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Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by Loh, May 4, 2009.

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Jan 11, 2019,08:01am EST|1,111,411 views

    Ranked: The 25 Smartest Countries In The World

    Ranked: The 25 Smartest Countries In The World (forbes.com)

    Duncan Madden Contributor
    Lifestyle
    I write topical, environmental and experiential travel stories.
    • Collectively, we humans are a pretty clever bunch. During our short time on this planet we’ve split the atom, traveled to space, built the limited slip differential and invented an umbrella for dogs. Yep, all clever stuff.

    • But (most of) these inventions, discoveries and great leaps forward are collective efforts rather than the inspired genius and toil of one lonely, dedicated man or woman. Which begs the question (sort of), of which is the cleverest nation in the world?

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      Tokyo is Japan's capital and a hotbed of intellect, innovation and education. It's also one of the... [+]

      GETTY
      Which people have contributed the most to our advancement as a species? Which does best at school, and which has the highest IQ. All important contributing factors when deciding where to visit next, no doubt. Luckily though, Vouchercloud has done the legwork for you and diligently researched and ranked the top 25 countries in the world by intelligence.

      It quantifies intelligence to include the number of Nobel Prizes each nation has won to represent historic intelligence, the current average IQ and ‘education attainment’ to represent the potential intelligence of the next generation.

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      Despite topping two of the three ranking categories, Singapore only makes 25th on the list. Expect... [+]

      Asia and Europe dominate the list, with Japan taking the top spot thanks to its high placing across all three metrics where it came fifth overall in the school test ranking and sixth overall in both Nobel prizes and current IQ. The US comes in an impressive fourth, although its ranking is flattered greatly by its extraordinary dominance in the Nobel category where at 368 prizes, it has nearly treble the UK in second place. However, in the current IQ the US comes a lowly 28th and school ranking a middling 13th – neither of which bodes well for its future ranking.

      And while Europe has an impressive five nations in the current top ten – Switzerland in second, Netherlands in fifth, Russia in sixth, Belgium in seventh and the UK in eighth – it’s Asia that points to the future. Coming in at 25th on the ranking is Singapore – its position greatly skewed by its lowly ranking of 73rd for Nobel prizes when it ranks first in both current IQ and education attainment. See you at the top soon then, Singapore!

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      Japan goes straight to the top of the class.

      VOUCHERCLOUD

    • Nobel prizes

      The top 25 countries by Nobel Prize are, unsurprisingly, dominated by the Western world – what with it being a Western institution and all. Don’t expect that to stay the same over the coming years though, as the inexorable march of Asia’s intelligentsia rightly garners more and more awards.

      Ranking Country Number of Nobel prizes
      1 USA 368
      2 UK 132
      3 Germany 107
      4 France 62
      5 Sweden 30
      6 Japan 26
      6 Switzerland 26
      8 Russia 23
      8 Canada 23
      10 Austria 21
      11 Netherlands 20
      11 Italy 20
      13 Denmark 14
      14 Norway 13
      15 Australia 12
      15 Poland 12
      15 Israel 12
      18 Belgium 10
      18 India 10
      18 South Africa 10
      21 China 9
      21 Hungary 9
      23 Spain 8
      24 Ireland 7
      25 Czech Republic 5
      25 Argentina 5

    • Current national IQ

      You’ll have to scroll down to seventh to step out of Asia on this list, with Finland the first Western country to make its mark. Go Asia! While the US doesn’t even make the top 25 for national IQ, it’s perhaps surprising to see Mongolia storming into 12th spot with an average IQ bang on 100.

      Ranking Country Average IQ
      1 Singapore 107.1
      2 China 105.8
      3 Hong Kong 105.7
      4 South Korea 104.6
      4 Taiwan 104.6
      6 Japan 104.2
      7 Finland 100.9
      8 Canada 100.4
      8 Netherlands 100.4
      10 Liechtenstein 100.3
      11 Switzerland 100.2
      12 Mongolia 100
      13 Macao 99.9
      14 Estonia 99.4
      15 Belgium 99.3
      16 Australia 99.2
      17 UK 99.1
      18 Austria 99
      19 Czech Republic 98.9
      19 New Zealand 98.9
      21 Germany 98.8
      22 Sweden 98.6
      22 Iceland 98.6
      24 France 98.1
      24 Hungary 98.1

    • School achievement

      No huge surprise given the IQ rankings, but Asia takes the top five spots for pupils achieving an advanced score at school. Russia takes the best of the rest medal in sixth spot while the US comes in at 13th. The UK is nowhere to be seen but if there’s one surprise on the list, it’s most likely Kazakhstan in ninth.

      Ranking Country % of students achieving advanced scores
      1 Singapore 71.37
      2 South Korea 66.85
      3 Hong Kong 66.66
      4 Taiwan 63.21
      5 Japan 58.01
      6 Russia 38.46
      7 China 38.27
      8 Macao 37.02
      9 Kazakhstan 32.64
      10 Liechtenstein 32.06
      11 Switzerland 31.93
      12 Ireland 30.03
      13 US 29.84
      14 Hungary 29.40
      15 Israel 29.19
      16 Belgium 28.76
      17 Estonia 27.97
      18 Denmark 27.51
      18 Portugal 27.51
      20 Norway 27.49
      21 Poland 26.83
      22 Lithuania 25.47
      23 Finland 25.29
      24 Netherlands 25.15
      25 Cyprus 25.02
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Young Singaporeans to watch: Fight club, World News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

    Young Singaporeans to watch: Fight club

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    SHEIK FARHAN SHEIK ALAU'DDIN, 23, Silat world championST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
    Clara Chong and Clement Yong
    • PUBLISHED
      7 HOURS AGO
    FACEBOOKTWITTER

    Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau'ddin, 23

    Silat world champion

    With two-time silat world champion Sheik Alau'ddin as his father, Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau'ddin has some grand shoes to fill.

    He grew up watching his father's training sessions, going to the community club in Jalan Besar as regularly as he went to school, he said.

    These days, he spends all his free time - sparse as it is as he is serving his national service - training.

    He has swept the gold medals in the past few years at events like the SEA Games and Asian Games, and was crowned world champion in Bali in 2016.

    He says silat is just "something I have to do". This year, with the coronavirus putting a pause on most things, he has trained even more efficiently and feels better prepared than ever, he said.

