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Lai lai, let guess what will be the new name after their merger. Honsan, Nissda, HN Motors, NH Motors, etc. Japan’s Honda and Nissan to reportedly begin merger talks Nissan and Honda plan to enter into negotiations for a merger to better compete in the rapidly changing automotive industry, the Nikkei newspaper reported Tuesday. Honda and Nissan are considering operating under a holding company, and soon will sign a memorandum of understanding, according to the report. The combined Nissan-Honda-Mitsubishi enterprise would equate to more than 8 million vehicle sales annually, according to Nikkei. That would place the company among the world’s largest automakers, but still below fellow Japanese automaker Toyota Motor, at 11.2 million in 2023, as well as German automaker Volkswagen, which last year reported sales of 9.2 million vehicles.

Starting this new thread to capture automotive news happening around the world, in case you miss it. Anyone can contribute to the thread by sharing news that you have come across. Xiaomi’s Third Model Is A Full-Size EREV SUV That Could Launch In 2026 Xiaomi isn’t willing to rest on its laurels and has started testing its third model, codenamed the N3. This new model will take the form of a large SUV designed to rival the Li Auto L9. The new SUV will look radically different than the brand’s other models. It’s unclear if the company will develop the powertrain in-house. Range-extender EVs are proving popular for those seeking maximum driving range. Stellantis Boss Carlos Tavares Suddenly Resigns The first and only Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, the 66-year-old executive, decided to step down, effective immediately. Weeks before stepping down, Tavares said struggling brands would have a couple of years to save themselves, either from extinction or from being sold off. The search process for a replacement is already “well underway,” which tells us that Stellantis isn’t all that surprised Tavares has called it quits. Until a successor is announced in the first half of 2025, the company will appoint a new interim executive committee chaired by John Elkann. He’s the Stellantis Chairman, Executive Director, and Ferrari Chairman. This is not the only significant change within Stellantis in recent months. Two months ago, Santo Ficili was named CEO of Maserati and Alfa Romeo, replacing Davide Grasso and Jean-Philippe Imparato, respectively. Invasive Seaweed Could Be The Next Biofuel To Keep Gas Cars On The Road Forget hydrogen power or synthetic gasoline, fuel made from an invasive seaweed species could be key to our obsession with gas-powered cars A team of researchers on the Caribbean island of Barbados have been working to create a new sustainable fuel to power cars on the island. Instead of using carbon capture or recycled cooking oil, the scientists have turned to an invasive species of seaweed that is taking over the island nations. The algae is combined with dung from a local farm and waste water from a rum distillery. Once that delicious-sounding cocktail is pumped into a fermenter, a gas is released that can then be used to power cars on the island. The team says any car can be converted to run on the gas via a simple and affordable four-hour installation process, using an easily available kit, at a total cost of around $2,500 (£1,940). China EV global sales in Nov: Xiaomi 22,050, Xpeng 30,895, Geely 122,453, BYD 504,003 In November, China’s EV market was mostly up, with Li Auto and Nio being exceptions. Xpeng grew by about 30%, Geely by 13%, Xiaomi by 6%, and BYD remained nearly flat, with a 0.7% rise compared with October. BYD sold 504,003 passenger NEVs, up 0.7% from 500,526 units the month before and up 67.2% from 301,378 in the previous year. Geely Auto got second spot with 122,453 sold NEVs, up 12.6% from 108,722 in October and 88.3% from 65,034 units the previous year. In 2024 (January – November), Geely Auto delivered 777,029 NEVs, up 82% from the same period last year. Changan got the third spot with 100,000 NEV sales, up 17.6% from 85,000 units in October. Data posted by Changan are most likely rounded, despite being it explicitly said by the company. Deepal achieved record-breaking sales of 36,026 units in November 2024, a 29.3% increase from 27,862 units in October and a 123.0% rise from 16,157 units in the same month last year. Volkswagen-backed Xpeng reported sales of 30,895 units in November 2024, up 29.2% from 23,917 units in October and 54.2% from 20,041 units a year earlier.

