Call to form strong ties across communities at Ang Mo Kio GRC's Chinese New Year dinner

Singaporeans must strive to better understand the various cultures and practices here, and form strong friendships across communities, Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min said on Saturday night.

"These relationships that bind us together will help us in difficult times," Dr Lam told residents of Ang Mo Kio GRC in a speech where he stressed the importance of Singapore's racial and religious harmony.

He was standing in for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the annual Chinese New Year dinner in the Teck Ghee ward of Ang Mo Kio GRC, where Mr Lee is an MP.

Mr Lee went through prostate cancer surgery last week and was recuperating at home. However, he recorded a short video clip with his festive greetings to the residents (above), which was screened at the dinner.

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Norway's Muslims form protective human ring around synagogue

More than 1,000 Muslims formed a human shield around Oslo's synagogue on Saturday, offering symbolic protection for the city's Jewish community and condemning an attack on a synagogue in neighbouring Denmark last weekend.

Chanting "No to anti-Semitism, no to Islamophobia," Norway's Muslims formed what they called a ring of peace a week after Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, a Danish-born son of Palestinian immigrants, killed two people at a synagogue and an event promoting free speech in Copenhagen last weekend.

"Humanity is one and we are here to demonstrate that," Zeeshan Abdullah, one of the protest's organisers told a crowd of Muslim immigrants and ethnic Norwegians who filled the small street around Oslo's only functioning synagogue.

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Men take to social media in mini-skirts to protest alleged attempted rape, death of Turkish woman

Men have been posting photos of themselves wearing mini-skirts on social media to protest violence against women, following the death of a woman in Turkey who was apparently killed for trying to prevent a bus driver from raping her.

The burned body of 20-year-old Ozgecan Aslan was found in a riverbed in southern Turkey on Feb 13, two days after she went missing.

Men began using the hashtag #ozgecanicinminietekgiy - which roughly translates to "wear a miniskirt for Ozgecan" - and sharing selfies of themselves wearing mini-skirts holding signs of support.

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Football: Barca slump to stunning 1-0 home defeat by Malaga

Barcelona's La Liga title hopes were dealt a huge blow as Malaga stunned the Camp Nou with a 1-0 win on Saturday.

Juanmi grabbed the only goal of the game after just seven minutes when he pounced on an error by Dani Alves.

Defeat leaves Barca still a point adrift of Real Madrid at the top of the table, but the European champions can extend that advantage to four points when they travel to Elche on Sunday.

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Football: United 'forgot to score' against Swansea, says Van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was frustrated his side "forgot to score" against Swansea City but believes they were unlucky to lose 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.

United's scratchy performances this season have received criticism but Van Gaal insisted on Friday that his team would be top of the Premier League based on their form since November.

United did little to support their manager's claims at the Liberty Stadium, however, as they failed to convert their chances, handing Swansea a double over Van Gaal's side after their win at Old Trafford in the first game of the season.

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