MORE and more Singaporean women are turning to placenta treatments for beauty and health reasons. The placenta is an organ that lines the uterine wall during pregnancy, and is attached to the baby by the umbilical cord. It is expelled during birth, but increasingly the placenta is being preserved for its nutritional and cosmetic values.

One woman who swears by its benefit is Ms May Kwong, founder and director of Maylande, a spa that uses human placenta as one of its main ingredients in its treatments.

THURSDAY'S deluge which submerged parts of Bukit Timah was a 'freak' event that occurs once in 50 years, Minister for the Environment & Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim said on Friday.

'What happened was very unusual,' he said. 'The intensity was tremendous.'

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday underlined the need for religious groups to remain mindful of Singapore's multi-religious society even as they increase collaboration with international groups.

Speaking at the official opening of the Singapore Buddhist Federation's (SBF's) new building in Geylang, he noted that Buddhism is growing worldwide, including in Singapore, and this has led to more frequent exchanges between Buddhists all over the world.