e-Paper
Malaysia to lift ban on chicken exports
Malaysia's ban on chicken exports is expected to end on Aug 31, Malaysia's Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Ronald Kiandee told Parliament on Thursday.
Malaysia, which supplies live chickens mainly to neighbouring Singapore and Thailand, in June halted exports until production and prices stabilise.
The move came after a global feed shortage made worse by the Russian-Ukraine war which has disrupted production.
HDB flat resale prices climb for 25th straight month
Housing Board flat resale prices rose for the 25th consecutive month in July, with prices increasing by an average of 0.7 per cent compared with June.
Of the 2,363 flats transacted last month, 33 units were sold for at least $1 million, including a five-room premier apartment loft unit in Queenstown's SkyTerrace @ Dawson, which sold for $1,418,000 - the most expensive resale flat in history.
Non-mature estate Bukit Batok recorded its first million-dollar transaction last month with an executive flat sold for $1,005,000. Two other non-mature estates - Hougang and Woodlands - also had a million-dollar sale each.
S'pore Shopify staff shocked by layoff
Local staff of e-commerce giant Shopify have expressed their shock and disappointment at being laid off by the Canadian firm as it reels from slowing business and overly ambitious expansion plans.
The company axed around 1,000 of its global workforce of 10,000 employees on July 27, although it would not disclose the number of workers who lost their jobs in Singapore.
Heavy traffic expected at checkpoints
Motorists crossing the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints can expect heavy traffic and delays this National Day weekend and holiday period (Aug 5 to 10) following a peak of more than 290,000 commuters a day over the past weekend.
The number of daily crossings from July 29 to 31 surpassed the weekend travel volumes recorded during this year's June school holidays, Vesak Day and Good Friday weekends, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday.
Weekends during the June school holiday saw about 278,000 travellers each day.
Oldest inmate in Singapore is 90-year-old man serving 20-year sentence
Singapore's oldest prisoner - a 90-year-old man - is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for a drug-related offence.
This was disclosed in Parliament on Monday by Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in a written reply to a question from Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim.
"He was sentenced to 20-year imprisonment for the offence of unauthorised import or export of a controlled drug and was admitted to prison on April 30, 2014, when he was 82 years old," said the minister of the oldest prisoner.
He added that the man is staying in the Assisted Living Correctional Unit to reduce his risk of falling.
New orchid display at Gardens by the Bay
A new orchid display at Gardens by the Bay's Cloud Forest, showcasing more than 40 varieties of hybrids, opened on Aug 4. Orchid Stories Of Singapore will run till Sept 4, and features both local and regional orchid hybrids.
The display also has a historical spin to it, featuring storyboards that describe Singapore's history with orchids. Visitors can learn how orchid collection began as a pastime for the upper classes in the 1800s.