    He added that with desire, effort and discipline - his three qualities for what makes a good athlete - anyone can succeed.

    Quah Ting Wen, 28
    Swimmer

    After breaking two national shortcourse swimming records at the International Swimming League in Hungary in October and last month, Quah Ting Wen took a well-deserved break while serving her stay-home notice back in Singapore.


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    ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

    She is one of the few athletes who has had events to compete in this year. She swam again at the Olympic trials this month, just a few days after the end of her stayhome notice.

    "I like to put myself in situations where I feel challenged. I want to see how I perform when I touch the water after being on land for two weeks," she said.

    The 28-year-old said her mentality has changed this year.

    Whereas in the past she found it difficult to separate pride from arrogance, she now gives herself credit where it is due and has greater trust in herself.

    "Swimming well in Hungary and personal growth went hand in hand," she said.

    Amanda Lim, 27
    Swimmer



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    ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

    With no access to a pool or gym during the circuit breaker period, Amanda Lim, winner of six consecutive SEA Games 50m freestyle gold medals, worked out twice a day in April and May at the void deck of the housing block where her family lives.

    It has been a strange year for the swimmer, with competitions, including the Olympics, postponed or cancelled. She said she is proud to have kept to her training routine nonetheless, which has kept her in form for swimming meets.

    She is raring to add a seventh consecutive gold medal to her SEA Games haul. After clocking 25.06 seconds in her 50m SEA Games freestyle race last year, it will "definitely" be under 25 seconds come next year, she said.

    Outside the pool, she is part of the product development team at Fullerton Health, working with others to supply healthcare professionals with medical equipment.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    30 and under: Young Singaporeans to watch[/paste:font]
    Andy Tay Kah Ping, 30
    Scientist


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    PHOTO: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

    When he was seven, Assistant Professor Andy Tay was already asking questions such as "Why do tigers have stripes?" when he visited the zoo. When his parents failed to give him the answers, the curious boy would look them up in encyclopaedias.

    He is now in the field of cancer research, pursuing answers to chronic healthcare problems like cancer and pain.

    His research is motivated by his parents - his mother is a breast cancer survivor, while his father, who used to work as a construction worker and is now a taxi driver, suffers from lower back pain.

    Hoping to create a real-world impact and one day help his loved ones and many other families, Prof Tayfocuses on developing nanomaterials to engineer immune cells for treating cancer.

    An assistant professor at the National University of Singapore, he was the only Singaporean selected in the Class of 2020 World Economic Forum Young Scientists for his cutting-edge research.

    Chen Chee Yang, 29
    Founder of Carta Genomics


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    ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

    Born as an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) baby 29 years ago, entrepreneur Chen Chee Yang is now helping parents who go for IVF make one of their toughest decisions: which embryos to implant. Dr Chen founded Carta Genomics in 2018 to provide clinical- grade genomics testing to produce healthier IVF babies.

    Employing machine learning, he is able to predict the risk of an embryo developing diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s later in life, based on the interactions between multiple genes and the environment.

    A qualified doctor and neuroscience graduate from Imperial College London, he practised medicine in Britain before returning to Singapore to build his company. The firm has partnered top IVF clinics worldwide and is expanding its Singapore team, with the goal of bringing genetic testing to more Asians.

    Lavenniah Annadoray, 29
    PhD student


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    ST PHOTO: MOHD KHALID BABA

    Determined to translate science from bench to bedside, Ms Lavenniah Annadoray set out to design a drug that can be administered with ease, given how most people struggle to stick to daily medications.

    She went into research in engineering DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) – both genetic sequences – to treat diseases. This led to the development of a new circular microRNA interference technology platform, which generates medications targeting the small RNA (or microRNA) that drives disease progression. The drugs are more stable and hence allow for longer dosing intervals.

    Last month, Ms Annadoray became a recipient of the National University of Singapore’s Medicine Kickstart Initiative grant, which will support the commercialisation of the platform through a spinoff company that will be launched in Britain and Singapore.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    30 and under: Young Asians to watch[/paste:font]
    Peter Yeow, 29
    Researcher

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    PHOTO: COURTESY OF PETER YEOW

    Mr Peter Yeow’s colour blindness may have got in the way of his dreams of being a doctor, but it was not a roadblock in his path in biology.

    He decided to pursue a career in cancer research as another way to save lives and further his interest in the subject.

    Currently pursuing a PhD in clinical medicine at Oxford University under a scholarship with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, he made a ground-breaking discovery in identifying a novel way to selectively kill aggressive breast cancer cells that have a specific genetic fault, while leaving normal cells unharmed.

    What is even more promising is that this genetic mark is also found in many other cancer types. This result was so significant that the study was published in the journal Nature. Mr Yeow is one of the lead authors of the paper.
     
  3. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    30 and under
    Young Asians to watch

    30 and under: Young Asians to watch | The Straits Times

    PUBLISHED: DEC 19, 2020


    Despite a dark year, people have invariably stood out as bright spots.

    The Straits Times salutes 30 go-getters and game-changers in Asia, from diverse backgrounds and with a gamut of achievements under their belt, whether it is an award-winning invention or a brilliant business idea.

    Some are big names who inspire with their feats. Others dedicate themselves to helping the underprivileged.

    This list also honours people who have had a difficult start, whose talent and gumption make us believe they have the potential to shine and soar.

