Today's Singapore News

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

-Singapore to develop cure for viral diseases: A Singapore consortium dealing in immunology research has joined hands with a French bio-pharmaceutical company in developing antibody-based therapies that could be used for specific viral diseases prevalent in Asia.
-S'poreans still travel despite recession: Mr Michael Lim, senior manager of JP International Travel, said people will still travel because of the many long weekends this year.
-Two S'poreans injured in restaurant shooting in Copenhagen: Two men believed to be Singaporeans were shot and wounded in a restaurant in Copenhagen. One of the victims is reported to be involved with the criminal underworld.
-Earlier allowance payment: Jobless Singaporeans who qualify for a Government-sponsored training programme under which they receive a $4-an-hour training allowance will not have to wait until they finish their course to get paid.
-Petrol companies raise pump prices by 4 cents: Petrol companies, Shell, ExxonMobil and Caltex, have raised pump prices by four Singapore cents per litre.
-Singaporeans second most tech savvy in the world: Proving its position as one of the most 'wired' countries in the world, Singapore came in second in a survey of 52 countries on global citizen's entertainment technology ownership and consumption habits.
-S'poreans heavy Net users: One in four Singaporeans download movies, and one in five download songs from the Internet, with the heaviest users downloading over 20 movies and songs every month, according to a new study on media habits here.
-5 times more courses including diplomas: From this month, workers looking to bump up their qualifications with a diploma will get a financial helping hand.
-Authorisation needed 72 hours before flying to US: From January 12, Singaporeans heading to the United States must obtain travel authorisation at least three days ahead of their trip. Otherwise, they may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be refused admission at a US port of entry.
-Walk ban confusion: People are no longer allowed to walk between the Singapore and Malaysia checkpoints at the Causeway, but there seems to be some confusion about the new rule.