Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Rise in number of beggars: The number of beggars and vagrants rounded up by the authorities rose sharply in the first six months of this year, with many being foreigners.
-Singapore opposition head Jeyaretnam dies: Joshua B. Jeyaretnam, Singapore's best known and most dogged opposition leader who fought a lone battle against the powerful ruling establishment despite being driven to bankruptcy, died at a local hospital of heart failure.
-Bills to go up 21%: Electricity bills will go up about 21 per cent tomorrow, the highest one-time increase in about seven years, according to the Energy Market Authority (EMA).
-National Heritage Board to Spend $8 Million on Art Projects: The National Heritage Board of Singapore plans to spend $8 million (U.S. $5.6 million) over the next five years to help fund commercial cultural projects in the city-state.
-Singapore GP can be improved: After the dust settles and looking back at the first ever night race, could things have been better? Or should the organizers sit back and rest on their laurels?
-Most travellers not extending stay after F1: A dramatic Formula 1 night race yesterday capped Singapore's praiseworthy hosting of the Grand Prix. But the Republic doesn't seem quite as successful in getting visitors to extend their stay beyond the weekend.
-Singapore hopes F1 will rev up economy: The first ever F1 night race disrupted traffic and will cost taxpayers millions of dollars but Singapore hopes the F1 glitz will give businesses a much-needed boost and help the city state promote itself as more than a staid financial centre.
-Nightlife industry benefited most during F1 weekend: Nightspots in the city benefited the most from the F1 weekend, with customer numbers boosted by some 40,000 tourists in Singapore for the race.
-Gradual reopening of roads around F1 circuit: There were still reports of slight traffic jams around the Beach Road and Suntec City area during Monday morning's rush hour.
-Radical structural separation in Singapore: Singapore is proceeding with what some have called "the most radical structural separation of fixed telecoms in the world" after awarding its National Broadband Network passive network contract to the OpenNet consortium.
-Flats in great demand: The 50-storey Pinnacle@Duxton in Tanjong Pagar has attracted 1,467 applications for the 428 four- and five-roomers on offer - that is about 3.5 hopefuls for each unit.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The setting is spectacular, the lighting system is working fine (it was blazing away throughout the day yesterday) and, even if it rains, Formula One drivers are no longer concerned about their safety as they take their leap into the dark.

Singapore has thrown itself headlong into Formula One with a twisty and, at times, very narrow track that snakes its way around the heart of the commercial district in a setting that knocks the new street circuit in Valencia, for example, into a cocked hat.

With historic buildings and skyscrapers alongside the racing line - many of which will be lit up for the grand prix on Sunday - not to mention the green acres and Victorian splendour of the Singapore Cricket Club, it feels like a giant Scalextric has come to the big city.

In preparation for its challenge, the drivers and their teams have become light-fearing creatures who come out only at night. All of them sleep, eat and exercise on European time, seven hours later than the locals. The likes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are getting up this week in the early afternoon, having breakfast at 2pm and going back to sleep at dawn. It is a strange world for everyone involved, including Singaporeans, who have found Formula One thrust upon them in the evening - the race starts at 8pm local time - to satisfy the viewing convenience of people in Europe and the wallets of the sport’s owners.

Cheers,
Haley

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