London is gaining a spectacular new revolving landmark to rival the London Eye. The Greenwich Observation Wheel will open to the public in summer 2008 and offers a 55-metre high ride with panoramic views of the city. Visitors should be able to take in St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London as well as Canary Wharf, the Olympic site in the Lea Valley and Hampstead Heath to the north.
The wheel will be located within the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich and remain open from June 21 to September 28. The free- standing skeletal structure can carry up to 240 people in 40 gondolas.
The Greenwich wheel is smaller than the London Eye, which has become one of the capital's most enduring tourist attractions and stands 135 metres high on the South Bank. The Singapore Flyer observation wheel to be unveiled this year will become of the world's tallest of its kind at 165 metres.
Monday, August 18, 2008
20 sent to hospital over gas leak in Singapore mall
Twenty people complaining of breathing difficulties were sent to hospital after an unknown gas was released in a Singapore shopping center on Monday afternoon, local media reported.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was notified about the leak at Golden Landmark Shopping Complex in central Singapore at 4.11pm local time (0811GMT), local TV channel NewsAsia reported.
The source of the gas is unknown. Also unknown is whether the leak was deliberate or an accident. Police are investigating the case.
The report said a man, one of the 20 people who were sent to the Singapore General Hospital, was taken into police custody, but it was not known what role the man had in the incident.
SCDF's Colonel Eric Yap was quoted as saying, "About 40 people attended to the incident. When we arrived, we did a full detection test of the premises. What we discovered was there is no residual contaminants in the premises, and we further confirmed this with a very precise testing of each of the locations."
SCDF also confirmed that the affected area was confined to a staircase lobby and the estimated 10-meter radius around it, said the report.
Singapore has tightened its security recently after the escape of the Singapore leader of an terror group the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) from a detention center on February 27.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was notified about the leak at Golden Landmark Shopping Complex in central Singapore at 4.11pm local time (0811GMT), local TV channel NewsAsia reported.
The source of the gas is unknown. Also unknown is whether the leak was deliberate or an accident. Police are investigating the case.
The report said a man, one of the 20 people who were sent to the Singapore General Hospital, was taken into police custody, but it was not known what role the man had in the incident.
SCDF's Colonel Eric Yap was quoted as saying, "About 40 people attended to the incident. When we arrived, we did a full detection test of the premises. What we discovered was there is no residual contaminants in the premises, and we further confirmed this with a very precise testing of each of the locations."
SCDF also confirmed that the affected area was confined to a staircase lobby and the estimated 10-meter radius around it, said the report.
Singapore has tightened its security recently after the escape of the Singapore leader of an terror group the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) from a detention center on February 27.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Singapore Changi opens new T3 shopping and dining precinct
Singapore Changi Airport formally opened its new shopping and dining at T3 today.
The launch was officiated by Lim Kim Choon, pictured, director-general and CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). T3's public area features some 60 retail and food and beverage outlets over 8600 sqm – the largest dedicated retail and F&B space in the public areas among Changi Airport's terminals.
The extensive shopping and dining zones at T3's public area means visitors to the airport need not be travellers to enjoy the shopping and dining experience at the new terminal. Shopping and dining outlets are located at two dedicated areas, namely "B2 Mall @ T3" located at Basement 2 and "3-Top" on Levels 3 and 4.
Visitors can also enjoy late night shopping and dining every night as the retail outlets are open till 11pm daily, while some dining outlets are open 24-hours.
Said Lim: "Though an airport is primarily for travellers, many Singaporeans, especially those living in the eastern part of the island, visit the airport to dine and relax on weekends. We hope these visitors will continue to enjoy shopping and dining at Changi Airport, in particular, the unique retail and F&B experience at Terminal 3's public area."
In conjunction with the launch, a shopping promotion will run exclusively in the public areas of T3 from 1 to 30 April. During this promotion, 30 people will win an all-expenses paid trip to the Beijing Olympics.
T3 is a seven-storey 380,000 sqm building with three basement and four above ground levels. It adds a capacity of 22 million passengers per annum to Changi Airport, bringing the airport's total annual capability to about 70 million passengers. Changi Airport's total retail and F&B space amounts to 48,000 sqm with about 230 retail and over 110 food & beverage outlets.