    See Singaporean List

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    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Boram
    YouTuber
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    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Han Hyun-min
    Model
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    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Joey Alexander
    Musician
    [​IMG]
    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Kamal Singh
    Ballet dancer
    [​IMG]
    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Kim Na-young
    Webtoon artist
    [​IMG]
    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Kimmese
    Singer/songwriter
    [​IMG]
    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Pasha Cas
    Street artist
    [​IMG]
    ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
    Prateek Kuhad
    Singer/songwriter
    [​IMG]
    BUSINESS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    Adamas Belva Syah Devara
    Entrepreneur
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    BUSINESS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    Louise Emmanuelle Mabulo
    Social entrepreneur
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    BUSINESS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    Nana Matsuoka
    Social entrepreneur
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    BUSINESS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    Okka Phyo Maung
    Social entrepreneur
    [​IMG]
    BUSINESS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
    Tilak Mehta
    Entrepreneur
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Faye Simanjuntak
    Human rights activist

    See Singaporean List
     
    #9703 Loh, Dec 18, 2020
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2020
  4. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Heidy Quah
    Refugee rights activist
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Howey Ou (Ou Hongyi)
    Climate activist
    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Ryu Ho-jeong
    Lawmaker
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman
    MP, former minister
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    SCIENCE & TECH
    Ray Chiu Po-jui
    Entrepreneur
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    SCIENCE & TECH
    Carvey Ehren Maigue
    Student/inventor
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    SPORTS
    Juju Noda
    Racing driver
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    SPORTS
    Ko Jin-young
    Golfer
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    SPORTS
    Lalu Muhammad Zohri
    Sprinter
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Margielyn Didal
    Professional street skateboarder
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Naomi Osaka
    Tennis player
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Nor Diana
    Wrestler
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    P.V. Sindhu
    Badminton player
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Pratima Sherpa
    Golfer
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Son Heung-min
    Footballer
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Wang Jianjiahe
    Swimmer
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    30 and under
    Young Singaporeans
    to watch

    30 and under: Young Singaporeans to watch | The Straits Times

    PUBLISHED: DEC 19, 2020


    As a year of disruption and upheaval draws to a close, there are some who show that tough times can also bring out the best in Singaporeans.

    The Straits Times celebrates 30 young change-makers from diverse backgrounds who are making a difference in their respective fields, and who have earned our recognition with their achievements and daring.

    While some are already household names, many are relative unknowns who have dedicated themselves to causes such as helping the underprivileged, or charting new ground in the arts and civic society.

    We spotlight these rising stars, who have not only dreamt big but are also taking action to make those dreams happen, and hope this will inspire more readers to action.

    See Asian List

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    ARTS
    Beverly Wan and Koh Jia Sheng
    Founders of Circus of Altrades
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    ARTS
    Daniel Peters and Tan Hwee En
    Co-founders of Singapore Community Radio
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    ARTS
    Deon Phua
    Co-founder of Tell Your Children
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    ARTS
    Lou Peixin
    Songwriter
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    ARTS
    Marylyn Tan
    Writer
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    ARTS
    Tan Si En and Kris Ong
    Founders of Momo Film
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    BUSINESS
    Annabelle Kwok
    Founder of NeuralBay
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    BUSINESS
    Evan Heng
    Founder of Zenith Education Studio
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    BUSINESS
    Grace Chia
    CEO and co-founder of BeeX
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    BUSINESS
    Janelle Lee
    Co-founder of bantu
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    BUSINESS
    Jervis Isaiah Ng
    Founder of JNA Real Estate
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    BUSINESS
    Jonathan Ng
    Founder of SinFooTech
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    BUSINESS
    Kuah Chew Shian and Lisa Tang
    Founder of Kausmo
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    BUSINESS
    Kuldeep Singh Rajput
    Founder of health start-up Biofourmis
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    BUSINESS
    Lye Yi Hao, Joshua Chan and Tan Jun Kiat
    Founder of ErgoEdge
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    BUSINESS
    Ng Teck Hwee
    Founder of Purpleflakez
     
  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Daryl Yang
    Civil activist
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Francesca Phoebe Wah
    Founder of Bless
    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Irie Aman
    Co-founder of The Local Rebel
    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Lau Jia Cai
    Co-founder of TreeDots
    [​IMG]
    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Nadia Ahmad Samdin
    Politician
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Raeesah Khan
    Politician
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    POLITICS & CIVIL SOCIETY
    Samantha Thian
    Founder of Seastainable
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    SCIENCE & TECH
    Andy Tay Kah Ping
    Assistant professor
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    SCIENCE & TECH
    Chen Chee Yang
    Founder of Carta Genomics
    [​IMG]
    SCIENCE & TECH
    Lavenniah Annadoray
    PhD student
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    SCIENCE & TECH
    Peter Yeow
    PhD student in Oxford
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    SPORTS
    Amanda Lim
    Swimmer
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    SPORTS
    Quah Ting Wen
    Swimmer
    [​IMG]
    SPORTS
    Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau'ddin
    Silat world champion




    See Asian List
     
  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore students account for more than half of world's perfect scorers in IB exams
    Singapore students account for more than half of world's perfect scorers in IB exams, Parenting & Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
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    In a photo from Jan 3, 2020, students from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) receive their International Baccalaureate diploma exams results.PHOTO: ST FILE
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    Jolene Ang

    • PUBLISHED
      1 HOUR AGO
    FACEBOOKTWITTER

    SINGAPORE - Amid a Covid-19 pandemic which has disrupted learning, students from Singapore who sat the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma exams last November have managed to outshine their global counterparts again.

    The Switzerland-based IB Organisation, which conducts the exams, said Singapore produced 55 of the 99 perfect scorers - more than half - this year.

    Of the 2,228 students in Singapore who took the exams, 97.73 per cent passed. The global pass rate was 76.68 per cent, while the rate for the Asia-Pacific region was 91.83 per cent.

    The average scores of Singapore students were also higher than those of their global and regional counterparts: 38.35 points against 29.81 and 34.83 respectively.

    More than half - 50.65 per cent - of Singapore students also scored 40 points and above, out of 45. In comparison, 11.63 per cent of global students and 27.66 per cent of Asia-Pacific students achieved the same result.

    On Monday (Jan 4), students from eight schools - including Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), School of the Arts and St Joseph's Institution - received their results.

    Dr Siva Kumari, IB director-general, called 2020 a "tumultuous year for our students".

    "I am extremely proud for all our new diploma programme and career-related programme graduates," said Dr Kumari, who sets the strategic direction of the IB. She assumed the post in 2014.

    The IB Organisation noted that due to prolonged Covid-19 uncertainties, schools had been provided with a choice of options for their students, including awarding grades using written examinations if they could be sat safely and an alternative route using coursework and predicted grades.

    Schools could also consider deferring to the May 2021 session with no additional cost or withdrawing from the IB November session with a full refund.

    The organisation said that 73 per cent of the IB world schools were able to administer the exams using local guidelines for safe exam administration.

    The remaining 27 per cent had not been able to administer the exams as a result of governmental mandate or local conditions.

