A 'wheel' fun tour of Marina Bay waterfront

SINGAPORE – The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will be introducing guided tours in which guides and participants move around on personal mobile transporters along a 3.5km stretch of the promenade that covers areas such as Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Barrage. Get the full story from The Straits Times. A "wheel" fun tour of Marina Bay waterfr...

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Singapore"s economy did well in 2013, say economists

SINGAPORE: Economists believe the Singapore economy did well in 2013, growing by 3.7 per cent amid economic restructuring efforts and labour constraints.But some feel the growth is slightly below expectations. Many economists had expected Singapore’s GDP to grow by 3.8 per cent in 2013.Observers said 2013 started on a cautious note for Singapore, after the economy posted a trim 1.3 per cent growth the previous year.But a stronger performance in the services industries and a recovery in the manufacturing sector in the second and third quarters boosted growth.Economists expect the growth momentum...

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Muffins here safe to eat: Singapore"s BreadTalk

Singapore’s BreadTalk raisin muffins are safe for consumption, the local bakery chain said yesterday, after Hong Kong paper Apple Daily reported that elevated levels of aluminum were found in the muffins there. … Muffins here safe to eat: Singapore"s BreadT...

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Singapore Growth Quickened in 2013 as Lee Pursues Economic Shift

Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “The European and American economies are… Read MorePrime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “The European and American economies are stabilizing. Asian prospects are still positive, but there are problems and tensions.” CloseOpenPhotographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “The European and American economies are stabilizing. Asian prospects are still positive, but there are problems and tensions.” Singapore’s...

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SingTel to boost mobile network capacity at New Year countdown

SingTel will be deploying its mobile base station on wheels to boost its mobile network capacity for the countdown to the New Year at Promontory@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands walkway.PHOTOS SingTel will be deploying its mobile base station on wheels to boost its mobile network capacity for the countdown to the New Year at Promontory@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands walkway. (Photo: SingTel) SINGAPORE: SingTel said it is boosting its mobile network capacity for the countdown to the New Year at Promontory@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands walkway on Tuesday night.In a statement on...

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Telcos boost mobile networks for Marina Bay New Year's Eve celebrations

Worried about not being able to upload to Facebook or Twitter your photos of the New Year’s fireworks when the clock strikes 12 in the Marina Bay area?The three telcos have assured that they are boosting their mobile networks in the area for today’s New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations.SingTel said it is boosting capacity to allow more people to connect to its 3G and 4G mobile networks at the Promontory@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands Mist Walk walkway for the New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations...

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SingTel boosts mobile network for Marina Bay New Year's Eve celebrations

Worried about not being able to upload to Facebook or Twitter your New Year’s fireworks photos when the clock strikes 12 in the Marina Bay area?SingTel has assured that it is boosting capacity to allow more people to connect to its 3G and 4G mobile networks at the Promontory@Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands Mist Walk walkway for the New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations today.The telco has deployed a mobile base station located near Marina Bay City Gallery, since yesterday for this. Called...

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SHOWBIZ: Brand it like Beckham

David Beckham teams up with Las Vegas Sands in Macau to draw more tourists there, writes Loong Wai Ting FORMER England football star David Beckham literally stopped the clock from ticking when he walked into a hall full of international media in Macau. It was his first visit to the world’s largest gambling hub. Dressed in a fitting suit and tie, Beckham, who was on an off-field assignment, announced his partnership with global resort developer, Las Vegas Sands, where he will be teaming up with the...

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Singapore"s Developers Move From Best to Worst: Southeast Asia

Photographer: Brent Lewin/BloombergPalm trees stand illuminated at night in front of commercial buildings in the central… Read MorePalm trees stand illuminated at night in front of commercial buildings in the central business district of Singapore. CloseOpenPhotographer: Brent Lewin/BloombergPalm trees stand illuminated at night in front of commercial buildings in the central business district of Singapore. Singapore’s developers posted the worst performance on the benchmark Straits Times Index...

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Skies slightly hazier than usual with PSI hitting 50

The skies were slightly hazier than usual on Monday.The three-hour PSI or Pollutant Standards Index, a measure of air quality, began creeping up on Sunday afternoon, and was 50 at lunchtime on Monday. At 6pm, the three-hour PSI was 38, while the 24-hour PSI was 44 to 49. A PSI of 0 to 50 remains in the ‘good’ range, while that between 51 and 100 is ‘moderate’. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the conditions were due to dust blowing from the north and northeast. TO READ THE FULL STORY…...