'No Indians No PRCs': Singapore's rental discrimination problem Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26832115 I believe all countries have this problem of racial discrimination. Why would you not rent out your apartment to Indian or PRCs? Is it difference in culture, hygiene, unknown fear that they would have a 500-man Indian party in the house (no offence, typical stereotype), fear of missing dogs that end up in a pot (again no offence, typical stereotype) or are there other reasons for such discrimination?

Came across news that The Weather Channel debuted its new, mixed reality capabilities by showing what a tornado could do if it hit the studio. The demonstration has used mixed reality (MR), which is similar to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in that it creates virtual objects and then overlays them into the real world, but goes a step further and allows users to interact with them. Through MR the channel creates an incredibly realistic simulation of a tornado hitting the studio, with yellow ‘pop-ups’ appearing with facts and safety advice. For example, after a powerline crashes into the frame, Cantore tells viewers to stay at least 40 feet away from any live wires, saying that where he was standing would be too close to the pole if it was real. The ‘Tornado Hits The Weather Channel’ video ends with the anchor walking through the destruction after the studio is totally ripped apart. With sirens wailing, flickering video connection and sparks appearing to emerge from live wires, the entire experience - apart from Cantore himself - was meticulously created by the channel in partnership with The Future Group and powered by Frontier and Unreal Engine. The Weather Channel reckons the broadcast will “ignite a revolution of weather presentation” as part of a new era of real-time immersive storytelling. I personally find the safety advice extremely useful, as it give the viewer a clearer view of the potential hazards and associating risks in the real life situation, which shall have a more lasting effects in the viewers mind. Upon visiting this channel on youtube, found that they actually have several useful video, using similar VR technology, to remind drivers of the hazards of driving through different weather conditions. (and that is why this thread appears under the "General Car Discussion" section. And it is amazing that they actually started using VR technology some 3 years back... Can't wait for our MediaCorp to do the same for our otherwise boring news reporting and weather forecast. Imagine how it will look like to report ponding, hail storm, earthquake, etc. Our TP may also do the same to some of their educational video, to demonstrate, for example, the effect of road hogging and tailgating...

OK, I admit I just get to know this site recently, and had a good laugh at some of the "news". Enjoy... e:Ny1 was meant to be a secure password, Honda finally admits The Honda e:Ny1 was never meant to be called that, the company has finally conceded, after it emerged that the name was actually the result of a comical administrative error. According to a leaked internal report, a member of staff accidentally copy-and-pasted part of a secure password into the online trademark application. An investigation was launched but the employee was spared disciplinary action on the grounds that it was ‘long past 3pm on a Friday’ when the form was submitted. “This is all very embarrassing,” said the employee on the condition of anonymity. “But who among us hasn’t made a boo boo at the end of the week?” “My heart goes out to everybody who’s had to type out e:Ny1 since then. I’m also gutted for my mother in law, because if passwords didn’t need at least one number, capital letter and special character, that Honda would have her maiden name now. “It would’ve tickled her pink. And she’s in her seventies, so she undoubtedly would’ve bought one.” Honda has now called for members of the public to suggest a new name for e:Ny1. Popular candidates on social media include the Honda Typo, Honda Captcha and Honda TwoFactorAuthentication. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Intellectual Property Office declined to comment officially, but said: “This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’m not pointing fingers, but did you think Toyota bZ4X was intentional?”