    "The IB ensured that student grades are fair, valid and comparable irrespective of whether their school was able to run examinations or not," said the organisation, adding that appropriate grade boundaries had been set to account for global disruptions in learning and teaching as well as "other unusual circumstances that might have affected performance".

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Singapore's 15-year-olds top OECD's Pisa global competence test[/paste:font]
    Record number of students apply for early admission to polys[/paste:font]
    Students facing adverse circumstances over and above the pandemic were also supported on a case-by-case basis, the organisation added.

    The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year programme conducted at 27 institutions in total in Singapore. IB qualifications are recognised by universities across the globe.

    In Singapore, some students from other schools sat the first round of exams in May last year and received their results earlier in July.
     
  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    BRANDED CONTENT
    All-female Singapore Polytechnic team wins Huawei Global ICT Competition by creating smart glasses for Alzheimer’s patients
    Leveraging Huawei’s ICT capabilities, the product can also help track these patients if they can't find their way home
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    Winners (from left) Chen Zihan, Nashita Fatima and Fang Qian working on their smart glasses design. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC
    • PUBLISHED
      DEC 31, 2020, 4:00 AM SGT
    FACEBOOKTWITTER

    In Chinese reality series Forget Me Not Cafe, five senior citizens with dementia work as servers in a restaurant, proving they are just as eager to socialise and live a full life despite their condition.

    After watching the show, three Singapore Polytechnic students — Nashita Fatima, Chen Zihan and Fang Qian — were deeply inspired by the efforts to raise awareness of the condition and destigmatise it.

    The trio decided to do their part to help people with Alzheimer’s disease. They signed up as participants in the global Huawei ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Competition to create smart glasses called Forever-Smart Glasses.

    The eyewear is designed to enable people with Alzheimer’s recognise their loved ones. Powered by Huawei Cloud, the glasses are complemented by an app called Your Helper.

    Featuring a built-in GPS positioning system, it tracks the elderly’s whereabouts. Alerts to family members are automatically sent when he or she is lost, or far from home.

    Benefiting lives, creating a breakthrough
    For their project, this all-female group emerged winners at the global final of the Huawei ICT Competition 2019-2020, walking away with the grand prize and a TECH4ALL Social Contribution Award.

    The girls were part of the 110 teams comprising 330 students from 39 countries and regions that competed in the grand final this year. The win has notched up another first; no Singapore team has won the competition before.

    The Huawei ICT Competition is an annual international competition designed for tertiary students to inspire innovation by challenging their knowledge of ICT. The results of the Singapore team reflects Huawei’s long-term commitment to the nation in nurturing local tech talent pipelines and further deepening industry-university collaborations.

    Team leader Fang, 20, says: “During our research, we discovered that there are many wonderful AIoT products that improve people’s quality of life. However, these do not focus on the elderly.

    “We were motivated by the show as well as smart glasses technology to create a wearable AIoT device for Alzheimer’s sufferers so that they won’t forget their loved ones so easily.”

    [​IMG]
    PHOTO: TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC

    Leveraging the power of digitalisation
    Two other teams from Singapore also emerged winners in the competition — one from Temasek Polytechnic, which created a fall-alert system for the elderly, and another from Singapore Polytechnic that focused on the automatic detection of forest fires.

    The Temasek Polytechnic team, consisting of Andrew Tan Yong Jun, Wong Yao Hui and Caleb Lee, created their fall-alert system using Huawei Cloud’s proprietary features ECS, OBS, RDS and ModelArts, a one-stop AI development platform. The system can be integrated into hospital or even home CCTVs and IoT devices to help monitor blind spots, alerting care workers or family members if an elderly person falls.

    “Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional deaths. Shortening response times to falls is critical as it can save lives and minimise serious injury to the elderly,” said Wong, 19.

    “The essence of our system is the predictive model powered by Huawei. It can be trained and deployed to reach a broader audience. Integrating the system into existing CCTVs using only software also saves resources.”

    Meanwhile, the team from Singapore Polytechnic comprising Cheong Wai Khin, Khor Kah Seng and Tan Xin Ying focused on addressing forest fires brought about by climate change. Their Intelligent Wildfire Mitigation System automatically detects forest fires through a cloud-based, serverless system.

    It also generates a simulation of how the fire might spread using a prediction model, enabling early and more accurate planning for mitigation measures. This would also reduce environmental and financial damage, among other adverse impacts.

    The wireless connection and a serverless architecture aim to maximise efficiency within areas affected by wildfires. The system leverages Huawei Cloud’s technologies, enabling cost efficiency on a pay-per-use service rate. The model can also be customised with data from other regions, allowing for adaptability and scalability.



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    Huawei International CEO Nicholas Ma believes the global Huawei ICT Competition showcases the company's continuous efforts to upskill and groom the local talent ecosystem to become more digitally inclusive. PHOTO: HUAWEI INTERNATIONAL

    Grooming a new generation of ICT talent
    Mr Nicholas Ma, chief executive officer of Huawei International, says of the winning teams from Singapore: “We are thrilled with the creativity and the inclusive heart of young Singapore talents, and proud to help these seeds of future ascend to the top of the world.

    “As we accelerate into a digitalised post-pandemic world, it has never been more important to nurture our young talents to develop a sustainable, inclusive mind-set. The global Huawei ICT Competition showcased our continuous efforts to upskill and groom the local talent ecosystem to become more digitally inclusive.”

    Huawei’s efforts in Singapore pave the way for another on-going global project, Seeds for the Future, which, in Singapore, is in collaboration with Infocomm Media Development Authority. Seeds of the Future sends young people from around the world for ICT-related training in China — developing talent and bridging communication between countries and cultures.

    This perpetuates learning about advanced technologies in a global business environment, and gaining expertise and skills, thereby contributing to the progress of the global ICT industry.

    Mr Ma adds: “We will continue working with our local partners and institutions of higher learning to create a healthy ICT talent ecosystem by building talent alliances and communicating the value of talent to ensure that we work towards becoming a Smart Nation together.”
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore retains top spot for most liveable location for overseas workers: Report
    Singapore retains top spot for most liveable location for overseas workers: Report (msn.com)

    15 hrs ago
    upload_2021-1-28_11-3-12.png

    Singapore has once again retained its place as the most liveable location for overseas workers, continuing a trend which stretches back to 2005, according to a recent mobility study.

