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RECYCLED WATER FOR QUEENSLAND SYDNEY: Australia's Queensland state yesterday dumped plans for a referendum on the introduction of recycled drinking water, saying drought had left the government with no choice.Queensland premier Peter Beattie said the state's south-east could be supplied with... [Read more]

Growing trend
AD AGENCY Y&R Singapore stepped up its PR efforts this month by hiring Mr Justin Low, 30, from Grayling Public Relations to manage its publicity affairs. Mr Charles Sng, who specialises in marketing communications at headhunting firm Aquent, says it is... [Read more]

Inner calm? More like stress at some yoga centres here
MUSHROOMING fitness and yoga centres are raking in what some have dubbed the 'yoga dollar', but not all who signed up have ended up relaxed. Last year, 40 complaints were filed with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) against fitness and... [Read more]

Bogus NKF fund seekers
THERE were two reported cases this week of fake donation seekers using the name of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) in Clementi and Jurong East. The NKF, which does not have any door-to-door donation drives in these areas, advises the public... [Read more]

Welcoming the year of the pig
The Year of the Pig was ushered in by more than a billion Chinese around the world on Sunday. In cities from Beijing to London to Vancouver, they marked the start of the Chinese New Year with food, drink and fireworks... [Read more]

Health items law can enforce after-sales scrutiny
A NEW law on health products for human use, approved yesterday, sends 'a strong signal' that products made or sold here are of the highest standards. Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC) said when debating the Health Products Bill, that it will... [Read more]

Egyptian court finds blogger guilty of insulting Islam
ALEXANDRIA (EGYPT) - A COURT in Alexandria yesterday convicted a blogger for insulting both Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and sentenced him to four years in jail over his online writings.Abdel Karim Suleiman, a former law student in his early... [Read more]

Planned missile shield triggers Russian wrath
WARSAW - A US proposal to base a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic has moved ahead with both countries indicating agreement, while a top Russian general warned the plan could lead Moscow to target the former allies with... [Read more]

Hu heads to Africa again
WHAT IT IS CHINESE President Hu Jintao begins a 12-day trip to Africa tomorrow, his third trip there in three years.He will visit eight African countries, including major trading partner South Africa and geopolitical flashpoint Sudan. His trip comes two months... [Read more]

Cup of cocoa may hold much promise for an ageing world
SAN FRANCISCO - A NICE cup of the right kind of cocoa could hold the promise of promoting brain function as people age.In an increasingly ageing world, medical researchers are seeing more cases of dementia and are looking for ways to... [Read more]

No need to shut new Thai airport: Panel
BANGKOK - THAILAND does not need to close its new international airport to repair cracks on taxiways and runways, a panel of investigators said yesterday, blaming the damage on underground water. Cracks have been found across 78,000 sq m, or roughly... [Read more]