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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/16/oxfam-wealth-inequality-davos/ The world could have its first trillionaire within 10 years if current inequality trends continue, antipoverty group Oxfam International said in a report published Monday, reflecting the increasing gap between the world’s wealthy and poor. The report, titled “Inequality Inc.,” was released the same day as the start of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Its authors say the world is living through a “decade of division,” pointing out that since 2019, the world’s five wealthiest people have almost doubled their wealth, while nearly 5 billion people have become poorer. Using data from Forbes, the report’s authors calculated that the combined wealth of those five men — Tesla CEO Elon Musk; Bernard Arnault and his family, who own luxury goods group LVMH; Amazon founder Jeff Bezos; Oracle founder Larry Ellison; and investor Warren Buffett — increased from $453 billion in 2019 to $869 billion as of November 2023. (Bezos owns The Washington Post.) In their methodology, the authors wrote that if that growth trajectory continues, Musk — the world’s richest person, according to Forbes — is projected to become a trillionaire in fewer than nine years, though they noted that the estimate is subject to uncertainty. “If each of the five wealthiest men were to spend a million dollars daily, they would take 476 years to exhaust their combined wealth,” Oxfam’s authors wrote. Representatives for these individuals could not immediately be reached late Monday. But, Oxfam said, for the world’s poorest people — who are more likely to be women and marginalized groups in every society — “daily life has become more brutal” since 2019. It pointed to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as “escalating conflict, the acceleration of the climate crisis and surging costs of living.” The report also said that globally, men own $105 trillion more than women — a difference in wealth equivalent to more than four times the size of the U.S. economy. Oxfam urged governments worldwide to adopt caps on CEO salaries, along with permanent taxes on wealth and excess profits.

Start with this Singapore will face South Korea in Seoul in their first match of the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. LIVE on Thursday 16 November 2023 from 6.50pm to 9pm

During her internship as an Educational Therapist, my daughter works with and supports ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) personnel through their education (her client ranged from 4 to 21 years old), and hearing her daily encounters, I personally find heightening of awareness towards autism is very much needed in Singapore. World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on April 2 every year, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/62/139), passed in council on 1 November 2007, and adopted on 18 December 2007. It was proposed by Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, the United Nations Representative from Qatar and consort to Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and supported by all member states. World Autism Day is one of the seven official health-specific UN Days. The day itself brings individual autism organizations together all around the world to aid in things like research, diagnoses, treatment, and acceptance for those with a developmental path affected by autism. The original resolution had four main components: the establishment of the second day of April as World Autism Awareness Day, beginning in 2008 invitation to Member States and other relevant organizations to the UN or the international societal system, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to create initiatives to raise public awareness of autism encourages Member States to raise awareness of autism on all levels in society asks the UN Secretary-General to deliver this message to member states and all other UN organizations The theme for 2022, determined by UN is "Inclusive Quality Education for All" An observance event will be held virtually on 8 April 2022, 10:00 - 11:15 a.m. EST (10:00 - 11:15 p.m. Singapore time), for participating members to share on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) – Quality Education. SDG 4 focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, as the foundation for improving people’s lives and reducing inequalities. The specific targets for SDG 4 refer to the need to ensure “equal access to all levels of education and vocational training” for persons with disabilities and building and upgrading education facilities that are disability sensitive and that provide “inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” In this respect, the SDGs echo the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article 24 of the Convention recognizes that persons with disabilities have the right to inclusive, quality education on an equal basis with others and that reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements should be provided. Inclusive education is the key to the transformative promise of the Sustainable Development Goals, to LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND.

I am always very fascinated by lion dance since I was a kid. This year, our neighboring country, MY won the grand championship. Must see how this lion come down from the poles at the end. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajPgtIthWw But I still prefer this lion. very lively esp how it kill the snake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J4GdqNdIuM

One of the nicest ch 8 drama in recent years. Richie Koh is really very good in his acting as a special needs child. Very realistic and not exaggerated Storyline also good. Recommend you all to watch

Has anyone ever been on a round the world trip? Been dreaming of one since 2004. As I get older I think to myself my life is half over.... I plan Singapore to Seoul by plane Seoul to China by ship China to Paris by train via transfer sobering and whatever rail there is Paris to new York by plane New York to West coast by land West coast to Japan by plane Japan to Singapore by plane Anyone ever had such dreams? Anyone ever travelled from Seoul to China by plane or china to Paris by train? As I get older I thinking to myself just yolo.