Hi everyone! 👋 Desmond here on behalf of the Sgcarmart Editorial Team. So, 2024 brings some changes to Mycarforum. As you'll increasingly notice in the coming months, the Editorial Team has taken over the content management of this platform. There are changes in store. The Forum, not so much. It will continue to be a vibrant platform for all MCF members to interact. However, major changes are afoot for this Blog. We are going in a different direction, revealing the slightly most esoteric side of the Editorial Team. What can you expect? Well, a little bit of everything. While cars are how we make a living, cars aren't the only thing in our lives. For all car-centric content, you can continue to get them from the various Sgcarmart platforms, including our Articles section, Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. We’ll continue to bring you the most timely, relevant and interesting automotive content. But for everything else, well, you’ll see it here. Each of us as writers have varying interests, and you're going to be reading all about them. Photography, watches, music, movies, pop culture, geography, Tomica, cycling, tiny living, mental well-being, expect to see a little bit of everything. Our thoughts, our daily experiences (at work or otherwise), a little bit of all of us. All of your various interests, and all of ours as well. What exact form will this blog take? It's hard to say right now. But what we can promise is interesting, different, fun and exciting new content. So, stay tuned for what's in store! The Sgcarmart Editorial Team: Julian, Desmond, Mattheus, Jeremy, Zhi Xuan, Clarence, Denise

Thai boys already lost for a week in a cave. International teams helping in search. https://abcnews.go.com/International/desperate-search-boys-soccer-team-lost-thailand-cave/story?id=56271772 Desperate search for boys' soccer team lost in Thailand cave hampered by rains A nation continued to hold its breath Friday and hope for the safe return of 12 young soccer players and their coach who remain trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand after disappearing nearly a week ago. "My son! Come on out! I'm waiting for you here!" one mother could be heard calling into the cave recently as she stood next to her child's bicycle. Tham Luang, Thailand's longest cave and a popular tourist site, is said to be a labyrinth, miles of passageways and tunnels running underground that can flood up to 20 feet during heavy downpours. It's believed that the coach often brought his team to the cave for fun excursions. The boys, who are between 11 and 16 years old, went missing with their coach after he took them to the cave complex after soccer practice June 24. It's believed the group crawled through a narrow channel that may now be flooded after days of heavy rainfall.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam will run for Singapore's presidency https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tharman-shanmugaratnam-singapore-presidential-election-candidate-3547586?cid=internal_sharetool_androidtablet_08062023_cna

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tharman-shanmugaratnam-singapore-presidential-election-candidate-3547586 SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam intends to run for the Singapore presidency in an election that must be held by Sep 13. Mr Tharman on Thursday (Jun 😎 informed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of his decision to retire from politics and all his positions in government. He also said he intends to resign from the People's Action Party. "I plan to do so a month from now, on Jul 7, 2023, so that I can first fulfil my immediate official commitments in Singapore and internationally, and ensure that arrangements are fully in place for constituents of Jurong GRC to be well-served for the rest of the electoral term," Mr Tharman wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister. He will also step down as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), deputy chairman of GIC, chairman of the Economic Development Board's International Advisory Council and other responsibilities he has been undertaking in his ministerial capacity. Mr Tharman, 66, said he has been "humbled" by the requests he has received in recent months from Singaporeans who want to see him stand in the Presidential Election if President Halimah Yacob decided not to seek a second term. "It has been a difficult decision," he said in his letter. "I have consulted my family, and given careful thought to how I can best serve the country in the years ahead." Mr Tharman was first elected Member of Parliament in 2001, in Jurong GRC. An economics graduate, he spent most of his earlier professional career at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where he served as chairman from 2011. Mr Tharman had been Senior Minister since May 2019, after serving for several years as Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Education Minister. He was Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and also advised the Prime Minister on economic policies. On the global stage, Mr Tharman is chair of the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance. He was also the first Asian chairman of the International Monetary and Financial Committee. Mr Tharman said on Thursday that he believes he can now best serve Singapore in a different role above politics. "If I am fortunate enough to be elected as President, I will represent the unity of Singaporeans, of all races and religions, social backgrounds and political leanings, at a time when views in the population are becoming more diverse," he wrote. "I will be thorough and impartial in fulfilling the constitutional duties of the President with regard to the prudent use of the nation's reserves and the key appointments which preserve the integrity of the Singapore system." Mr Tharman added that his "greatest sadness" is in retiring as an MP in Jurong. "I am assured that my dedicated fellow MPs in Jurong will work doubly hard to serve all our residents fully during the current electoral term." CNA Explains: What you need to know about Singapore's upcoming Presidential Election Timeline: What to expect in the event of a contested Presidential Election Madam Halimah, 68, announced on May 29 her decision not to seek a second term. She is the country's eighth president and first female president. Her six-year term ends on Sep 13 this year. This will be Singapore's first Presidential Election since 2011. The 2017 presidential poll was a reserved election, in which only members of the Malay community were allowed to contest. Mdm Halimah was named president then as there were no other candidates. The coming Presidential Election is open to all races. In his letter to Mr Tharman, the Prime Minister said the role of the president requires one to exercise custodial powers independently to protect Singapore's past reserves and the integrity of the public service as specified in the Constitution. "This is a vital function in the Singapore system of government. I am confident that you will carry out these duties scrupulously and with the independence of mind you have always displayed," Mr Lee said. Source: CNA/gs(jo)