    [​IMG]
    © Connected to India
    Singapore is top of the liveability rankings for the 15th year in a row

    The latest Location Ratings research published by ECA International stated that Singapore's handling of the global pandemic played a large part in ensuring it stayed in the top spot.

    “Singapore is top of the liveability rankings for the 15th year in a row as its superior infrastructure, low pollution and large expatriate communities continue to appeal to overseas workers,” said Lee Quane, Regional Director, Asia, ECA International. “Moreover, while Singapore imposed a circuit breaker to manage the outbreak of COVID-19 within its borders in 2020, the scale of its lockdown was less severe than other locations in the region.”

    Hong Kong rebounded significantly in rankings to become the 58th most liveable location for overseas workers, up from 93rd place. Australian cities saw a notable fall in rankings, with Brisbane and Adelaide dropping out of the top ten. Taipei climbed back into the top 50 most liveable locations, moving up to 46th place.

    Hong Kong has seen a significant rebound in its position in ECA’s liveability rankings, as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the city was softened by the fall in socio-political tensions and crime rates.

    A series of different factors resulted in Australian cities falling in the rankings, with the primary reason being the strict lockdown measures which were introduced in some areas of the country in 2020. This affected the recreation scores, as access to social activities and leisure facilities were restricted in an effort to stem infection rates across the country.

    Major European cities also saw a significant drop in liveability rankings, with Paris dropping out of the top 100 for the first time. Cities in the US rose up the ranks, with eight US locations climbing into the top 50 and 27 in the top 100.

    “While European locations moved down the rankings, US cities moved up despite their scores changing little from last year. There were relatively few restrictions in place in the US towards the end of last year as many cities resisted the lockdowns and curfews that are seen in other parts of the world. While this has changed in recent weeks, the lack of strict measures in many US states has meant that the country’s scores stayed mostly the same as last year’s,” said Quane.
     
  10. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore rises 2 spots to 11th in ranking of world’s best cities, boosted by mass transit system, port

    By NG JUN SEN
    Published MARCH 11, 2021
    Updated MARCH 11, 2021


    * Singapore ranked 11th in an annual ranking of the world’s best cities in 2020, up from 13th in 2019
    * The ranking by Schroders looks at economic dynamism, innovation, environmental policies and transport
    * Singapore has the world’s best seaport and third best transport system, Schroders said
    * But it could do better for the environment, placing 26th out of 30 on well-being factors

    SINGAPORE — Singapore rose two spots to 11th in a ranking of the world’s best cities for 2020, scoring in the top three in the new category of transport due to its highly rated mass transit systems and port.

    It was third in the Asia Pacific, behind Hong Kong and Melbourne, in the Schroders Global Cities Index released on Thursday (March 11) by the international investment management firm. Hong Kong fell three places in the global ranking from third in 2019 to sixth.

    The overall top-ranked city is London, up from second spot in 2019 thanks in part to its response to climate change, and despite uncertainty over Brexit. Los Angeles plummeted from top spot in 2019 to 14th due to its lack of mass transit systems.

    The Schroders ranking identifies cities with a combination of economic dynamism, excellent universities, forward-thinking environmental policies and excellent transport infrastructure, which was a new category in the latest ranking.

    Among other uses, the ranking helps establish which cities offer the most promising real estate opportunities for international investors.

    READ ALSO
    Singapore most liveable city in the world for 15th year in a row due to ‘less severe’ lockdown measures

    Singapore was marked down in the environment category of the index. It placed 23rd out of the top 30 global cities, though it fared better than Hong Kong (25th).

    Mr Hugo Machin, Schroders’s portfolio manager and co-head of global cities, said: “Our data shows that only (the) environmental score is low compared to other top cities, a combination of being in a very hot latitude holds (it) back.

    “But that is compensated by forward-thinking environmental policy to make the city more sustainable in terms of its basic needs such as water.”

    The annual score card measures economic, environmental and innovation factors in 900 cities each year, introducing the transport category for the first time in its 2020 rankings.

    For the environmental category, researchers measured Singapore’s geophysical risks, its environmental policies and environmental well-being. It fared poorly on well-being factors (26th out of the top 30 cities), based on how clean and reliable the city’s water supply, energy sources and transportation were.

    It was Singapore’s transportation systems that pushed it up the rankings, with its seaport graded by Schroders as the best in the world.

    READ ALSO
    Singapore tops 2 rankings: Most competitive economy, best place for children

    Giving a breakdown, the report said that in this new category for 2020, Singapore achieved ninth place for its road, 14th place for trains, 20th for buses and 24th for the airport.

    Proprietary research was used to analyse modes of transport in different cities such as walk times to bus and train stops, journey times on roads, and passenger and freight volume through ports and airports, Schroders said.

    Evaluating each city’s transportation system gives a better understanding of how efficient the city is overall, and an efficient transport network is also “now seen as essential in supporting social mobility”, it added.

    Mr Machin said: “Singapore is small by landmass and very efficient, hence the good transport score. Also, (regarding) traffic data, it scores well given the management of cars on the road, unlike Los Angeles.

    “The airport data... shows how well-connected Singapore is compared to top international rivals in the region.”

    In terms of the economy in 2020, Singapore is in 18th place compared with the top 30 cities. Researchers had looked at factors such as the size of the population, as well as household incomes, retail sales and the gross domestic product of the nation.

    READ ALSO
    Family still top priority for Singaporeans, but importance of work has declined since 2002: IPS study
    Most economies around the world were battered by the effects of Covid-19.

    Singapore experienced its worst recession since its independence in 2020 due to the pandemic. Its economy shrank by 5.8 per cent year-on-year, while household incomes from work shrank by 2.5 per cent.

    For innovation, Schroders measured the quality of educational institutions and the numbers of skilled resident graduates entering the workforce.

    On this, Singapore ranked eighth in the world, behind London, Boston, New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Los Angeles and Beijing.

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...h 11, 2021 (ACTIVE)_newsletter_11032021_today
     
  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore among 10 most desirable countries to work in, fewer Singaporeans want to work abroad due to Covid-19: Survey
    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-among-top-10-most-desirable-countries-work-fewer-singaporeans-want-work-abroad?cid=emarsys-today_TODAY's morning briefing for March 16, 2021 (ACTIVE)_newsletter_16032021_today

    By TESSA OH
    Published MARCH 15, 2021

    A recent survey found that fewer Singaporeans want to seek overseas job opportunities due to the pandemic, with only 44 per cent indicating that they would like to work abroad.

