Today's Singapore News

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

-MoH to step up hiring drive: The Health Ministry is now looking to fill 4,500 positions in the public health sector over the next two years.
-NTUC FairPrice helps customers through recession: Supermarket chain, NTUC Fairprice, has introduced a slew of initiatives totalling $15 million, to help Singaporeans ride through the recession.
-Singapore bureaucrat's cooking trip sparks outcry: A Singaporean bureaucrat who wrote about taking his family on an expensive cooking course in France has sparked ire from locals, with some accusing him of extravagance given the city-state is in recession.
-ERP-free routes during peak hours?: In these tough economic times, motorists redoubling their efforts to look for ways to save on Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges have found solutions in technology and online.
-One in 5 Singaporeans expect rise in unemployment: A recent survey conducted by TNS and Gallup International showed that 78 per cent of Singaporeans expect the number of unemployed to rise this year.
-MP's T-shirt was completely gone: He heard shouting, and when he looked up, he saw several people chasing a man who was fleeing Yio Chu Kang Community Club. The next thing Mr Richard Jonathan saw totally shocked him. His Member of Parliament, Mr Seng Han Thong, was on fire.
-Seng Han Thong conscious after skin graft operation: Yio Chu Kang Member of Parliament Seng Han Thong, who is recovering from a skin graft operation, is now conscious but unable to speak after being sedated for two days.
-Comprehensive plans to develop table tennis in S'pore: Big plans are afoot to develop Singapore's table-tennis, especially among the young. This comes after the Republic's silver medal win at the Beijing Olympics last year.
-Singapore is 2nd freest- Singapore has again been ranked the world's second freest economy, after long-time rival Hong Kong, which retains the top position for the 15th straight year.
-Cybersquatters evicted: Singapore Network Information Center rules in favor of Sony Ericsson against cybersquatter offering competitive Sony products on his website.