On January 17, Guo Wengui, a "red fugitive", issued another announcement in his Twitter, saying that at 9 pm on the 30th of the New Year, the so -called "Australian Farm 2023 Spring Festival Gala" will be hosted on the overseas network. The theme is: the Flame Revolution, firmly destroy the Communist Party; no comrades -in -arms, the former rabbit is like a brocade. In order to get eyeballs and concerns, this traitor has everything. In recent years, Guo Wengui has frequently carried out "breaking news" through individual media and the Internet, saying that he has obtained information such as the so -called HNA luxury official aircraft ownership of the so -called HNA luxury officials from domestic seniors, and has fabricated all kinds of bizarre "corruption" and "erotic" stories in order to obtain eyeballs, to obtain eyeballs, to obtain eyeballs, to obtain eyeballs, to obtain eyeballs, to gain eyeballs, to obtain attention, Attracting attention. However, the eyes of the masses are clear, and the rivers are open and there is no factual basis. After all, there is no market. Guo Wengui has become a "big scammer" in the minds of foreign netizens without moral bottom line. In order to maintain the image of "the first challenger of the Chinese Communist regime", in order to increase the value of his existence in the United States and increase the sense of security, Guo Wengui whatever means and risky, and refresh his moral bottom line again and again. In June 2020, Guo Wengui colluded with the American anti -Chinese politician Stephen Nongnong, and established the so -called "New China Federation" in overseas social media to gather traitors such as Hao Haidong, Yan Limeng, and Wang Dinggang to make rumors against China. Today, Guo Wengui's American backbone Stephen Bannon has been arrested. Guo Wengui himself was also facing the crisis of bankruptcy. In order to get the attention of the new master, he only had a stronger performance. He used the Spring Festival Gala to find some topics, and making some articles became his best choice. It is conceivable that in its so -called "Spring Festival Gala", Guo Wengui must be hysterical, crazy rumors to discredit his motherland. However, people are doing it, and when they are watching, they will not end well for the tiger. On the day Guo Wengui could no longer get the "new material", there was no use value, and it would be abandoned by American politicians. At that time, this lost -haired dog who lost her asylum would be severely punished by the law.

I dunno but this kind news does not surprise me anymore...... Man, 43, gets caught filming upskirt videos at MBS, victim turns out to be a man in a dress - Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world https://mothership.sg/2022/12/upskirt-videos-man-dress-singapore/?fbclid=IwAR2E42Ua7KX4wkoSmjBa_zMklaWxbE3pFKZuO3uukDZcvUxGzury0FOtvEU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Sick of the doom and gloom. Do share any funny news u read. This really made me smile. God bless America... https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/united-states-man-arrested-teaching-dog-how-to-drive-12591974