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Skies slightly hazier than usual with PSI hitting 50

The skies were slightly hazier than usual on Monday.The three-hour PSI or Pollutant Standards Index, a measure of air quality, began creeping up on Sunday afternoon, and was 50 at lunchtime on Monday. At 6pm, the three-hour PSI was 38, while the 24-hour PSI was 44 to 49. A PSI of 0 to 50 remains in the ‘good’ range, while that between 51 and 100 is ‘moderate’. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the conditions were due to dust blowing from the north and northeast. TO READ THE FULL STORY…...

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UFC Singapore: Will Chope soldiers on in quest to be MMA’s ‘ultimate journeyman’

American mixed martial artist Will Chope makes his UFC debut on Saturday in Singapore. (Photo: Will Chope Face …Will Chope just can’t stop fighting.The American has racked up a staggering total of 52 professional contests in mixed martial arts (MMA), Muay Thai, kickboxing, sanda and boxing over three short years – that’s more than one bout per month – and he’s far from done.In fact, Chope, at 23, is just getting started, and in the biggest way possible: He makes his debut for the world’s leading...

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Road changes confuse motorists as MCE opens

SINGAPORE: Despite signs being put up and traffic wardens hitting the road to give directions, the changes to roads leading to the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) still befuddled some motorists, causing brief bottlenecks on Sunday.MCE, Singapore’s newest highway, opened to traffic on Sunday.TODAY observed that motorists seemed to be confused by road work to downgrade a section of the East Coast Parkway (ECP) at the end of the Ayer-Rajah Expressway (AYE). Others appeared unsure about when to keep left to access each of the exits in the underground MCE.The 5km, S$4.3 billion MCE joins the ECP, Kallang-Paya...

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Soccer star Beckham will promote casinos in China

Wong Maye-ESoccer star Beckham will promote casinos in ChinaFILE – In this July 7, 2013, file photo, former soccer star David Beckham greets media and youth in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands. Beckham has signed on to help promote Las Vegas Sands’ properties in Singapore and the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau. Sands said in a statement that it hopes to cash in on Beckham’s popularity in the region. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) Posted: Sunday, December 22, 2013 8:32 pm | Updated: 10:01 pm,...

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Show Luo to perform in Singapore in May

Fans of Taiwanese singer Show Luo rejoice. The Dancing King of Asia will be performing here in May next year.However, they should not expect him to do as other Asian performers do and take off his shirt during the concert.The 34-year-old says: “I’m holding a concert, not a striptease. I’ll hold a separate striptease showcase, but it’ll only be two minutes long. There will be no refunds.”He was speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon to promote his 10th album Lion Roar. It is the first...

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Singapore regrets Japanese PM Abe"s visit to Yasukuni shrine

Singapore regrets the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni shrine on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Sunday.PHOTOS VIDEOS A Shinto priest leads Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd L) as he visits the controversial Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo in a move which angers China, causing it to accuse Japan of whitewashing a history of warmongering and saying Japan must “bear the consequences”. (AFP/Toru Yamanaka) SINGAPORE: Singapore regrets the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni war shrine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

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2013 a year of some turbulence for Singapore courts

SINGAPORE: 2013 was a year of some turbulence for the courts.It started with the acquittal of the former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief and convictions of two others – the former head of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and a former law professor.And in the later months of the year, more high-profile cases came — from alleged hackings, murders, to the riot at Little India and the charges that followed.Mr Ng Boon Gay, Peter Lim and Tey Tsun Hang made the headlines not just in 2012 when they were charged with corruption, but also this year with the twists and turns in their closely-watched...

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Singapore"s sky-high infinity pool

The Marina Bay Sands hotel in SingaporeThe Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore opened its doors in 2010, to the tune of a whopping $5.7 billion.That amount paid for the massive 2,561-room hotel, a museum, casino, restaurants, bars, a swanky shopping mall, and the pièce de résistance: the SkyPark, an insane rooftop pleasure dome with a 150-meter (492 ft.) infinity pool.Located on the 57th floor, this pool offers stunning views of Singapore’s financial district, Marina Bay, and beyond....

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Westin Singapore hotel sold for $468m

[SINGAPORE] Just over a month after officially opening its doors to guests, The Westin Singapore hotel has been sold for $468 million to Japan-based property developer and investor Daisho Group.Daisho’s acquisition of the 305-room, 99-year leasehold hotel located in Asia Square Tower 2 at Marina Bay is its maiden investment in Singapore. The purchase price translates into a hefty $1.5 million per room, possibly a new record for a hotel here.Earlier this year, Bright Ruby Resources, a company controlled by a family from China, was reported to have paid between $1.4 million-$1.5 million per room...

