural elements

Changi prides itself on its vast amount of greenery, which includes plants throughout its terminals, and five main gardens.

It is not easy to maintain.

There's 10 offsite and full time plant specialists, and about 150 gardeners who work 24/7.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 11:41

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Large herd of wild boars spotted exploring Tuas bus interchange

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It was a sight to behold, as a herd of wild boars were spotted 'hogging' the road near the Tuas bus interchange on Wednesday (Jun 14) evening.

In a video that went viral on social media, about 20 boars were seen loitering along the road near the National Transport Workers' Union canteen, as people in the canteen looked at them.

Some of the boars cautiously approached the canteen, with a few even following after a man as he pushed a trolley towards a parked van to unload goods.

The boars did not appear aggressive, and backed away when the man approached them with his trolley.

on Facebook

Wild boars out in full force at Tuas Bus Interchange

Posted by Our Singapore on Wednesday, 14 June 2017

Netizens who shared the video on Facebook said the video was taken around 8.50pm.

The boars are understood to show up around the area as often as two to three times a week, reported The Straits Times.

The video has drawn a mix of reactions from netizens.
Some said the video was proof that wild boars are not as hostile and aggressive as many Singaporeans believe them to be, and added that they hoped the authorities would not cull them.

Others noted that the boars were forced into human territory, due to their natural habitats being cleared by urbanisation.

Read one comment: "I see at least one mama boar with her babies in this video...for her to lead her young out so publicly they must be hungry."

According to the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), wild boars only attack when they are cornered or threatened. However, it advises members of the public to keep a safe distance from wild boars as they can be unpredictable and dangerous.

AVA said it received 140 pieces of feedback about wild boars last year, up from 80 in 2015 and 30 in 2014, reported ChannelNewsAsia.

Wild boars have been frequently spotted around Singapore. Last year, they made headlines after a boy in Punggol was chased and injured by one. Two motorcyclists were also involved in collisions with wild boars along the Bukit Timah Expressway and the Seletar Expressway.

pariel@sph.com.sg

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 12:45
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https://www.facebook.com/oursg1965/videos/1112753375535379/

$3m spent to bring this US coding school to S'pore - but it's closing after just a few months

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Coding is undoubtedly a pet topic these days.

From Google's Singapore headquarters dishing out free coding lessons to kids from underprivileged backgrounds and the success of that, to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) partnering the Ministry of Education (MOE) to introduce a pocket-sized, code-able computer to kids in primary and secondary school - it is the skill to have if you're planning to stay relevant.

Even for adults, coding courses and schools are popping up everywhere, as many rush to get their hands, and spend their Skillsfuture credits on them.

Despite the big push of coding in Singapore, it's surprising to note the abrupt closure of a New York-headquartered programming school that offers financial technology and data science courses here.

Byte Academy Singapore had big ambitions - it aimed to groom up to 2,000 financial technology and data science programmers in Singapore.

The school was also very confident of its ability to nurture these talents and even offered a money-back guarantee policy.

It promised students a refund of tuition fees - which come up to $10,000 before subsidies - if they cannot land a job six months after graduating from its full-time courses, which last for 12 weeks.

Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Communications and Information, who spoke at Byte's opening last year, said that "we need Byte Academy to be successful because we have a need for ICT professionals and the skills that you are going to develop".

Well, I guess he spoke a little too soon.

A Clean Breakup With The Students

BYTE Academy Singapore. PHOTO: Tri5 Ventures

Singapore-seed stage investment firm Tri5 Ventures had pumped in $3 million to bring the school here back in November.

As Byte's first overseas campus, it opened to much fanfare; but barely a year after its expansion to Singapore, comes the unfortunate news of its closing.

Byte Academy Singapore had terminated its registration with the Committee for Private Education (CPE) in March.

It was a training partner under IMDA's Tech Immersion and Placement Programme, an initiative to help train non-ICT (information and communications technology) professionals to make a career switch to the ICT sector.

The school had also ceased its partnership with Tri5 Ventures due to "disagreements" between the latter and the school's parent entity, Byte Academy United States.

According to an article by The Straits Times, Tri5's managing partner Christopher Quek declined to reveal more about the disagreements for confidentiality reasons.

Nonetheless, he did mention that all fees - including deposits, registration and tuition fees - have been refunded to the students upon confirmation of the closure.

This wasn't the first time the school had to reimburse its students though.

Last December, just a month after Byte's opening, the school had conducted a short course on Python programming; but the course was cut short as the instructor had to return to the US for medical reasons.

Students were also fully refunded for this course.

Still Staying Strong To Its Purpose

Despite the termination of the partnership, Tri5 said that they remain committed to supporting the national agenda of re-training Singaporeans to adapt to the growing tech programming industry.

