SINGAPORE – A 68-year-old man was taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a flat in Chinatown on May 11. The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the fire at Block 5 Banda Street at around 2.20pm. The fire broke out inside the bedroom of an 11th-floor flat, SCDF added. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which involved a mattress, with a water jet. SCDF said it rescued a person from the unit and had to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the person. The person was unconscious when taken to Singapore General Hospital. The police and SCDF evacuated about 15 people from the affected block as a precaution. The cause of the fire is under investigation, SCDF added. According to statistics released by SCDF in February 2024, there were more fires in 2023 than the year before, with 1,954 cases in total. This represented an increase of 8.6 per cent from the 1,799 cases in 2022. Of the 1,954 fires in 2023, 970 – or almost half – were in residential buildings.
Ask any Singaporean if they believe there is enough land space in Singapore, and the answer is likely to be no. Yet, this prevailing perception does not deter Colin Low, Singapore Land Authority's (SLA) chief executive, from his steadfast mission to create unlimited spaces. In a behind-the-scenes look at how SLA functions, Low describes the paradox of having «limited land, unlimited space», and explains how it pushes his team to continuously reimagine spaces in our little red dot. How does SLA function? In a country where land is precious and scarce, we may be most familiar with SLA's role in being the custodian of Singapore's properties. In essence, when leases on places like army camps or school buildings expire and return to the state, SLA assumes responsibility for them. If there are no redevelopment plans in place, it falls upon the team at SLA to figure out how to optimise these spaces for the community. However, that is just one aspect of SLA's governance. In fact, there are three pillars that encompass SLA's functions: land and properties, regulatory, and geospatial.
After getting heckled by an auntie during his busking session on Chinese New Year, local musician, Evan Goh, returns with another interesting encounter, this time with a kid. A TikTok video shared on April 19 shows a kid stomping on Goh's microphone equipment mid-performance. https://www.tiktok.com/@evantellstories/video/7359404701206514960 The video starts with Goh mentioning the durability of his microphone equipment and later showing the various attacks made by the kid to his equipment, asking «Why [do] you have to be mad?» in his video. Despite the kid's reaction, Paya Lebar busker remained unfazed and proceeded with his performance. Goh wrote in his caption: «While busking on the streets, we meet all sorts of interesting characters.» He added that the video was just for laughs and that one should not take it too seriously.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Israel must do whatever needs to be done to win its existential war with Hamas, Senator Lindsey Graham has claimed. Read Full Article at RT.com
Dhusamareb (HOL) — As she nears the end of her tenure later this month, the United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, Catriona Laing, highlighted progress and set forth ambitious objectives for the country’s future, with a focus on women’s rights. During her visit to Galmudug, Laing celebrated crucial developments and spoke about the UN's ongoing commitments to the region’s advancement.
RIYADH: Al-Baha is a region of the Kingdom blessed with a rich legacy of ancient architecture, with heritage lodges playing a big role in luring tourism to the city. According to the Saudi Press Agency, heritage lodges or guesthouses in the region play an important role in attracting more investment. They provide local and international visitors with a look into the past, a taste of a simpler time that many people long for.
RIYADH: In Ahlam Gallery’s latest solo exhibition, Swiss painter Vlad Pocol examines the ties that link past, present and future — with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 as a reference point. “If you could explain your artworks in one word, what would it be?” one listener asked. “Intuition,” Pocol replied, explaining the basis of his first show in the Kingdom.
JEDDAH: The Jeddah Historic District Program and Cruise Saudi have agreed to work together to increase the number of international cruise visitors to the city while preserving its cultural and historical integrity. The program, established in 2018 under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, oversees various initiatives within the so-called Historic Jeddah region with the aim of promoting it as a cultural center.
TAIF: Taif Gov. Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud received the Ambassador of Vietnam to the Kingdom Dang Xuan Dung on Sunday. The Vietnamese ambassador praised the development and prosperity in the Kingdom. He also expressed his admiration for Taif’s evolution and the region’s various crops, including its roses.
RIYADH: Various experts recently took part in a virtual meeting to consider the role of biennales in visual art. The event was organized by the Visual Arts Commission as part of its ongoing review of the sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. Biennales are large-scale exhibitions held every two years that provide a platform for artists to engage with specific themes. The meeting outlined the criteria for artist participation, focusing on career robustness and foundational achievements.
Dmitry Peskov said that the new structure of the Russian executive branch places the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, previously under control of the Russian Defense Ministry, under direct subordination of the Russian presiden
The announcement about Nikolay Patrushev’s new post will be made shortly, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said
According to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, «fierce fighting» is taking place in the Kharkov Region
The nomination is yet to be approved by the Federation Council
«On the battlefield today, the winner is the one who is more open to innovation . Therefore, at this stage, the president has made a decision for a civilian to head the Defense Ministry,» Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said
Some of the women who have publicly accused Trump of kissing or touching them inappropriately — sometimes alleging assault — are watching his campaign to return to public office with alarm.
Kiev’s Air Force has adopted an American Vietnam War-era tactic in an attempt to counter Russian air defenses, Business Insider has reported Read Full Article at RT.com
Vanuatu’s business sector is urgently calling on the Government to restore business confidence by restoring confidence in Air Vanuatu, reviewing air service agreements, and providing better communication and clarification to businesses severely affected by the collapse of the national airline.
The former General Manager (GM) of the Vanuatu National Provident Fund (VNPF), who was among the 25 individuals pardoned by the President, said he is grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to making a fresh start.
The two Vanuatu tugboats detained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) on April 30, 2024, have been cleared and departed from Darwin for Vanuatu.
The Vanuatu Government is fully supporting Air Vanuatu in addressing its current crisis.
The Opposition group through the Leader of Opposition, Member of Parliament (MP) for Malekula, Gracia Shadrack lodged yesterday afternoon Police complaints with the Commissioner of Police.
RIYADH: Units from the Saudi Armed Forces are participating in the Eager Lion military drill, held in Jordan from May 12-23, with the involvement of the armies of 31 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The head of the Saudi Armed Forces Education and Training Authority, Maj. Gen. Adel Al-Balawi, explained that the exercise aims to exchange expertise and train on planning and implementing joint operations and missile air defense operations, as well as implementing counter-terrorism and maritime security operations to confront regional threats.
RIYADH: Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi inaugurated the work-family balance initiative on Sunday, organized by the Al-Mawaddah Association for Family Development under the slogan “Balance Your Life.” The initiative began in the presence of Mohammed Al-Radi, the association’s general manager, along with several of the organization’s members, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence is participating in providing technical and digital services for the Makkah Route Initiative, a program under the Ministry of Interior’s Pilgrim Experience Program which aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives. Engineers and technicians are operating across Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, and Ivory Coast, integrating them with the authority’s systems, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
RIYADH: The Japanese Ambassador to the Kingdom Fumio Iwai awarded Saudi manga artist Samah Kamel with the 17th Japan International Manga Award’s Special Encouragement Award at a ceremony held at the Japanese Embassy in Riyadh. Kamel, a regular creator for Manga Arabia, expressed her joy at winning the prize for her work “Taif” about the challenges facing parents of children on the autism spectrum, and the various ways autistic people can be accommodated and integrated into society.
RIYADH: The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority will host the third Global AI Summit from Sept. 10 to 12 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, president of SDAIA, highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s dedication to advancing the national data and artificial intelligence agenda, aiming to bolster the Kingdom’s global presence in these fields.