THE Singapore Flyer started turning again at about 11pm on Tuesday night after the observation wheel grounded to a halt because of a technical fault.

Some 173 people were stuck in the capsules of the Singapore Flyer for hours. The wheel stopped spinning at about 4.50pm and rescue operations continued on through the night.

'TIS the season to be jolly for shoppers.

Stores, from the ritzy boutiques of Orchard to the mom-and-pop shops of the heartland, are offering their biggest pre-Christmas sales in years in an effort to attract recession-weary customers.

LYDIA, 14, was just chatting with a 28-year-old stranger who saw her picture on networking website Friendster and told her she was 'hot'. Within 20 minutes, he offered her $500 for sex.

Afraid that he might find out where she lived, Lydia cut off the conversation and went offline.