PHOTO: SMU 

"We have observed and continue to see the rising demand for tech skills across many industries, both in startups and established companies alike. Tri5 Ventures remains positive in investing in programming schools in Singapore and are on the lookout for more such schools that bring value to the ecosystem," said Quek.

In fact, it is now working closely with HackWagon Academy, a Singaporean programming school, to offer courses in data science, Javascript and Ruby on Rails, a web application framework. HackWagon will start its short course bootcamps in July.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 14:12
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Youth throws ofo bike down from high-rise HDB block

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A video of a youth throwing an ofo bike from a high storey of a Housing Development Board (HDB) block is circulating online.

Stomp contributor Chan, along with another contributor, alerted the citizen journalism website to this incident.

In the 12-second clip, the youth was seen picking up the bike and throwing it down while someone else filmed the act.

It took more than five seconds for the bicycle to reach the bottom of the block, indicating that it was thrown from a great height.

Although the abuse of bicycles from bike-sharing companies has recently become a cause for concern, this could possibly be the worst case of misuse as this rash act may have seriously hurt another person.

Netizens are expressing disgust at the youth's behaviour and accusing him of throwing killer litter.

Although it is unclear when or where this incident happened, some netizens have said that it happened at a block in the Toa Payoh area.

Bicycles from bike-sharing initiatives found in the strangest places

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 14:13

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Things looking up for Yishun with new hawker centre and kind neighbours

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Yishun, the town of cat killers, cow sightings, giant caterpillars, fatal stabbings, and a wall with cacti and durian. Over the past year, Yishun's reputation has been dragged in the mud too many times to count - it has even earned itself a special feature on horror show Stranger Things.

However, Yishun residents can soon rejoice.

Things are looking up, with a new community-friendly hawker centre in the works and tales of kind residents brightening up their neighbours' lives making their rounds on the internet.

Community-friendly and innovative hawker centre

The Yishun Park hawker centre opens for business in September, and will feature pinball machines and arcade games, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a statement on Wednesday (Jun 14).

Managed by Timbre Group on a not-for-profit basis, the hawker centre will also boast family-friendly features, such as child-friendly toilet facilities and family-friendly seating arrangements.

The hawker centre will also host weekend activities to promote community and family bonding. On selected days, sports matches will be aired on large screens to promote community bonding.

Timbre Group was selected to operate the hawker centre as it fulfilled NEA's call for a socially conscious operator, which would ensure quality and affordable meals while at the same time improving the centre's operational efficiency.

To ensure meals are affordable for residents, each of the 45 cooked food stalls will have at least one basic meal that is priced at $3. Timbre will also bulk purchase ingredients to defray the costs incurred by hawkers.

Singapore cooks new methods to find next wave of hawker sellers

Furthermore, in a bid to sustain the hawker trade and support new entrants, two 'incubator stalls' will be set aside for potential hawkers. These hawkers will undergo an incubation period of up to one year, and Timbre will subsequently help to place them in its network of food and beverage outlets, or refer them to NEA to apply for a stall in other centres.

Timbre is also looking at implementing a 3-in-1 mobile application that allows patrons to order meals electronically and make cashless payment. A Radio Frequency Identification tray return system is also being considered, which will streamline the tray return process and reduce the cleaners' workload.

Well, now we know where the new heartland hawker haunt is going to be!

Anonymous neighbours brighten residents' days, one block at a time

A group of Yishun residents have taken it upon themselves to spread good vibes around the neighbourhood, by leaving a surprise "little bag of goodness" on their neighbours' doors.

On Sunday (Jun 11), Reddit forum user shiguoxian posted a set of images of the bag that had been left hanging on their door. Consisting of two packets of Milo powder and two Sunshine Cookies & Cream buns, the bag also had a note from the mysterious strangers, titled One Block at a Time.

[YISHUN] We found this hanging on our door

The note read:

"Hello neighbour!

"In light of all the Yishun news that has been making headlines, a small team of individuals passionate about anything that says good vibes has decided to come together to surprise a whole block overnight, in the small ways we can.

"We hope you enjoy this little bag of goodness of whatever we can afford and that it will make your heart smile.

"Love, Your Neighbours."

Reddit users were impressed by the initiative, with many applauding the anonymous do-gooders for their kind act.

As they say, there's always a rainbow after the rain. For all of the bad press coverage that Yishun has amassed, this just proves that Yishun's not all as bad as people make it out to be.

Good on you, Yishunites!

pariel@sph.com.sg

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 16:54
Others

PM Lee Hsien Loong's son Li Hongyi says he is not interested in politics

Bike-sharing firm ofo lodges police report over boy throwing bike down from Whampoa HDB block

Kiss92 regains position as Singapore's No. 1 English music station

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In the latest Nielsen radio survey, Kiss92 regains its position as Singapore's No. 1 English music station based on percentage share of listenership.