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/in-your-opinion-podcast-does-a-family-of-4-in-spore-really-need-6426-a-month-for-a-basic-standard-of-living-pt-1 In Your Opinion Podcast: Does a family of 4 in S'pore need $6,426 a month for basic living standard? Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, the first of two parts, she looks at whether a family of four in Singapore needs $6,426 a month for a basic standard of living. In the studio to explain the study and its methodology are Associate Professor Teo You Yenn of the School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University; and Dr Ng Kok Hoe, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Case Study Unit at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Highlights (click/tap above): 00:41: Is there a household budget that captures the lived realities of Singaporeans? What is the Minimum Income Standard? 04:55: Addressing criticisms of the study and its methodology 10:00 How is the Minimum Income Standard applied in the United Kingdom, and how does the UK decide what is a living wage? https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/thinking-aloud-6426-a-month-for-basic-standard-of-living-study-on-family-budgets-must-be Does a family of 4 really need $6,426 a month for a basic standard of living? It depends It is about what people feel they need to be socially accepted, not just what they can afford For a few years, money at home was tight. I did not go on overseas field trips or to the cinema, and made excuses to skip class gatherings at restaurants. Each missed activity meant one less shared experience and common talking point - and one step closer to feeling as if I did not belong. This is where the minimum income standard (MIS) approach, which relies on public consensus and not just expert opinion, comes in.

this one not expatriates or what. this one is general cost of living http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/the-most-expensive-city-in-the-world-is-singapore-worldwide-cost-of-living-2014-report?ref=facebook-869

Wow! Most Expensive now to Most Powerful Red Dot Passport Singapore passport becomes 'most powerful' in the world......CNA says one......... http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-passport-becomes-most-powerful-in-the-world-9341920 INGAPORE: For the first time, Singapore is the single most powerful passport in the world, thanks to a little help from Paraguay. By removing visa requirements for Singaporeans, Paraguay helped Singapore edge out Germany for the top spot in a passport index developed by global financial advisory firm Arton Capital. Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-passport-becomes-most-powerful-in-the-world-9341920

Thinking of bringing my baby girl to see fishes there tmr but got a few questions. 1. Where to park nearest? Is there a central car park for all attractions? 2. Would it be crowded since its CNY and most ppl away for holidays? Thanks