    Singapore is now the eighth most attractive country to relocate to among workers; it was ranked 18th in 2018 and 24th in 2014.

    Other countries in the top 10 are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States

    The survey also found that much fewer Singaporeans (44 per cent) want to work overseas, down from 70 per cent in 2018 and 79 per cent in 2014

    SINGAPORE — Due to its management of the Covid-19 situation, Singapore has leapt into a top 10 spot for the first time as a desirable place to work, a study showed. It also found that fewer Singaporeans want to work abroad now than before the pandemic.

    These findings were released on Monday (March 15) as part of a survey on workforce mobility around the world, done by employment matching firm Seek Asia and job marketplace JobStreet.

    With the help of recruitment company The Network and management consulting company Boston Consulting Group, a total of 208,807 people were polled across more than 190 countries.

    Among them, 6,280 participants were from Singapore, with the majority being citizens. They have varied work backgrounds, including in retail, finance and the tech sector.

    Singapore is now the eighth most attractive country to relocate to among workers. It was ranked 18th in 2018 and 24th in 2014.

    Other countries in the top 10 are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.

    For people who would like to go to Singapore to work, they were chiefly from China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Switzerland — the only European city in the top 10 list among the origin countries.

    JobStreet said in its press release: “Beyond commendable Covid-19 preparedness and response, Singapore has always been an appealing work destination for global talent. Other than robust international trade and investment, her digital infrastructure, national stability and culture of innovation also inspire confidence.

    “The top 10 countries from where PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians), specifically in the digital field, would like to (go) to Singapore to work include China (fifth), Qatar (sixth), United Arab Emirates (eighth) and Switzerland (10th). These talents enjoy a high quality of life, and Singapore’s standard of living and working matches their home countries.”

    The survey also found that much fewer Singaporeans (44 per cent) want to seek overseas job opportunities due to the pandemic.

    This is a sharp drop from the 70 per cent who wished to go overseas for work in 2018, and 79 per cent in 2014, in a continuing downward trend.

    Among those surveyed in Singapore, employees working in the media and information industry were the most willing to work abroad, with 72 per cent of those polled saying that they would do so.

    The report found that Australia remains the top destination where Singaporeans would like to work, mostly due to the work-life balance in the country and the fact that it is a multicultural society.

    The other favourable countries are China and Taiwan, which took the second and third positions respectively.

    Countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, which were the second and third most popular destinations in 2018, fell and became less popular in the 2020 survey.

    This data suggests that Singaporeans are also more willing to work in countries that have emerged as role models where Covid-19 management is concerned, JobStreet said.

    upload_2021-3-16_11-36-40.png
    A comparison of the top 10 desired work destinations in 2014, 2018 and 2020. Image: Jobstreet

    On the subject of remote work, the survey found that slightly more than half of the Singaporeans polled are willing to take on remote work, 6 per cent less than the global average.

    Among the top countries that Singaporeans would look to for remote work are Australia, China and the United States.

    Conversely, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand were among the top countries where employers there said that they would consider Singaporeans for remote employment.

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-among-top-10-most-desirable-countries-work-fewer-singaporeans-want-work-abroad?cid=emarsys-today_TODAY's morning briefing for March 16, 2021 (ACTIVE)_newsletter_16032021_today
     
  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore start-up PatSnap turns unicorn with backing from SoftBank, Tencent
    Singapore start-up PatSnap turns unicorn with backing from SoftBank, Tencent, Companies & Markets News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

    [​IMG]
    PatSnap's founding team with CEO Jeffrey Tiong (2nd from right) . The start-up, founded in 2007, provides data and analytics on intellectual property.PHOTO: PATSNAP
    • PUBLISHED
      MAR 17, 2021, 7:38 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - Singapore-founded PatSnap reached a valuation topping US$1 billion (S$1.35 billion) in a fresh funding round, with SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Tencent Investment among those backing the provider of patent analytics.

    CPE Industrial Fund and existing investors Sequoia China, Shunwei Capital and Vertex Ventures joined the US$300 million Series E round, the software company said in a statement. PatSnap will use the funds for product development and expanding its sales presence.

    Joining the list of global technology unicorns, PatSnap is benefiting from a surge in research and development spending, with the United States and China seeking an edge amid heightened trade tensions between the countries. PatSnap's software lets inventors and researchers gain insights into innovations being developed around the world.

    "The US-China trade war is essentially about technology and a lot of companies want to know where to invest," Mr Jeffrey Tiong, PatSnap founder and chief executive, said in an interview. "We spent more than 10 years collecting patent data from 140 countries and use artificial intelligence to provide insights."

    Founded in 2007, PatSnap - short for patents in a snap - provides data and analytics on intellectual property to more than 10,000 customers including Spotify Technology and Xiaomi Corp. It employs more than 700 people in Singapore, London and Toronto.

    PatSnap was started in Singapore, which has long positioned itself as neutral ground, before expanding to China where it now has more than 50 per cent of the market.

    Users of PatSnap's software platform can type key words and phrases such as "electric vehicle" for information on companies, technologies and inventors in the space. Its page on Tesla, for example, shows a map of companies connected to the US electric carmaker, with Panasonic Corp coming on top to reflect their battery collaboration.

    PatSnap makes money by charging a subscription fee that is typically US$20,000 to US$30,000 a year. Some start-ups pay as little as US$5,000 for limited usage, while large firms can shell out as much as US$500,000. Vacuum cleaner maker Dyson and SZ DJI Technology, the world's biggest maker of drones, are among the clients.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    5 questions with patents database platform PatSnap[/paste:font]
    ESG programmes to groom new start-ups have supported over 300 participants in 6 months[/paste:font]
    Mr Tiong, 37, got the idea for PatSnap while he was on a year-long NUS Overseas Colleges internship at medical device upstart BioConnect Systems in Philadelphia in 2004. Tasked to evaluate patents, he had to check various government websites and found intellectual property documents arcane. He imagined a software that would help make the process simple and easy to understand.

    After returning home and graduating from the National University of Singapore, he founded PatSnap with a $55,000 Government grant and incubation support from NUS Enterprise.

