simscool

China-made toys cause vomiting in school

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:04:36 -1330

Source: China Post

Seventeen primary school pupils taken to a hospital in Singapore a month ago for vomiting and diarrhea were not poisoned by food, but a toy they had bought at a school fair. They had played with it shortly before they used their hands to eat snacks at a class party.

The culprit was phthalates - substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility. Traces were found on the China-made plastic toy, and had rubbed off on the children's hands.

The toy, on a key ring, is shaped like a pod. When squeezed, a bean pops out.

Tainted toy caused poisoning

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:39:45 -1330

Thu, Mar 04, 2010, AsiaOne

THE mass vomiting involving 17 primary six students from Ai Tong School may have been caused by a toxic chemical found in a broad bean seed squeeze toy, 'Extrusion Bean', according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

Stores here still stock them

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:13:21 -1330

05:55 AM Mar 04, 2010SINGAPORE - In the last two years, some of its toys have been recalled in the United States.

But Daiso stores here are still stocking some of the children's products accused by a United States consumer watchdog of being dangerous and lead-tainted.

On Tuesday, federal regulators slapped a hefty US$2 million ($2.8 million) fine on the US subsidiaries of the Japanese retailer.

Recalled Daiso toys still sold in S'pore

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:11:13 -1330

By Ng Jing Yng, TODAY | Posted: 04 March 2010 0853 hrs

SINGAPORE : In the last two years, some of its toys have been recalled in the United States.

But Daiso stores here are still stocking some of the children's products accused by a United States consumer watchdog of being dangerous and lead-tainted.

On Tuesday, federal regulators slapped a hefty US$2 million (S$2.8 million) fine on the US subsidiaries of the Japanese retailer.

Anatomy of a good home buy

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:59:24 -1330

Source : Sunday Times â 28 Feb 2010

I am no expert when it comes to investing in property, but as I have invested in numerous properties over the last decade, I have gained some valuable experience.

I made money from some and lost money from others. Some say you need luck to make money in real estate, but I believe there are some fundamentals that one can use as a guide to make as infallible a decision as possible.

Government to introduce new tax, lower loan limit to cool private property market

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:03:41 -1330

Source : Channel NewsAsia â 19 Feb 2010

The Government has introduced two new measures to cool the property market and pre-empt a bubble from forming in the private homes sector. They come into effect Saturday.

The Ministry of National Development said this will help ensure a stable and sustainable property market, and to curtail the HDB resale market where prices tend to track private property movements.

From Saturday, it will be more difficult and expensive for speculators to own and flip properties. A Sellerâs Stamp Duty will be imposed on all residential properties and residential land bought after Friday, and sold within one year from the date of purchase.

What the changes mean

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:02:21 -1330

Source : Straits Times â 20 Feb 2010

THE new rules mean a homebuyer will now have to fork out more of his own money to buy a property, and will reap a smaller profit if he sells it within a year.

Take, for example, a buyer who pays $1million for a home today and sells it in less than a year for $1.1million.

New rules to curb property speculation

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:01:22 -1330

Source : Straits Times â 20 Feb 2010

TOUGHER rules on bank loans and measures to rein in speculators take effect today, as the Government steps up moves to cool the sizzling property market.

First, anyone who sells a property within a year of buying it will have to pay stamp duty of around 3 per cent. That means from today, if you buy a home and sell it at $500,000 within 12 months, you will have to fork out $9,600 in stamp duty. This is on top of the stamp duty you had to pay on the purchase.

More gentle therapy to cool the property fever

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:00:16 -1330

Source : Business Times â 20 Feb 2010

Sellerâs stamp duty and tighter loan limits reintroduced in bid to discourage speculation

THE government yesterday administered another measured dose to cool the resurgent property fever. While mild by themselves, the latest steps could foreshadow more severe therapy if the fever refuses to subside, said industry watchers. And this could plant seeds of uncertainty in an investorâs mind.

It was announced that a sellerâs stamp duty (SSD) will be levied on those who buy a residential property from today and sell it within a year. This is aimed at curbing short-term speculation. Also, the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit on housing loans will be lowered from 90 per cent to 80 per cent.

Kwek Leng Beng: Quick on the draw

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:59:01 -1330

Source : Straits Times â 20 Feb 2010

PROPERTY booms, crashes, fadsâ¦ you name it, real estate tycoon Kwek Leng Beng has seen them all in his 68 years.

Yet even one as experienced and savvy as he could not have predicted the way the market has roared back to life after being knocked flat on its back by the financial crisis.

âThe recovery was expected but not its intensity and swiftness. I was quite surprised at how strong it was,â said the executive chairman of Hong Leong Group Singapore.