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So 2020 has been awfully eventful so far! Five months in and already, 2020 is proving to be life changing. Here's a recap of what's happened so far. Carrying on from end of 2019 to 2020, Dec 31, 2019: A cluster of severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China is reported to the World Health Organization. Doctors do not yet know its cause. Truth be told, before 2020, I've never heard of Wuhan. Jan 2: Third state of emergency in New South Wales, Australia as bushfires threatened the country. Donations all over the world poured in. We saw devastating images of thousands of animals dying or already dead. We read about the Koalas pushed to the brink of extinction by drought and bush fires. More species and subspecies would be endangered and even extinct. What could possibly be worse to the start of the year? Fire Tornadoes! Bushfires, ash rain, dust storms and flash floods: two weeks in apocalyptic Australia. Was this a warning sign from earth to clean up our acts if not the world will heal itself? #prayforaustralia was going around. Mother nature sure is angry. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. . . . . Meanwhile in Singapore, MOH says it will screen all inbound travellers from Wuhan, China, from the evening of Jan 3. There are no cases in Singapore. Jan 3: US kills Iran general Qassem Suleimani in drone strike ordered by Trump. Iran vows vengeance. . . . Somewhere else in the world, trouble was brewing. Jan 3: @Carbon82 started a new thread on a novel Coronavirus with SARS link from Wuhan. Not much interest generated. Jan 7: WHO notified of the novel coronavirus, then known as 2019-nCoV, in China *"Soft launch" of COVID-19 ahem. But the world was too occupied with the impending WWIII, or so we thought. Jan 8: Iran launches ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq, injuring American soldiers. At the same time.... . . . Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight crashed shortly after taking off from Iranian capital Tehran, killing all 176 passengers and crew members on board. It came in the midst of escalating tensions between US and Iran. Conspiracy theories started flying around. Was it a mistake, was it an attack, was it related to Jan 3? Also Jan 8: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they are stepping down from their duties as royals in Buckingham Palace. You can always count on the Royal family for some commercial break. Jan 10: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says Iranian missle brought down the airliner. *Cue World War 3* The only time I came close to being a part of any World War was playing Command & Conquer: Red Alert when I was younger. Jan 11: China records its first coronavirus death, 11 days after WHO learned of the virus outbreak. Jan 16: The impeachment trial for Donald Trump begins - on his abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Jan 20: MOH announces it will expand temperature screening to all travellers coming in from China from Jan 22, in light of the Chinese New Year holidays and expected influx of Chinese travellers. Jan 22: A multi-ministry task force, chaired by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, is formed. Jan 23: FIRST CONFIRMED CASE IN SINGAPORE A 66-year-old Chinese national from Wuhan arrived in Singapore on Jan 20. He is warded at the Singapore General Hospital and tests positive for the yet unnamed novel coronavirus. Contact tracing begins. Temperature screening is implemented at all sea and land checkpoints, it is announced. . . Wuhan, China goes under an unprecedented lockdown, impacting 11 million residents, on the eve of the Great Migration. Chinese New Year is cancelled for the factory of the world. Transportation in and out of the city was shut down. The live animal and seafood market in China was placed under international spotlight of being a possible point of origin for the virus outbreak. The hunt for patient zero is still ongoing with suggestions indicating the outbreak may not have started from the seafood market. Wuhan experienced food shortages and hospitals saw an overwhelming number of patients. Foreigners visiting the city were evacuated and repatriated to their countries. It was Chinese New Year at this point in Singapore (24th Jan) and I spent the four days of holiday reading and watching up on reports of Wuhan hospitals being overwhelmed and thousands of people falling sick. In Singapore, people celebrated Chinese New Year as per normal, except me. Four days of staying home alone eating pizza watching Netflix and reading up on this "Wuhan virus". Jan 26: Kobe and Gianna, along with seven other passengers, died in a helicopter crash in California. The death of Kobe Bryant halted all coronavirus news for almost two days as the entire world mourned for him and his daughter Gianna. Jan 31: The United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union. The move was met with mixed reactions as celebrations and protects sparked across the country. Feb 5: In 2020, we learnt that cruise ships are breeding grounds for the coronavirus. The Diamond Princess Cruise was the first cruise ship to have a major outbreak of the virus. Over 700 people became infected, with 14 people dead. As of May 2nd, over 40 cruise ships have had confirmed cases on board. Feb 7: DORSCON ORANGE IN SINGAPORE!!! 33 CASES IN SINGAPORE. Shit hits home real hard, that is the reason why you need to panic buy toilet paper. . . . . Dr Li Wenliang, a doctor from the Wuhan Central Hospital. Dubbed a whistle blower was one of the first who tried to warn and share information about the novel coronavirus to fellow colleagues. He was reprimanded by the police. He died on February 7. Feb 11: The novel Coronavirus finally gets its name, COVID-19. The name is a shortened version of coronavirus disease 2019. The virus itself is called 2019-nCoV. Before this it was referred to as the Wuhan virus. Feb 21: 0 new confirmed case in Singapore. During this period we were being hailed as the 'Gold Standard' and litmus test for coronavirus containment. If Singapore can't do it, no one else can, they say. Feb 24: Dr Mahathir quits as Prime Minister. Mahathir resigns but is asked to stay as Interim Prime Minister. His resignation and appointment was accepted by the King all in a day's work. Political drama and confusion in the midst of a pandemic? March 1: Muhyddin Yassin is sworn in as Malaysia's 8th Prime Minister. Don't know much about Malaysia's politics but one thing I do know is that if Mahathir is still in power, Malaysia would probably still be in verbal war with Singapore even in this crisis, likely gloating about our current predicament "I told you so hehe". March 11: Italy becomes the first country to implement a nationwide lockdown as the outbreak surged in Italy, making them the second-worst hit country by the virus after China. Several countries began to follow suit. . . . WHO declares the coronavirus a pandemic. I think at this point most people regarded Who's advisory and announcement as, "As good as not saying anything." By this point the virus had already spread to more than 100 countries around the world, with more than 120,000 people infected and over 4,300 dead. Mar 5: Everything went downhill for Singapore from this point onwards, starting with the SAFRA Jurong cluster. Mar 6: Double figure spike in Singapore. At this point, we're seeing a total of 130 cases. Mar 13: USA declares national emergency. In most Hollywood movies, USA is depicted as saving the world but don't be expecting that anytime soon. New York is always the target for most catastrophes in movies, well guess what, Corona didn't miss that out. In 2020, we also learnt that it's hollywood for a good reason. Leadership matters. Mar 15: Acceleration time. Figures shoot up to 226, doubling within a week. Gold standard no more? From this point on, cases spiked further from imported cases - Singapore residents and students return from abroad. Welcome home, for better and for worse, for the good and the bad times. Mar 16: US stocks took a major plunge amid mounting fears surrounding the coronavirus. The Dow fell a sharp 2,997 points, the biggest drop since 1987. Mar 18: Malaysia's MCO, causing another panic both in Malaysia and Singapore. Supply chain disruption has never been so threatened before. The stakes are high now. Malaysia is our closest neighbor after-all. We share close ties, much closer than we initially thought. An eerie calm. On hindsight, was this a loophole when we allowed Malaysians to rush in to Singapore and possibly bringing the virus in before MCO kicked in? Nothing much we could do then but to hold our breath for the next two weeks for a possible surge in virus cases. Mar 20: Imported cases continued to spike. Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel abroad. Mar 21: Singapore announces our first two death from the coronavirus. Mar 22: Singapore closes borders to short term visitors. All short-term pass holders are barred from entering or transiting in Singapore. March 24: The 2020 Olympics delayed until 2021. It was originally set to take place at the end of July in Tokyo, Japan. . . . Returning Singapore residents who have travelled to the United Kingdom and United States will be taken from the airport to hotels to serve out their 14-day stay-home notice. Mar 31: Singapore's Imported cases start to drop, but local transmission cases rise. There are now 926 COVID-19 cases in Singapore, and another cluster in a dormitory is discovered. April 2: COVID-19 cases surpass one million globally after just a little over three months since the first case was reported back in China. Apr 3: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces a “circuit breaker” will run from Apr 7 to May 4. Only essential services can continue to keep their premises open, and all schools will close and students shift to home-based learning. Masks should be used when people leave the house for essential needs, but Singaporeans are urged to stay at home as much as possible. . . . Cue PANIC BUY part 3. Apr 5: 120 new cases are announced in Singapore – the biggest spike yet. Apr 7: CIRCUIT BREAKER COMMENCES - What does this means? Full home based learning for schools. 80% of Singapore's workforce to work from home or shut. Only essential services will continue to operate. . . . Ironically, the city-wide lockdown in Wuhan is lifted after 76 days. Traffic will be allowed in and out of the city. Apr 9: The biggest spike yet in Singapore, with 287 cases. Of these, 217 are linked to known clusters, with those linked to the dormitories continuing to grow. All Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders will have to serve a 14-day self isolation at dedicated Stay Home Notice facilities. . . . The state of New York alone has the highest number of coronavirus cases than any country in the world, with more than 160,000 people infected. More than 7,000 people have been killed by the virus. Apr 13: Singapore reports 386 infections with the vast majority linked to dormitories. Apr 15: Singapore reports 447 new cases, with 404 linked to foreign worker dormitories. Apr 16: The record numbers continue to grow, with 728 new cases reported. Apr 18: A record 942 new COVID-19 cases are reported, with the "vast majority" being work permit holders living in foreign worker dormitories. April 20: 1,426 new coronavirus cases in S'pore in new daily high. This is the highest recorded so far to date. Is the peak over in Singapore? We certainly hope so. Apr 28: Crisis in the North Peninsula?! Where is Kim Jong Un? Kim Jong Un was last seen on Apr 11. Reports of the North Korean leader to be in grave health following an emergency heart surgery sent international media into a frenzy. There were unverified reports of his death citing "reliable sources". Unimaginable. What happens to North Korea if he dies? Who is going to be his successor? His sister? Apr 30: Singapore Airlines is in the red. PM Lee announced that Gov is determined to see SIA through this COVID-19 crisis. In general I think most Singaporeans will agree SIA is the gem and pride of Singapore, as much as Changi Airport is. May 2: Kim Jong Un appears in public. What's next? May 15: USA to China: I don't want to friend you anymore (Trump says doesn’t want to talk to Xi right now, could even cut China ties) . . . . The total number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore stands at 26,891 as of 15th May. We are not out of the woods yet (a phrase so loosely used in 2020). In fact, we're not even halfway there. . . . . Well when I started this thread, it was meant to be a summary and timeline of events in 2020 so far. Didn't expect it to be this long and so much about COVID-19 but I guess it's just the inevitable. I know how it's like scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed and all you read are news on the COVID-19 and people dying. Coronavirus news fatigue and compassion fatigue is real and may very well be setting in. All these news leaves people feeling depressed, people feel powerless that they cannot influence change in the country, in the world. People become increasingly immune in bad things happening around us and in the world. The public distrust in news media starts to grow - inaccuracy, fear mongering, conspiracy theories starts to take over. So is there a correlation between over-consumption of news and general anxiety? I would certainly think so. However, as much as news fatigue and anxiety is setting in, it is more important than ever for our journalist and news media to continue the COVID-19 coverage. Hope I didn't miss or mess up any milestone. Wishing for World Peace used to be a Miss Universe Q&A textbook answer but right now that's all I want. What's your prediction for 2H? What else can possibly happen in 2020?

