Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Singapore ticks off British writer over article: Singapore has taken to task a British writer who disparaged the Republic as a modern, undemocratic form of authoritarianism.
-Singapore's first TCM scholarship awarded: Global healthcare company Eu Yan Sang International awarded Singapore's TCM scholarship to two outstanding undergraduates.
-Sabah youths forced to work as sex slaves in Singapore: Sabah has called for an investigation into reports that youths hired by employment agents to work in Singapore were forced to do menial work and the girls turned into sex slaves.
-Pump prices down again, but CNG costs up: Pump prices fell for just the second time in 18 months yesterday, following a slip in crude oil prices.
-A new solution to empty cabs problem: Why not allow taxis, which now cruise empty past bus stops, to pick up those waiting for feeder buses and drive them to the nearest hub for a flat charge of $1 or less?
-Business as usual for taxis despite diesel surcharge: There was comparatively little angst when the 30-cent diesel surcharge for ComfortDelGro cabs kicked in yesterday.
-Survey shows more S'poreans going for HIV tests: The number of Singaporeans getting anonymous HIV testing has more than doubled in the past 12 months.
-Singapore circuit takes shape as race nears: Singapore is two months away from hosting its first Formula One grand prix and its ambitious street circuit is slowly taking shape.
-Ren Ci suffers sharp drop in donations: Donations to the troubled Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre have plunged. It collected just $1.1 million in the last seven months.
-Singapore Dragon Boat Association apologises to families: SBA has apologised to families of the five national dragon boaters who drowned in Cambodia but it stopped short of taking responsibility for factors that contributed to the accident.