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Singapore riot: Four Indians face fresh charges

File photo of burnt vehicles after a riot broke out in Little India in Singapore Singapore:  Fresh charges were today slapped on four Indians, part of 25 alleged rioters who participated in Singapore’s worst outbreak of violence in over 40 years.Earlier, all 25 Indians faced one rioting charge each, punishable by up to seven years in prison and caning.But, additional charges were filed against Chinnappa Prabakaran, 23, for instigating a group of Indians to set fire to an ambulance while Bose...

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Diving: Singapore divers in high spirit for 2015 SEA Games

SINGAPORE: They may not have won a gold medal at the Myanmar SEA Games, but the divers from Team Singapore still put on a sterling performance.The six-member team won four medals, breaking a 28-year-old medal drought for the sport.Republic Polytechnic student Mark Lee, 19, won a silver in the three-metre springboard – a first for the sport since 1985.When Singapore hosts the 2015 SEA Games, Lee thinks home ground advantage could make a difference between silver and gold.“If a lot Singapore fans come and support with the help of the home crowd, I am sure the scores will actually go up in terms...

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Singapore"s Angry Migrant Workers

Singapore’s government has denied that its treatment of migrant workers has anything to do with the riot. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong characterized the riot as “an isolated incident caused by an unruly mob.” Hundreds of foreign workers were rounded up and questioned; 25 face charges punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment and caning. Two hundred migrant workers were issued advisories against any future disruptive conduct. Singapore has one of the world’s highest standards of living, but...

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Singapore Antigraft Official to Plead Guilty to Misappropriation

SINGAPORE—A senior official at Singapore’s anticorruption agency has told prosecutors he will plead guilty to charges of misappropriating more than 1.7 million Singapore dollars (US$1.34 million) in public funds, his lawyer said Friday.The case, which surfaced in February, was a rare one involving corruption allegations against an officer from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, the agency tasked to preserve Singapore’s… Singapore Antigraft Official to Plead Guilty to Misappropriat...

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HGST Singapore lays off 531 workers in largest retrenchment exercise

SINGAPORE: HGST, a US-headquartered global company that specialises in data storage, has retrenched 531 workers from its Singapore facility.This is the largest retrenchment exercise for HGST’s Singapore facility in the last 20 years.HGST’s Singapore facility manufactures high-end hard drives.The company says it is relocating one of its production lines to Thailand, citing rising operating costs in Singapore. About half of the production line has already moved to Thailand, and the move will be completed in six months’ time.Most of those retrenched are production operators, and about half are Singaporeans. Some...

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Baring to Schroders Avoid Singapore After Slump

Schroders Plc and Baring AssetManagement Ltd. are avoiding Singapore stocks, the cheapest inSoutheast Asia, as slower economic growth in the region and cutsto Federal Reserve stimulus drive capital outflows. The fund managers expect property to lead declines inSingapore amid a real-estate slump and the prospect of higherinterest rates. The Straits Times Index was the worst-performingdeveloped market in 2013, dropping 9.5 percent since FedChairman Ben S. Bernanke said in May that bond purchases may bereduced on signs of sustainable U.S. recovery. Capital has been fleeing Southeast Asia as investors...

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Singapore boost for Millennium & Copthorne Hotels

StockMarketWire.com – Millennium Copthorne Hotels (“MC”) has announced that Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority has granted a temporary occupation permit (“TOP”) to the Glyndebourne residential development, a project developed by a subsidiary of MC.Glyndebourne, which was constructed on the site of the former Copthorne Orchid Hotel in Singapore, includes 150 condominium apartments, of which 147 have been sold.The granting of the TOP enables MC to recognise revenues and costs arising from the development. The revenue and cost recognition will result in a significant one-time increase...

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The Ultimate Cosmopolite Luxury: Hotel Marina Bay Sands in Singapore

We all look to unchain ourselves from the routine, embarking on a trip away from the ordinary. We seek for enriching experiences and dream of unforgettable vacations. If you’re looking to create the perfect scenario for your dream vacation, there are two ways to do that: plan it from one end to the other or don’t plan it at all (at times, one has to tear up  the usual schedule in favour of spontaneity, for it leads to satisfaction). However, when it comes to luxury destinations, everything...

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