36 Eerie Photos Of Empty Places Around The World During Social Distancing Cities across the globe look nearly empty as citizens practice self-quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic. source: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/eerie-photos-of-empty-places-around-the-world_uk_5e9e9aeec5b63c5b5873eb22 Governments around the globe have established strict stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving some of the most widely photographed spots on Earth more or less empty. While it’s jarring to witness, say, Hollywood’s Walk of Fame or Mecca’s Grand Mosque nearly empty, it’s also impressive; seeing these locations virtually deserted is proof that we’re all making an honest attempt to flatten the curve by staying home. Below are 36 photos of places across the world that are nearly empty due to our social distancing efforts. Beijing A woman wears a protective mask as she takes a photo on a nearly empty section of the Great Wall on March 27, 2020, near Badaling in Beijing, China. New York City An empty 7th Avenue in Times Square on April 19, 2020, in New York City. London Abbey Road zebra crossing on April 16, 2020, in London. Cairo A picture on April 18, 2020, shows the Great Pyramids lit in blue with the message "Stay Home" outside the Egyptian capital of Cairo. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia An empty staircase leading to the Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 30, 2020. Llandudno, Wales Mountain goats roam the streets of Llandudno, Wales, on March 31, 2020. The goats normally live on the rocky Great Orme but are occasional visitors to the seaside town; a local councillor told the BBC that the herd was drawn by the lack of people due to social distancing. Los Angeles The dinosaur atop the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium wears a mask to encourage people to take safety measures as coronavirus infections spread on April 19, 2020. Mecca, Saudi Arabia An aerial view shows an empty white-tiled area surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 6, 2020. Pattaya, Thailand The empty Legend Siam theme park in Pattaya on March 8, 2020. The park, which attracts up to 20,000 mainly Chinese customers a day in the high season, is temporarily closed. Vatican City A view of empty chairs at St. Peter's Square before the live broadcast of Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus prayer on March 8, 2020, in Vatican City, Vatican. Sydney A before-and-after composite image shows Bondi Beach with a large gathering of beachgoers on March 20, 2020 (top) and again on March 22, 2020, after the beach was closed to the public. Tunis, Tunisia Cats on a nearly empty street in the Medina neighborhood of Tunis, Tunisia. Rome A view of the Colosseum in the evening in Rome. Moscow A pigeon sits in the Iberian Gate in a deserted Red Square on April 2, 2020. Bangkok A view of empty streets, shuttered bars, and closed restaurants on Khaosan Road on April 15, 2020 in Bangkok. April 13-15 marks Songkran, Thailand's Buddhist new year celebration, when Thai people typically travel to the provinces to be with family or take part in large-scale water fights and parties throughout Bangkok. Ballachulish, Scotland Empty chairlifts at the Glencoe Ski Centre in Ballachulish, Scotland. Jerusalem A man prays at the nearly empty Western Wall in the old city on April 6, 2020, in Jerusalem. Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Empty sunbeds at Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai on March 12, 2020. Paris The Arc de Triomphe is almost deserted during lockdown on April 12, 2020. Belo Horizonte, Brazil Aerial view of Guanabara Park during the coronavirus outbreak in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on April 5, 2020. Washington, D.C. An empty Vietnam Veterans Memorial on April 14, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Anaheim, California A lock hangs on the center gate between the turnstiles at the entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on March 16, 2020. Tehran, Iran A photo on March 20, 2020, shows an empty street in Tehran, Iran. Washington, D.C. The empty Metro Center station on April 15, 2020, in Washington, D.C. New Delhi A closed Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) as India remains under lockdown on April 20, 2020, in New Delhi. London Looking east along Oxford Street from Marble Arch on April 16, 2020, in London. Los Angeles Contrasting images of morning rush hour on the 110 freeway a week before stay-at-home orders were issued in Los Angeles, and a photo of the freeway after the orders went into effect. Mexico City A view of the almost-empty parking lot of a closed shopping center in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City on April 4, 2020. Venice, Italy Parked gondolas in a strangely desolate and silent Venice, Italy, on April 19, 2020. Baltimore A lone passenger sleeps in an otherwise empty Amtrak car as the train pulls into Penn Station on April 9, 2020, in Baltimore. New York City A view inside Grand Central Terminal during the coronavirus pandemic on April 19, 2020 in New York City. Venice Beach, California Venice Skate Park, partially filled with sand to deter people from skating there, on April 17, 2020. Washington, D.C. A March 31, 2020 photo shows a vacant metro station during rush hour in Washington D.C. Normandy, France The center of Etretat, Normandy, on April 20, 2020, on the 35th day of a strict lockdown in France. Istanbul Roads and squares are empty in the Eminonu District of Istanbul on April 19, 2020. Tokyo An empty street with no lights on in Tokyo's Shinjuku neighborhood on April 19.

