Singapore - Facing a record number of litterers in a city which is regarded as one of the cleanest worldwide, the Singapore government is to implement heavier fines for smokers dropping cigarette butts or car drivers leaving parking coupons on the street.

From April 1, first-time offenders are to pay 300 Singapore dollars (200 US dollars) for failing to dispose small items in litter bins, 100 Singapore dollars more than before, media reports said on Tuesday.

Singapore - Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) extended its regional mobile customer base by 35 per cent, or 61 million, to 232 million subscribers, the company said Monday.

Despite stiff competition and the global economic crisis, SingTel mobile subscribers in the region reached 232 million on December 31, 2008, the company said in a statement.

Singapore - Ho Ching, the chief executive officer of Singapore's state investment company Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd, will step down and be replaced by Charles W Goodyear, the former boss of the global resources company BHP Billiton, Temasek announced Friday.

Goodyear, a 51 year old US-citizen, was to succeed Ho on October 1, 2009, the company said. He already joined the Temasek board and will assume the position of CEO-designate on March 1.

Ho, the wife of Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has been CEO of Temasek since January 2004.

Singapore - A Singapore housewife was sentenced to 10 months in jail for scalding her maid and sending her home to Indonesia without medical attention, media reports said Thursday.

A district judge found the accused, a 40-year-old mother of three, guilty of pouring hot water onto the back of her maid.

According to the public prosecutor, the maid, now 26, suffered second-degree burns to her neck, back and left shoulder that left her body blistered.

The housewife was also accused of trying to cover up the May 15, 2006, incident, by sending her maid back to Indonesia, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

Singapore  - The Singapore tourism industry hit some records in 2008 even though visitor numbers fell and tourism spending fell short of targets.

The city-state welcomed 10.1 million visitors last year, 1.6 per cent fewer than in 2007 and below the 10.8 million target set for 2008, media reports said Wednesday.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board, the decline in visitor arrivals reflected the impact of the global economic slowdown on consumer sentiment and discretionary spending.

Singapore  - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has assured Singaporeans that his government would help the needy tackle the economic crisis, media reports said Monday.

"We will make sure that everyone who needs help will get help, and everyone who makes the effort to help himself and his family, we will make sure he is all right," Lee said Sunday night at a Chinese New Year dinner in his ward in Ang Mo Kio.