Its cumulative listenership also saw the biggest leap among all English radio stations - from 567,000 to 661,000, said a statement by SPH Radio Ltd.

These positive numbers are reflective of Kiss92 aggressively rolling out social media contents and a campaign centred around their fans.

Emcee and Kiss92 radio deejay Charmaine Yee taking a wefie with pupils.Photo: The Straits Times

Commenting on the results for Kiss92, Mr Jamie Meldrum, senior programme director for Kiss92 and ONE FM 91.3, said: "The team did a great job and it clearly shows in the results. We are truly thankful to our fans that have made this possible."

SPH Radio's other English station, ONE FM 91.3's listenership remained stable at 255,000.

Its only Mandarin station UFM100.3 also saw a leap in listenership to 422,000.

UFM100.3 continued with the hugely successful annual U1000 music countdown from March to April.

The finale event at Bugis Junction saw a crowd of 3,000 singing along to all the top 10 songs as the station counted down LIVE.

A crowd of 3,000 turned up at Bugis Junction’s outdoor stage for the U1000 Music Countdown 2017.Photo: The Straits Times

Ms Carine Ang, senior programme director for UFM100.3, said the team is extremely happy to see the station and their fan base grow.

"It still excites the team to meet their fans at events and it is this closeness with fans that allows them to know what the fans are looking for," added Ms Ang.

Mr Sim Hong Huat (R), General Manager of SPH Radio, at a prize presentation ceremony in Sentosa.Photo: The Straits Times

Mr Sim Hong Huat, general manager of SPH Radio, attributed the amazing results to their fans and the SPH Radio team who continues to give what the fans want.

"As we celebrate this achievement, the team is also hard at work to launch two more new radio stations later this year, which was awarded to SPH Radio during the latest round of tenders.

"With the new stations, we hope to be able to fill the gaps in listenership among Singaporeans in the radio space," he said.

akosasi@sph.com.sg

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 17:50

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'Let me stay by your side till the very end'

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SINGAPORE - "There is only one thing more precious than our time and that is who we spend it on." In your final moments, what is more precious than spending time with your family? That, is 56-year-old Henry Lee's dream.

Time waits for no one. But most people fail to realise until it is too late.

This was what 56-year-old Henry Lee felt when he found out he was running out of time.

Henry is just an average Singaporean like you and I. He works hard and strives hard to provide a better life for his family.

As a father, Henry cooks, takes care of his wife, does the housework, calls all the shots in the family…..In fact, he is the pillar of the Lee family.

Henry is too busy living life to put life in his living. It was until the day he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

His entire world came crashing down.

When he broke the news to his wife and son, his wife (Elsie Tan, 54) was lost for words. For their 28 years of marriage, Elsie goes to Henry for everything.

Faced with the fact that Henry will be gone soon, a teary Elsie said, "If we want to do something, we should do it quickly and not put it off for too long, as we don't know what will happen the next day."

The Dream

Genting Highlands has always been "the special place" for the Lee family -- it is the only place they turn to for family vacations.

For the past four years, Henry has been too preoccupied with providing a better life for his family; he could not even make time for a family vacation. As death approaches, his only wish is to relive the happy moments he has had with his family.

To Henry, Genting Highlands is his happy place that never fails to melt all his troubles away.

Tormented by the tumour, Henry suffers from great pain everyday. He wishes to return and stand amongst the clouds once again, to temporarily transcend all his pains.

The Problem

Henry is getting weaker with each passing day. The team prepared themselves for every possible scenario -- they got the trip sponsored by Genting Highlands, hired a private nurse and ambulance to accompany them on this trip, and even had an undertaker on standby should Henry pass on during the trip.

Unfortunately, a few days prior to departure, Henry's condition took a turn for the worse and he was admitted into the hospital.

Time is running out. Will his dream win the ruthless race against time? Watch the video to find out.

"No dream is too big and no dreamer too small." If you have a dream waiting to be fulfiled, email "Live Your Dream" team at zbevents@sph.com.sg.

For more stories on "Live Your Dream", please visit: www.zaobao.com/zvideos/live-your-dream

About "Live Your Dream" 

"Live Your Dream"(完成一个梦) is one of 10 SPH-produced short-form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. In this 13 episode series, host Ken Low Yong Kian (Digital Content Producer, Chinese Media Group Digital) will try his best to fulfil people's dreams no matter how challenging it may be. All episodes come with English subtitles.

This series is also available on zaobao.sg website, as well as the mobile app.

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 18:16

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