CNA report : Changi Airport named world's best by Business Traveller readers Posted: 18 September 2012 1229 hrs SINGAPORE: Changi Airport has been named the world's best by readers of a leading travel publication. It is the airport's 25th consecutive win. Launched in 1984, the Business Traveller awards are an annual celebration of travel companies that have made a difference to the lives of travellers from the United Kingdom and Europe. The results are determined by votes from readers and audited by an independent company. Other winners this year include Singapore Airlines and The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. Mr Julian Gregory, managing director of Panacea Publishing, which publishes the Business Traveller, said continued investment, innovation and consistency of service have created an environment with a sense of calm efficiency. He described Changi Airport as a "place where our readers can work or relax without the stresses and distractions that impact travellers so much today". The award was accepted by Mr Lee Seow Hiang, chief executive officer of Changi Airport Group, at a ceremony in London on Monday. "What we did was to focus on the passengers we served and through the years, invested to develop an offering that resonates with the needs of our passengers and visitors. To stay ahead, we introduced practical and innovative facilities, and infused the Changi Service DNA - personalised, stress-free and positively surprising - in the overall airport experience. This philosophy of providing a first-class Changi Experience will continue to be the backbone of our success," said Mr Lee. The facilities at the airport, which opened in 1981, included themed gardens, movie theatres, rooftop swimming pool, gym and spa and hundreds of shopping and dining options. The world's most-awarded airport, Changi has received 18 accolades since the beginning of the year. This brings to 410 the total number of awards it has won in its history. - CNA/cc Fully agree, after the major renovations in the past 3 years, the results and feeling when landed in Changi Airport after passing through the Immigration was But the stupid AETOS or CISCO officers on duty at the exit after claiming baggages should be Our baggages had been cleared through the highly sophisticated X-ray machines installed at the baggage handling centre and they still pick at random to screen through their X-ray machine placed near the exit. Have to unload all the bags again and wasting of time waiting to be screened again. At times, the queue is very long and slow process.

