Singapore opposition leader Chee Soon Juan escapes jail term

AFPSINGAPORE — A vocal opposition leader in Singapore Thursday escaped a jail term after an online donation drive raised enough money to pay a fine instead.Chee Soon Juan, secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), had faced a fine of Sg$20,000 ($16,000) after being convicted of "making an address in a public place without a licence" in 2006.Chee, 48, would have been imprisoned