Singapore  - Singaporean President SR Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will take a 19 per cent salary cut next year, leading a civil-service-wide downward salary adjustment to offset the impact of the global financial crisis, local media reports said Tuesday.

The president and prime minister would earn 3.14 million Singapore dollars (2.07 million US dollars ) and 3.04 million Singapore dollars (2 million US dollars) with the cuts in
2009.

Singapore - Singapore President SR Nathan conferred the city-state's highest military award Thursday on General Boonsrang Niumpradit, supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

The Distinguished Service Order went to Boonsrang in recognition of his "outstanding contributions and commitment to strengthening the excellent ties between the (Royal Thai Armed Forces) and the Singapore Armed Forces," the defence ministry said.

Professional interaction between the two armed forces have increased under Boonsrang's leadership, the ministry's statement noted, citing bilateral and multilateral military exercises.