Nearly a decade after Goal 2010, the ambitious plan to qualify Singapore's national football team for the Fifa World Cup, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is reviving its hopes of competing in the world's biggest football tournament in 2034. Speaking exclusively to The Straits Times on Saturday, FAS vice-president Edwin Tong said that it was a "realistic" goal for the Lions to achieve in 15 years' time. "We've always wanted to be somewhere on the world stage, so we need to start," said Mr Tong, the Senior Minister of State for Health and Law. "2034 is 15 years away...so you're looking at boys today who are maybe eight, nine to 14, 15 and if you can cultivate the programme that has that endgame in mind, it will do us a lot of good." The FAS' goal for the Lions to play in the 2034 World Cup will inevitably draw comparisons with Goal 2010, which flopped over a decade after it was first mooted in 1998. Sceptics will also point to Singapore football's slump in recent years, which saw the Lions' Fifa ranking dipping to an all-time low of 173 in October 2017 after a winless run of over 11 months. Singapore are currently ranked 162nd. But Mr Tong remains unfazed, saying: "If we're worried about trying to set up a goal and failing, we'll never get there. So we have to be realistic about our prospects; we're not aiming for the next 10 years, but set ourselves a 15-year horizon." He also pointed to the expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup and beyond, which will see the number of Asian places increased by the current 41/2 to eight. He added: "There are a bit more opportunities...The obvious powerhouses, Korea, Japan, Australia, maybe some of the Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the next tier you have Uzbekistan, Central Asians, and of course South-east Asians." "We can look at that as a goal. So it's not unrealistic, but it's also not easy," added Mr Tong, who was speaking at the unveiling of Singapore's first "Friendly Street" at Jalan Bintang Tiga by the Singapore Kindness Movement. Goal 2034 would be used to "focus and shape everything" that the FAS and its stakeholders do and he stressed that grassroots football, youth development, infrastructure and schools would be key to achieving success in 15 years' time. The FAS is currently engaging its stakeholders and refining its proposal, he added. In November 2017, the FAS unveiled its three-point plan for youth development aimed at widening the base of players, improving the quality of coaches and increasing opportunities for youth to play football. The national sports association said then that it hoped to reap the benefits in five to 10 years' time and that the ultimate aim was to develop talented young players to compete in a professional league and eventually the national team. However, Mr Tong said on Saturday that this was "not enough". He added: "We need to have key pillars, we start with grassroots and schools, we must align the way in which kids play football in schools and then we must have the support of facilities for training and matches. "Inevitably we have to work out what to do with National Service (NS), how we can align NS, which is important, with the needs of football." He suggested a "relook" into former club models such as the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Associations (Safsa) and Home United, which allowed full-time National Servicemen to train and play competitive matches. While qualifying Singapore for the 2034 World Cup may seem like a lofty goal, Mr Tong said it would "mean a lot to Singaporeans and sports fans" to see the Lions on the world's biggest football stage. He added: "It will give the country a lift and it is a goal that we want to be realistic about. It's not easy, but if you don't try, you'll never get anywhere. So we set ourselves a target, we try to lift everyone and push everyone behind it."

Hi guys, Anyone went on Leisure World before? The 'gambling' cruise? Got a question I would like to ask... is it easy for old folks to board Leisure World from the small ferry? Need to cross bridge or walk up the gangway by the side of the cruise? Scary or not ah?

Long distance relationships these days have been made more convenient thanks to air travel For one Kuala Lumpur native however, choosing to abandon flying favour of an even longer journey that involved driving across the globe to Europe in the name of love is the way to go. Engku Mohammad Hadri Engku Hassan began his journey on Monday, to drive across 25 countries including China, Mongolia, Latvia, Russia before reaching Germany where his fiancée is from. Hadri arrived on the Thai border earlier this morning, updating followers via Instagram that his journey so far has been smooth sailing. Malaysian man travels more than 25,000km by car to Germany to marry the love of his life Malay Mail Melanie Chalil Malay Mail21 August 2019 Hadri’s three-month journey on the road will include travelling across 25 countries. — Hadri’s three-month journey on the road will include travelling across 25 countries. Long distance relationships these days have been made more convenient thanks to air travel. For one Kuala Lumpur native however, choosing to abandon flying favour of an even longer journey that involved driving across the globe to Europe in the name of love is the way to go. Engku Mohammad Hadri Engku Hassan began his journey on Monday, to drive across 25 countries including China, Mongolia, Latvia, Russia before reaching Germany where his fiancée is from. Hadri arrived on the Thai border earlier this morning, updating followers via Instagram that his journey so far has been smooth sailing. Hadri’s friend and fellow car enthusiast Lim Wai Hong, wrote on his motoring Facebook page Hayashi86.com that the 34-year-old met his future wife in Germany back in 2007. The two were acquainted prior to that via the Internet and that the language barrier was never an issue. Two years later, Hadri flew back to Germany to see her and confessed his love for her with a stalk of rose and a letter. They have been together ever since and Hadri popped the question a few years later. “He wants to show his fiancée he is doing this for her and it’s how much he’s willing to sacrifice — it’s a beautiful story,” Lim told Malay Mail when contacted. On behalf of his friend, Lim added that Hadri’s father helped his son to plan the driving routes and calculate the petrol consumption and mileage required to complete the journey. The trip, christened The Retro Havoc Motorsport World Tour will also be promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VM2020) at each destination during the expedition’s 98-day journey. can follow his instagram here https://www.instagram.com/ae86worldtour/