    Mr Tiong also added three co-founders - chief technology officer Markus Haense; vice-president of new ventures Ray Chohan; and senior vice-president of Asia-Pacific Guan Dian.

    "The journey has been challenging for PatSnap's founding team," said Mr Chua Kee Lock, managing partner of Vertex Ventures, an early backer that led PatSnap's Series A and D+ financing rounds. "Against all odds, they managed to create a truly differentiating solution."
     
  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Port of Singapore named best seaport in Asia for the 32nd time
    Port of Singapore named best seaport in Asia for the 32nd time, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    [​IMG]
    The Maritime and Port Authority said it is a testament to the Port of Singapore's efficiency and continued leadership in driving maritime innovation.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
    [​IMG]
    Ng Wei Kai

    • PUBLISHED
      NOV 10, 2020, 9:58 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Singapore beat out three other contenders - Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen - to clinch the title of best seaport in Asia, for the 32nd time.

    The Port of Singapore won the "Best Seaport - Asia" award at the 2020 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (Aflas) Awards held in Hong Kong on Monday (Nov 9), said the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) on Tuesday (Nov 10).

    "This is a testament to the Port of Singapore's efficiency and continued leadership in driving maritime innovation," said MPA.

    The Aflas Awards are organised by the publication Asia Cargo News to recognise organisations that demonstrate leadership as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability.

    The winners emerged from votes cast by readers of the publication.

    "As a global hub port, the Port of Singapore continues to play a key role in keeping global supply chains going, particularly as the world economy starts re-opening," said MPA chief executive Quah Ley Hoon.

    "While we are humbled by this affirmation and thank the industry for their support, we will continue to strive to uphold high standards of service and drive initiatives that enable a low-carbon future for the maritime community," she added.
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Zouk Group to bring hawker dishes like chicken rice and prata to new Las Vegas integrated resort
    Zouk Group to bring hawker dishes like chicken rice and prata to new Las Vegas integrated resort, Life News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Famous Foods Street Eats is part of a new integrated resort in Las Vegas.PHOTO: ZOUK GROUP
    Chin Hui Shan
    • PUBLISHED
      MAR 24, 2021, 3:15 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Singapore's Boon Tong Kee chicken rice, Geylang claypot rice and Springleaf prata will soon be dished out in Sin City.

    Famous Foods Street Eats, a 24,000 sq ft marketplace, is part of a new integrated resort in Las Vegas that is slated to open in the third quarter of the year.

    The US$4.3 billion (S$5.8 billion) resort is a partnership between local nightlife and lifestyle company Zouk Group and Resorts World Las Vegas.

    Besides Singapore's hawker dishes, the food hall, which will house 16 stalls, will also feature the likes of Hong Kong's Ah Chun Shandong Dumpling, Thailand's Ten Suns Braised Beef and the Philippines' Pepita's Kitchen, which is known for its stuffed lechons (roast pig).

    Zouk Group executive chairman Hui Lim and chief executive officer Andrew Li had tasted different hawker dishes throughout Asia and picked those with unique recipes that have been passed down through family generations.

    [​IMG]
    Famous Foods Street Eats will feature Boon Tong Kee chicken rice, Springleaf prata and Geylang claypot rice. PHOTOS: ST FILE, ANDRE HOEDEN, GEYLANG CLAYPOT RICE






    For instance, Geylang Claypot Rice, which earned a Michelin Plate in 2016, was founded more than 40 years ago. Its stall in Las Vegas will offer old-school South-east Asian rice dishes slowly cooked in traditional claypots.

    "Famous Foods will transport guests to an authentic Asian hawker market, an experience that's never been replicated in the US," said Mr Li.

    There will also be stalls serving Western food, including fried chicken by James Beard Award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson and Italian dishes by chef James Trees from Las Vegas favourite Esther's Kitchen.

    Guests can go for drinks at the Famous Foods Center Bar, which will feature a self-pour and automated beer system offering a rotation of beers, cocktails and wines from around the world. Or they can chill at Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den, a tucked-away speakeasy.

    [​IMG]
    Guests can go for drinks at the Famous Foods Center Bar. PHOTO: ZOUK GROUP

    Zouk Group said more food and beverage concepts will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

    According to a Straits Times report last November, the brand's concepts will occupy 100,000 sq ft of space in the integrated resort, which is the Las Vegas Strip's first development to be built from the ground up in over a decade. It marks the 29-year-old group's first foray into the United States.

    The brand will bring its iconic Zouk Nightclub, social gaming bar RedTail and FUHU, an experiential contemporary Asian dining venue, as well as open a new dayclub called AYU.

    [​IMG]
    (Clockwise from top left) Zouk Nightclub, social gaming bar RedTail, experiential contemporary Asian dining venue FUHU and dayclub AYU. PHOTOS: RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Zouk Group to open multi-concept complex in Las Vegas in summer 2021[/paste:font]
    A-Z inventions of Covid-19: Zouk and company go beyond clubbing[/paste:font]
     
  16. ants

    ants Regular Member

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    Loh!! How are you doing mate? I acknowledge your never ending support and posting things about Singapore! Still going strong after so many years. Hope you are doing well over there in SG.
     
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  17. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Hi Ants, nice to hear from you. Also you are still around after so many years!
    Yes, BC gives me the opportunity to share some news on Singapore and I appreciate this.
    I hope you are well and good and continue to play the game.
    Wishing you all the best!
     
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  18. ants

    ants Regular Member

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    I am doing well bro. Hardly play badminton nowadays. Once a blue moon i will drop by BC to see what is going on in this forum.
     
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  19. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    S’pore takes top spot in ranking of smart city govts, praised for ‘sterling’ Covid-19 response, digital initiatives

    By JUSTIN ONG
    Published MARCH 31, 2021
    Updated MARCH 31, 2021

    [​IMG]
    Nuria Ling/TODAY
    The Republic took the honours due to factors such as its technology infrastructure, digital initiatives and its “sterling” response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The report’s authors said, however, that there remains more to be done in migrant worker living conditions and data privacy
    Singapore could consider shifting from technology-based solutions to embracing ground-up ideas to maintain its top standing
    Seoul and Shanghai are the other Asian cities to make it into the top 10

    SINGAPORE — Singapore has eclipsed London to take top spot in a biennial study that ranks the top 50 smart city governments in the world.