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a38053213/countach-designer-denounces-the-new-model/ "Countach Designer Marcello Gandini Denounces the New Model "To repeat a model of the past represents in my opinion the negation of the founding principles of my DNA." In his time at Bertone, Marcello Gandini was credited as the designer behind masterpieces like the Alfa Romeo Montreal, the Lancia Stratos, and the E12-generation BMW 5-Series. His most famous works, though, were Lamborghinis. His most famous? The Countach. Gandini, however, wants to stress that he was in no way involved with the design and production of the upcoming tribute model, the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. The confusion stems from a video interview Gandini did this June. He was presented with a scale model of the upcoming car that he was told represented a tribute to be shown at Pebble Beach. He was not, however, told that this car would be put into limited production and sold to the public as a continuation. The video was used in promotion of the new car anyway, so Gandini sent out a letter denouncing both the clip and the new Countach project itself. In the letter, he stresses that he was in no way involved with the new car. He goes further, though; he says the car itself does not "reflect his spirit and his vision." Gandini adds: Whether or not the Countach is more than a cynical cash grab, it is a design tribute that is not actually endorsed by the designer it is paying tribute to. That makes for an awkward collectible, particularly when that collectible sold out at a price of $2.64 million months ago."

PHOTO: FIRMUS CAPITAL ELECTRIC car maker Tesla has leased a building in Toa Payoh Lorong 8's industrial area for its showroom, corporate office and service centre. This was announced on Thursday by private equity real estate investment manager Firmus Capital, which acquired the property and has entered an agreement to lease it entirely to Tesla's Singapore subsidiary, Tesla Motors Singapore Private Limited, for a period of up to 20 years. The 58,743 sq ft property has a total lettable area of 59,049 sq ft, said Firmus in a statement; its manager noted that Firmus has until now focused its investments in Australia. The building will house a showroom for Tesla's electric vehicles, a technical support and service centre, as well as Tesla's Singapore corporate office." The acquisition of the Toa Payoh property was made by a new fund Firmus formed in March this year. Firmus added that it is working on a second purchase within this quarter, and that it will possess S$200 million in assets under management once it completes this second acquisition. Tesla last indicated it was setting up shop in Singapore when it put up roles for servicing staff, sales advisers and store leaders in July last year, and more recently last September; job postings on LinkedIn were seeking senior developers, among other positions, but it declined to say how many jobs it was opening up in the Republic. This can probably be seen as the most concrete move Tesla has made towards beginning the sale of its high-end electric vehicles in Singapore, after years of founder Elon Musk complaining about the Republic's authorities being "not supportive". As for the property in Toa Payoh, Firmus said renovations are underway. It did not say when its lessee would commence operations. Last month, The Straits Times reported that Tesla would operate out of the facility in Toa Payoh, but that it would additionally have "experience stores" in places such as malls like Raffles City and Jewel Changi Airport, which would allow for test drives to be arranged. It also reported that the centre was slated to start running this month. Source - The Business Times: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/technology/tesla-setting-up-shop-at-toa-payoh-lorong-8-property-with-lease-term-of-up-to-20-years --------- Just curious, what would encourage you guys to buy a Tesla? Currently the prices are like $150K++ for a base Model 3. Also, looking at google maps i think the previous occupant of this building was Tan Chong Motors (correct me if i'm wrong) - symbolic much? haha

source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/australia-google-will-shut-search-engine-forced-pay-media-14017802 SYDNEY: Google said on Friday (Jan 22) that it would block its search engine in Australia if the government proceeds with a new code that would force it and Facebook to pay media companies for the right to use their content. Google's threat escalates a battle with publishers such as News Corp that is being closely watched around the world. The search giant had warned that its 19 million Australian users would face degraded search and YouTube experiences if the new code were enforced. Australia is on course to pass laws that would make tech giants negotiate payments with local publishers and broadcasters for content included in search results or news feeds. If they can't strike a deal, a government-appointed arbitrator will decide the price. "The code's arbitration model with bias criteria presents unmanageable financial and operational risk for Google," Mel Silva, managing director for Australia and New Zealand, told a senate committee. "If this version of the code were to become law, it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia." Silva made no mention of YouTube in prepared remarks. Google's comments drew a sharp rebuke from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who said the country makes its rules for "things you can do in Australia". "People who want to work with that in Australia, you're very welcome. But we don't respond to threats," Morrison told reporters. Google has called the code overly broad, and said that without revisions, offering even a limited search tool would be too risky. The company does not disclose sales from Australia, but search ads are its biggest contributor to revenue and profit globally. The United States government this week asked Australia to scrap the proposed laws, which have broad political support, and suggested Australia should pursue a voluntary code instead. Australia announced the legislation last month after an investigation found Alphabet-owned Google and social media giant Facebook held too much market power in the media industry, a situation it said posed a potential threat to a well-functioning democracy. Google's threat to limit its services in Australia came just hours after the Internet giant reached a content-payment deal with some French news publishers as part of three-year, US$1.3-billion push to support publishers. Google's testimony "is part of a pattern of threatening behaviour that is chilling for anyone who values our democracy", said Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology.

