Singapore has earned the distinction of being the Best Country Brand for Shopping.
It is also ranked as the Best Country Brand - Easiest to Do Business in, but was edged out by the United States to take second spot in the Ideal for Business category, and third spot in the categories of Ideal for Business and Best Country Brand for Conferences.
Overall, the Republic jumped 11 rungs to No 13, in the latest FutureBrand Country Brand Index - one of the biggest improvements by any country.
The top five countries overall were the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France. The index is a comprehensive study of about 3,000 international business and leisure travellers from nine countries.
Seven employers were charged in the Subordinate Courts this past week with offences under the Employment Act.
The Ministry of Manpower said five failed to provide - or underprovided - their workers with statutory benefits such as annual leave and rest days. Two other employers were charged with not paying salaries.
One employer was also convicted for infringements on the Act. Cleaning company Lian Cheng Contracting and its director Cher Peng Ho failed to provide annual leave for four employees over two to four years.
There were also unauthorised deductions from the salaries of three employees between January and April last year.
The company was fined $8,500, while Cher was fined $5,500.
Since January, 20 firms have been prosecuted for Employment Act infringements.
Head to Downtown East this Sunday to get a free cancer screening and some tips on dealing with the disease.
Experts from Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) will not only share the latest findings on gynaecological cancers, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer but will also conduct a series of workshops on nutrition, breast examinations, laughter yoga and exercise.
Participants will also receive free screening for liver, colorectal and lung cancer. The screening is sponsored by the co-organiser North East Community Development Council.
The event, which will be held from 10am-5pm, is organised in conjunction with NTUC's "U Live The Good Life", and "Active Ageing Celebrations 2009" by the Council for Third Age.
At first glance, there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary about the Lego bricks scattered before these senior citizens from the Asian Women's Welfare Association (AWWA).
But these bricks are actually part of a good cause - the "We Are One" initiative that not only hopes to raise $1 million for the needy but also, as project director Ong Hee Yah of MediaCorp put it, "to show that we are one in good and bad times".
The project - backed by CapitaLand, Lego Singapore and MediaCorp - hopes to build a model of Singapore out of Lego bricks. Each brick is priced at $2 and the aim is to get Singaporeans to donate enough money to eventually build an entire island measuring 5m by 8m.
Ms Ong said: "We wanted to have something that reflects that the first Singaporeans, so to speak, had built this country with blood, sweat and tears.
"When you put these elements together - building a foundation, showing compassion for those affected by the recession, helping people to pick up the pieces, being united in one single cause ... you have the 'We Are One' project."
Members of the public can drop in at ION Orchard from now till Nov 18 to view the progress of the construction of the island - and also make donations for the bricks needed to complete it.
When completed, all 500,000 Lego bricks, donated by Lego Singapore for this purpose, will be packed into some 3,000 gifts for underprivileged children as well as senior citizens in daycare centres.