    The Republic took the honours due to factors such as its technology infrastructure, digital initiatives and its “sterling” response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    However, the authors of the report noted that “there always remains more to be done”, such as in preventing the spread of Covid-19 among the migrant worker population.

    There have also been privacy concerns surrounding the technology used for TraceTogether — Singapore’s contact tracing system.

    The study, now in its second edition, was conducted by Singapore-based consulting firm Eden Strategy Institute, and the results were released on Wednesday (March 31). Singapore ranked second in the inaugural 2019 edition.

    The rankings place an “explicit focus” on governments as key drivers of smart city development, the authors said.

    The top 50 cities were shortlisted from a list of 235 cities, using existing smart city rankings, news articles, websites and other media sources.

    The cities were then ranked based on 10 factors: Vision, leadership, budget, financial incentives, support programmes, talent readiness, people centricity, innovation ecosystems, smart policies and track record.

    The authors also looked at existing research on smart city plans, government press releases and third party publications, such as research papers, in assessing the cities.

    In particular, each city’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic contributed significantly to their rankings in this edition, the authors said.

    TOP 10 CITIES
    The top 10 ranked cities are:

    Singapore
    Seoul, South Korea
    London, United Kingdom
    Barcelona, Spain
    Helsinki, Finland
    New York City, United States
    Montreal, Canada
    Shanghai, China
    Vienna, Austria
    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Singapore scored particularly well in terms of financial incentives, support programmes, talent readiness and innovation ecosystem.

    It had invested over US$1.7 billion (S$2.3 billion) in improving technology infrastructure and initiatives, and on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the authors noted.

    Programmes such as SMEs Go Digital — which aims to help businesses develop technological solutions more readily — and the LifeSG app, which provides over 40 government e-services to users at various stages of their lives, were among the initiatives singled out by researchers.

    Singapore was also praised for its Covid-19 response, in particular the TraceTogether app, which is now used by 70 per cent of the population and has cut contact tracing efforts by half, the authors said.

    However, they added that Singapore could have done better in its Covid-19 response, which was “sullied by the neglecting of the health conditions of its migrant population”.

    At the peak of the outbreak in April last year — when Singapore entered the circuit breaker period — more than 1,000 new daily Covid-19 cases were identified in densely-packed foreign worker dormitories which could house up to 20 people in a room.

    There had also been “growing privacy concerns surrounding the use of its contact tracing technology and collected data”.

    Responding to queries from TODAY, the authors of the study confirmed that these privacy concerns refer to when TraceTogether data was revealed not to be exempt from the Criminal Procedure Code.

    “We recognise that the Government has since introduced measures to restrict the use of collected data,” the authors told TODAY.

    “However, transparent communication efforts, building citizen trust and awareness, and introducing regulations to safeguard the use of sensitive data must continue to be prioritised as smart cities grow to rely more heavily on data.”

    On how Singapore can maintain its top standing, the authors said the next step is “less of a question of what more to introduce, or what programme to testbed”.

    Rather, Singapore should consider how it can deepen and scale its programmes such that “every citizen is actively participating and can actually realise improvements in their communities and livelihoods through smart city initiatives”.

    Singapore may also benefit from less reliance on technology-based solutions and in embracing ground-up ideas instead, the authors said.

    “Facilitating co-creation and citizen participation will result in smart city initiatives with greater relevance to the population.”

    OTHER ASIAN CITIES WHICH HAVE IMPROVED

    Seoul and Shanghai are the other Asian cities that have made it to the top 10.

    Seoul, which climbed a spot to second place, was lauded for its introduction of services that address citizens' needs in transportation, digital connectivity and civic participation.

    Shanghai, which improved two spots to eighth place, was noted for its comprehensive digital network, which comprises smart infrastructure such as sensors and cameras designed to collect real-time data and free Wi-Fi hot spots.

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...h 31, 2021 (ACTIVE)_newsletter_31032021_today
     
  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    S’pore plans S$27.7m contribution to IMF initiatives for low-income countries hit by Covid-19

    By MICHELLE LEE
    Published MARCH 31, 2021
    Updated APRIL 05, 2021
    [​IMG]
    AFP
    A general view shows the Monetary Authority of Singapore building in Singapore on April 14, 2016.

    SINGAPORE — Singapore will contribute US$20.57 million (S$27.7 million) in grants to support International Monetary Fund (IMF) initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable, low-income countries cope with the economic impact of Covid-19.

    The grants will be made as part of international efforts to “enhance the capacity” of the IMF to support the surge in requests for financial assistance from such countries, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in a statement on Wednesday (March 31).

    The move is subject to Parliament’s approval on April 5, MAS added.

    Singapore hopes to provide grants to three IMF initiatives:

    The Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT)
    The Covid-19 Crisis Capacity Development Initiative (CCCDI), and
    The Trust for Special Poverty Reduction and Growth Operations for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (PRG-HIPC Trust).


    The bulk of the contribution — US$17.6 million — will go to the CCRT, which provides the IMF’s poorest members with debt relief in the event of a global health pandemic or natural catastrophe.

    The trust is in need of a US$1.4 billion replenishment “to help strengthen healthcare systems in low-income countries”, MAS said.

    It added that Singapore’s grant to the CCRT is commensurate with the country’s IMF quota share. Quotas determine the maximum amount of financial resources a member is obliged to provide.

    US$2 million will go to the CCCDI, which tends to the urgent capacity development needs of countries affected by the pandemic, and is expected to raise US$100 million.

    Lastly, US$970,000 will go to the PRG-HIPC Trust and support the IMF’s US$344 million financing package for Somalia’s debt relief.

    “The IMF has assessed that Somalia’s external debt is unsustainable and it requires urgent assistance to clear its prolonged arrears,” it said.

    Singapore has a strong interest in supporting global economic recovery from the pandemic, said MAS.

    “Alongside other member countries’ contributions, Singapore’s grant contributions in response to the IMF’s request also demonstrate our support for collective global action to help the most vulnerable countries,” it added.

    Grants to the CCRT and CCCDI will come from MAS’ Official Foreign Reserves, while those to the PRG-HIPC Trust will come from Singapore’s share of existing resources in other IMF accounts, the authority said.

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...h 31, 2021 (ACTIVE)_newsletter_31032021_today
     

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