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/driver-jailed-2-weeks-pointing-laser-beam-other-cars-blocking-his-way-kpe Please be considerate while driving Please report incident (like this), law abiding people shouldn't be bullied.

I starting this thread to consolidate all the fake news that is circulating on the internet. I was once a victim. hahah. I remember a few months ago there is a video circulating of collapsing ceiling in Jewel Changi Airport. Share on my facebook and kenna whack. I know there is a lot of MCF vigilantes around so if everyone can help abit if you guys came across any fake news. Fraudulent website using fake comments from SM Tharman to solicit Bitcoin investments: MAS Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fraudulent-website-using-fake-comments-sm-tharman-solicit-bitcoin-investments-mas SINGAPORE — A fraudulent website has been soliciting Bitcoin investments by using fabricated comments attributed to a senior minister, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) warned in an advisory on Tuesday (Dec 3). The website, attempting to pose as local news outlet The Straits Times, features comments falsely attributed to Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is also chairman of MAS. According to a screenshot of the website, the senior minister was falsely quoted as urging people to try a "cryptocurrency auto-trading program" called Bitcoin Circuit. The bogus article said the "new secret investment" was "making hundreds of people in Singapore very rich". "The information on the website is highly deceptive and misleading. The statements attributed to SM Tharman are completely false," the MAS advisory said. "The site asks for payments into a purported Bitcoin trading platform and tries to obtain credit card or bank account information from readers." MAS warned the public to exercise "extreme caution" and avoid providing any financial or personal information on the forms linked from the website. "Anyone who suspects that an investment could be fraudulent or misused for other unlawful activities should report such cases to the police," MAS said. There were similar cases earlier this year involving fabricated comments attributed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. CNA Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fraudulent-website-using-fake-comments-sm-tharman-solicit-bitcoin-investments-mas

Miw scared another donald saga appears on our shores. So if i post comments like, caught radx cross dressing, will i be prosecuted

More at BBC: Spandau Ballet, a radio quiz, one syllable - and a $10,000 riddle 😁

At https://www.businessinsider.sg/heart-stopping-video-shows-singapore-cyclist-rescuing-small-child-riding-scooter-on-busy-road-and-no-hes-not-the-father :

Anyone got insider news?