What is your view? After the other guy's (you know who) bold prediction failed miserably!

suchow again? https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2019/08/14/modis-govt-withdraws-request-to-world-bank-to-support-temasek-led-amaravati-capital-project/ According to a Reuters’ report last month (Jul 2019), the World Bank announced that it had withdrawn US$300 million of funding for the new capital in Andhra Pradesh, after the Indian central government dropped support for the project. In a statement, World Bank said, “On July 15 the Government of India (GoI) withdrew its request to the World Bank for financing the proposed Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project. The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has been informed that the proposed project is no longer under preparation following the government’s decision.” The World Bank website had also showed the status of Amaravati Project as “dropped”. The total project cost was US$715 million and the state government in 2016 had sought funding from the World Bank. However, it had committed US$300 million. But now, even this US$300 million has been withdrawn, thanks to the request from Modi’s central government. “For a change, good sense has prevailed upon the bank to withdraw from the disastrous programme,” Sreedhar R., the director of the Environics Trust, one of the activist groups that has been critical of the project, said in a statement. The project is a joint development between the Singapore Consortium led by Temasek-linked Ascendas-Singbridge and Sembcorp Development, and Amaravati Development Corporation Limited, a company set up by the former Naidu’s state government. Indian PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the project in 2015. http://projects.worldbank.org/P159808?lang=en Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project OVERVIEW DETAILS FINANCIALS PROCUREMENT RATINGS RESULTS MAP DOCUMENTS NEWS & MEDIA PROJECT AT-A-GLANCE Project ID P159808 Country India Region South Asia Status Dropped Approval Date (as of board presentation) N/A Closing Date N/A Total Project Cost** US$ 715.00 million Commitment Amount US$ 300.00 million Team Leader Raghu Kesavan, Jon Kher Kaw View More » LATEST PROJECT DOCUMENTS Project Information Document-Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet - Amaravati Sustainable Infrastructure and Institutional Development Project - P159808 (English) January 21, 2019 India - Amaravati Sustainable Capital City Development Project : Environmental and Social Assessment - Executive Summary (English) August 1, 2018 India - Amaravati Sustainable Capital City Development Project : Environmental Assessment (Vol. 2) : Environmental Impact Assessment : Environment Management Plan Report for Flood Mitigation Works (English) August 1, 2018 View All Documents » * The project abstract is drawn from the PAD, SAR or PGD and may not accurately reflect the project's current nature ** Total project cost includes funding from World Bank and non-bank sources in US$ millions. Active and Closed projects show commitment at Board approval. It does not reflect any cancellations. Proposed (pipeline) and dropped projects show the forecast amount. The commitment amount for projects in the pipeline is indicative and may be modified during the project preparation.

I have always been fascinated with amazing feats. This thread will be dedicated to all those world record holders. What better way to kick off than to have something related to cars - The world's tightest parallel parking. Attained by a Chinese in Nov 2014 This record is currently challenged by a Brit. Guinness is currently verifying his attempt on 13 Jan 2015. Enjoy More to come

