SINGAPORE, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The following are stories from Singapore newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories.

THE STRAITS TIMES

- The rising cost of living dominated a debate between a government minister and local residents, with inflation at a 16-year high and expected to climb further next year. Vivian Balakrishnan, whose portfolio includes community development, said no Singaporean will go hungry, whatever happens with inflation.

- Singaporean men will live to 78 and women to 81.8 on average, according to a Ministry of Health study, but the average person will spend eight of those years in poor health. This compared with 77.7 years in good health for women in Japan. The study said many premature deaths from heart attacks, strokes and diabetes could be prevented.

THE BUSINESS TIMES

- Property sales in the city-state are set for a drop in the fourth quarter if early transaction data is anything to go by, according to an analysis by DTZ Debenham Tie Leung. The value of all Q4 property transactions so far is about S$2.9 billion ($2 billion), well off Q3's S$15.6 billion and Q2's record S$24.2 billion. DTZ cited the U.S. subprime crisis and government measures to cool the property sector as weakening market sentiment.

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