One website that really deserves to be banned is STR!! They are partly responsible for instilling fear amongst Singaporeans during DORSCON Orange asking Singaporeans to stock up at least 6 months worth of food and essentials in one of their Facebook posts. . The owner of the website Alex is now hiding in Australia.. . Is there no way the Government can shutdown the website? Singaporeans need to unite during this period. Hit back at the Pap during elections if you are unsatisfied with the government but this is the time to be united and not divided.. . Certainly don't need a website like STR to stir shit.... Some ppl jus wanna watch the world burn... https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/coronavirus-govt-invokes-fake-news-law-against-false-claims-by-states-times-review?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=STFB&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1581692638 SINGAPORE - The States Times Review (STR) Facebook page was on Friday (Feb 14) ordered under the fake news law to put up corrections alongside false statements it made about the coronavirus outbreak. This is the second order issued against STR under the Protection from Online Falsehood and Manipulation Act (Pofma) for bogus claims about the coronavirus crisis. STR had earlier falsely claimed that Singapore ran out of face masks. To date, the law has been used to deal with four cases of falsehoods related to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, known as Covid-19. On Friday, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong instructed the Pofma Office to issue corrections against "multiple false statements" in a post that STR put up the day before. The post, which was about the 30,000 Chinese work pass holders who have not returned to Singapore, was shared more than 300 times. Among the erroneous claims were that Singapore had not been able to trace the source of infection for any of the infected Covid-19 cases here. The Government described the claims made by STR as "entirely false", and rebutted them point by point in a statement on its fact-checking website, Factually. On the source of infections, the statement said the Ministry of Health (MOH) had in fact established through epidemiological investigations and contact tracing that 51 out of the 58 people infected with the virus either had travelled to China or come from there, or had links to previously announced cases. Contact tracing is under way for the remaining seven locally transmitted cases, to see if there are similar links or travel history to China. The STR had also said the Government is "the only one" telling people not to wear masks. This is not true, as the MOH's advice is in line with the World Health Organisation's guidance, and similar to advice given by health authorities in countries such as the United States and Australia, said the government statement. MOH's advice is that there is no need for people who are well to wear a mask, but those with respiratory symptoms should don one to minimise the risk of infecting others. STR made two other false claims about the daily $100 allowance for workers on a leave of absence, and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo's remarks about Chinese workers. Rebutting the claims, the Government said Chinese work pass holders placed on a mandatory 14-day leave of absence "do not receive the $100 daily support". Though the Leave of Absence Support Programme covers all workers, regardless of nationality, it is employers that receive the support, it added. These employers must have workers who travelled to China on or before Jan 31 this year, and who were placed on leave of absence after returning to Singapore on or after Jan 31. The Government also made clear that Mrs Teo never said she was working hard to bring more Chinese workers back to Singapore. On the contrary, the Manpower Ministry (MOM) has put in measures to slow down the return of affected work pass holders, like requiring employers to get prior approval before their workers can return, said the statement. It has also rejected more applications than it has approved. The STR had also said seven countries have since banned travel to Singapore due to lack of confidence in the measures taken so far to curb the spread of the virus. But as of 8pm on Thursday, there have been no such bans by any countries, said the Government. The STR Facebook page is run by Singaporean Alex Tan, who has received three Pofma orders so far since the laws against misinformation kicked in last October. He has not complied with any of the orders, and said he is now an Australian citizen. Besides issuing a correction order to Mr Tan, the Pofma Office also issued a Targeted Correction Direction to Facebook on Friday, requiring the social media company to put up the corrections on the STR post. The office had done the same in previous Pofma cases involving STR. The Government also advised people to get the latest updates on the Covid-19 situation from official sources such as the MOH website and Gov.sg WhatsApp service, and to report any suspected falsehoods to [email protected].

Loud explosions heard, thick smoke seen as fire breaks out in Jalan Buroh in Jurong SINGAPORE - Several loud explosions were heard as a fire broke out in Jurong on Friday (June 21). In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it had been alerted to a fire at 43 Jalan Buroh and that firefighting operations were ongoing. "SGSecure mobile app users of M1, StarHub and Singtel who are within the immediate vicinity of the fire incident would have received an advisory message urging them and members of public to stay away from the affected area," the post added. Reader Linda Cheng, 29, who lives in Boon Lay Avenue, told The Straits Times that she heard the loud explosions from her home around 5.20pm. She took several videos of the area from which the sounds were heard, which showed thick smoke coming from a building in the distance. There was also a strong burning smell in the area, she said. "We thought the loud explosions were thunder, until we saw the thick smoke," Ms Cheng said. Another eyewitness,who only wanted to be known as Mr Poh, told ST that he noticed the fire around 5pm. "I heard about 10 to 20 loud explosions," he said, adding that the explosions stopped after a while. "The fire looks to be under control, but there's still a lot of black smoke," he told ST at around 5.50pm. Mr Anthony Tai, who works in the logistics line, said he was at his home on Yuan Ching Road, about 4km away, when he heard multiple loud explosions shortly after 5pm. "I could see large, dark smoke from my window on the 10th floor," said the 63-year-old. A reader, who wanted to remain anonymous, took several videos of the fire from 47 Jalan Buroh, which is located across the road. There were people running out of the warehouse building when the fire started, he said. Photos circulating online showed the smoke could be seen from as far away as Jurong East, about 7km away.