Come come, make a wild guess, how cheap can a functioning Ferrari be? ... It is a real deal, not some fake stuff ... Not the zhnged type or wanna be too ... Now, sit tight, the answer might make you fall off from your chair ... You Could Buy This Ferrari 599 GTB For Just US$250 (~S$340) In China This is a Ferrari 599 GTB which could sell for as little as $250. No, your eyes are not deceiving you. This particular Ferrari is currently in the possession of police in Dongguan, China after it was involved in an accident. It is claimed that the Italian supercar was uninsured and unregistered when police got their hands on it. This means it cannot be registered or driven anywhere in China and is being sold as scrap metal. “There is no information about this vehicle at the Vehicle Management Office, so it’s non-transferable and can’t be driven,” a spokeswoman from the Dongguan Third People’s Court said to The Sun. “That’s why it’s so cheap—we viewed it as scrap metal, and its scrap evaluation came to $347 (2,430 RMB). We then offered a 30 percent discount on that for our auction.” Images provided of the car show it covered in a thick layer of dust but the engine is said to be in working order. With a thorough exterior and interior detail, the 599 could look as good as new. No mention has been made about the vehicle’s mileage but let’s be honest, the mileage doesn’t matter. This is a Ferrari which will have a starting bid of just $250 when the auction commences in the coming days. Even if it’s the highest-mileage 599 on earth, it’s still the bargain of the century. It’s unclear if the car can be exported out of China and registered for road use elsewhere or if it must stay on Chinese shores. If it can’t leave the country, there’s still a lot of money to be made from the car. For example, the winning bidder could strip it down and sell it for parts. 拍卖一辆法拉利599，起拍价仅1701元，车友：按斤卖？ 在人们的印象当中，一辆法拉利的价格少则几百万，多则上千万，就算是二手的法拉利也是普通人买不起的。但是最近有一位车友就看到有人拍卖法拉利599，心里正想着即使拍卖的话价格也不低，但令人没想到的是，起拍价仅1701元。为什么会这么便宜呢？ 如果是买新车的话，法拉利599 GTB的价格大概在500万左右，而现在的起拍价只要1000多元，所以很多车友就很疑惑，难道是按斤卖吗？于是我们又算了一笔账，这一台车子的重量大概在1.6吨左右，如果是按照废铁的价格来算的话，简直是比卖废铁还要便宜。 后来我们才知道，原来这款车之所以价格会这么低，就是因为它没有任何的登记和购买手续，就连车牌也是伪造的，所以没有办法过户，只能按照零部件来拍卖。如果有人买的话，顶多是将它买回去拆成零件卖。 东莞一辆法拉利599被拍卖，起拍价1701元，5毛一斤还不如可乐瓶贵 但是就在前段时间，在阿里拍卖的网站上爆出了一款法拉利599拍卖新闻，看到拍卖价格所有人都不淡定了，印象中的法拉利都是几百万的价格，但是这款法拉利的网上拍卖价格竟然仅仅为1701元人民币，原定拍卖时间为6月20号上午10点开始，但是此车放在网络上仅仅一天的时间，就有四万多人围观，并且还有377人交了340元保证金，3164人设置提醒，加价幅度为30元，拍卖车辆所在地为东莞市横沥镇村头昌浩停车场内，说实话，这有可能是法拉利拍卖史上最便宜的一次，无疑是对这款豪车的侮辱。 东莞一辆法拉利599被拍卖，起拍价1701元，5毛一斤还不如可乐瓶贵。得知此消息后，很多网友都纷纷表示，这可能是这辈子距离法拉利最近的一次了，很多人都准备了3000大洋跃跃欲试，但是近日得知消息，当时这款车是因为特殊原因被东莞市第三法院查封，特此放在司法拍卖网进行拍卖，但后期因为当事人达成了执行和解协议，所以无需拍卖财产了，阿里拍卖便撤销了这次网络拍卖，因此，很多网友的法拉利梦便因此破碎了。 当年此车进入中国，亮相北京车展的时候，有多少人挤破了头颅就为了看它一眼，能买得起的人却屈指可数，在99%的人眼中，这是典型的别人家的车子，无奈，如今时过境迁，这款车落到了1701元就被拍卖的下场，不免让人唏嘘不已，曾经的王者就此落寞。要知道此车重达1.5吨多，按照重量来算，这个车子的均价在0.5元/斤，还不如可乐瓶贵呢，而且这次拍卖也因为各种证件不齐全，不能过户，当作零件拍卖。

According to a recent poll conducted by Soegeng Sarjadi Syndicate, who specialize in surveys about Indonesian political moods - an overwhelming majority - some 80.7 percent of the country, believe that Indonesia can become the next

me and wife after spending 5 happy holidays in taichung and da xi, ready to return to Singapore on evening 8.10pm flight with jetstar. however, I am now sitting at Taipei taoyuan airport now...... the story was I booked the return flight on 20 Jan instead of 21 Jan!! and I booked it 6 months ago, with hotels and itinerary planned for full 5 days. Yet I never thought of checking the ticket for past 6 months.... I have been a sotong in many occasions, booked movie ticket on wrong day (went to cinema then realised it was for next day), wrong cinema (went to plaza sing then have to rush to yishun!), purchased voucher online and expired before I realise, etc. but this will be in the record as the bestest screw up , I just wonder if my wife would divorce me when we return home

Anyone went? Saw the carbuyer article. The Z4 looks like a Kia!

Yahoo reported: World's most haunted hotels Home to the paranormal and unexplained, haunted hotels never fail to fascinate even the biggest sceptics.These ghostly tales from hotels around the world are enough to send shivers down the spine of even the bravest soul. First World Hotel (Genting Highlands, Malaysia) No stranger to the locals, Genting Highlands is said to be one of the most haunted places in Malaysia. Also home to the famous casino resort, there has been numerous gambling-related suicides over the years. First World Hotel is infamous for its paranormal activities - guests who have stayed there would hear wailing spirits in the middle of the night, some have even seen ghostly apparitions jumping over the cliff only to vanish into thin air - the most famous account is a headless woman roaming around the corridor, apparently looking for her missing head. Asia Hotel (Bangkok, Thailand) With dimly lit corridors and lights that flicker in the middle of the night, many hotel guests have encountered ghostly apparitions sitting on a sofa, staring at them and then vanish into thin air. The Roosevelt Hotel (Los Angeles, US) The living A-lists haunt the Chateau Marmont, while for the celebs of the underworld, like Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift, chose The Roosevelt as their favourite joint. Wahhhhhh........ MY First World Hotel made it into top 13 most haunted hotels in the world.... Those who still want to meet Marilyn Monroe can proceed to The Roosevel Hotel .. The rest of the 10 haunted hotels are found in the link below. link : http://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/world-s-mo...1347265645.html