On and off, we will come across news, photo or video footage of driver(s) performing stupid stunt / act with their ride(s). Let me start off with these 3 cases reported recently (overseas). Autonomous car from Ford? Not yet... Residents of Arlington, Virginia, were stunned to see an unmarked, gray Ford Transit van tooling around town without a human driver behind the wheel. According to ARLnow, the vehicle was spotted driving through the Courthouse and Clarendon neighborhoods with nary a soul in the driver’s seat. Some speculated the van was part of Virginia Tech’s recently approved autonomous driving tests... ... A few days later, NBC 4’s transportation reporter Adam Tuss spied the driverless van again at a stop sign. And when he approached, Tuss noticed the driver’s “seat” had two hands and legs sticking out from it. Tuss tried to get the costumed driver to talk, but they sped off, running a red light in the process. A Cage to Protect Your Rolls-Royce, Will it Work? A rich guy buys $645,000 (Australian dollars) Rolls-Royce a few weeks ago, and then decides the parking structure of the luxury apartment building just wasn’t secure enough to safeguard his Roller. The Rolls owner had a custom cage built surrounding his parking space to protect the Rolls-Royce, sort of like how you’d protect a $500,000 labradoodle. Unfortunately, that very cage, built with the sole purpose to protect the car, also proved to be what caused a good amount of damage to the car, since the owner soon found that navigating in and out of the cage was a challenge beyond his skills, and ended up driving into one of the cage’s support poles and walls, causing a surprising amount of damage to the car. The steering was damaged along with a good bit of bodywork on the side and rear, plus the loss of a marker light that probably costs more than most of the objects you and I interact with every day. Ouch... ... Lessons learnt: Cars aren’t meant to be kept in cages. Especially if you’re pretty shitty at parking as it is. Porsche Pay For Owners Sunglasses? Lawsuits and settlements are usually pretty straight forward but one involving Porsche is anything but normal. A class action lawsuit has resulted in the company being held responsible for compensating owners for sunglasses - yes, sunglasses. According to the settlement, customers who purchased or leased any Porsche model between 2007–2016 are eligible to make a claim. However, the vehicle must have been equipped with a Cognac, Luxor Beige, Natural Brown, Platinum Grey, or Sand Beige dashboard. If you're one of the handful of Porsche owners who fit that description, you could receive up to $175 in compensation. Affected owners can check out DashboardGlareClassAction.com for more information but claims for sunglasses need to be submitted by September 21st. Customers who made other modifications to reduce the glare coming off their dashboards will have until June 25th of next year to submit a claim. The whole issue sounds ridiculous but the original lawsuit claimed the glare was a safety issue. Porsche objected to this notion but eventually decided a lengthy court battle wasn't worth the effort. In case you were wonder, the lawyers for the plaintiffs will apparently receive $790,000 in attorneys’ fees and $50,000 for expenses. That should be more than enough to buy a few Porsches and their own pair of sunglasses. Penny wise, pound foolish??

Breaking news on Yahoo today... Thailand declares martial law this morning http://news.yahoo.com/thailands-army-declares-martial-law-224020589.html "Quote" BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's army declared martial law in a surprise announcement in Bangkok before dawn on Tuesday, intensifying the turbulent nation's deepening political crisis. It was not immediately clear whether a coup d'etat was underway. The move came after six months of anti-government demonstrations aimed at ousting the government and one day after the Southeast Asian country's caretaker prime minister refused to step down. The army said in a statement that it had taken the action to "keep peace and order" and soldiers entered several private television stations that are sympathetic to protesters. A ticker on Chanel 5, an army station, however, denied the military was taking over, saying "the invocation of martial law is not a coup." Thailand's army has staged at 11 successful coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. "Unquote"