The launch was officiated by Lim Kim Choon, pictured, director-general and CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). T3's public area features some 60 retail and food and beverage outlets over 8600 sqm – the largest dedicated retail and F&B space in the public areas among Changi Airport's terminals.
The extensive shopping and dining zones at T3's public area means visitors to the airport need not be travellers to enjoy the shopping and dining experience at the new terminal. Shopping and dining outlets are located at two dedicated areas, namely "B2 Mall @ T3" located at Basement 2 and "3-Top" on Levels 3 and 4.
Visitors can also enjoy late night shopping and dining every night as the retail outlets are open till 11pm daily, while some dining outlets are open 24-hours.
Said Lim: "Though an airport is primarily for travellers, many Singaporeans, especially those living in the eastern part of the island, visit the airport to dine and relax on weekends. We hope these visitors will continue to enjoy shopping and dining at Changi Airport, in particular, the unique retail and F&B experience at Terminal 3's public area."
In conjunction with the launch, a shopping promotion will run exclusively in the public areas of T3 from 1 to 30 April. During this promotion, 30 people will win an all-expenses paid trip to the Beijing Olympics.
T3 is a seven-storey 380,000 sqm building with three basement and four above ground levels. It adds a capacity of 22 million passengers per annum to Changi Airport, bringing the airport's total annual capability to about 70 million passengers. Changi Airport's total retail and F&B space amounts to 48,000 sqm with about 230 retail and over 110 food & beverage outlets.
Airport operator's profit soars
In the three months to March 31, Southern Cross reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $162 million, excluding specific expenses.
The company said total revenue from all of its business units rose 7.6 per cent over the prior corresponding period to $200.7 million.
Kerrie Mather -- the chief executive of Southern Cross's owner, Macquarie Airports (MAp) -- said it was a sound earnings result.
"The Sydney result was very solid, up nearly 7 per cent, and we will see continued growth from our commercial activities and the expansion of our facilities," Ms Mather said.
Southern Cross continued to invest in all of its businesses, she said.
Capital expenditure during the first quarter reached $74 million, with about $69 million devoted to growth expenditure, including spending on a multi-storey car park, international terminal redevelopment and new large aircraft works.
The redevelopment of the international terminal, which includes improved passenger processing facilities, baggage system and retail dwelling space, was also well under way, Ms Mather said.
The company said total revenue from all of its business units rose 7.6 per cent over the prior corresponding period to $200.7 million.
Kerrie Mather -- the chief executive of Southern Cross's owner, Macquarie Airports (MAp) -- said it was a sound earnings result.
"The Sydney result was very solid, up nearly 7 per cent, and we will see continued growth from our commercial activities and the expansion of our facilities," Ms Mather said.
Southern Cross continued to invest in all of its businesses, she said.
Capital expenditure during the first quarter reached $74 million, with about $69 million devoted to growth expenditure, including spending on a multi-storey car park, international terminal redevelopment and new large aircraft works.
The redevelopment of the international terminal, which includes improved passenger processing facilities, baggage system and retail dwelling space, was also well under way, Ms Mather said.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Singapore Exports Unexpectedly Fall; Europe, U.S. Sales Decline
Singapore's exports unexpectedly dropped in March, posting the biggest decline in 13 months, as pharmaceutical companies and electronics manufacturers shipped fewer goods to customers in the U.S. and Europe.
Non-oil domestic exports fell 5.9 percent from a year earlier following a revised 6.2 percent increase in February, the government's trade promotion agency said in a statement today. Economists expected a 0.4 percent gain.
Manufacturers in Singapore and across Asia are facing slower demand for their products amid signs the U.S., the region's largest export market, is heading for a recession. The World Bank this month said global trade volumes are expected to climb between 4 percent and 5 percent this year, compared with a 7.5 percent increase in 2007.
``Electronic exports are still fairly weak,'' said Ho Woei Chen, an analyst at United Overseas Bank Ltd. in Singapore. ``We expect U.S. growth to be better only later in the year, so export demand will remain moderate until then.''
Pharmaceutical shipments dropped 34.1 percent last month from a year earlier, after gaining 7.6 percent in February. Drug shipments were valued at S$1.62 billion ($1.2 billion) in March, compared with S$1.67 billion the month before.
Non-electronics shipments, which include petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier. Petrochemical exports declined 11.8 percent in the same period, today's report showed.
Computer Chips
Electronics shipments slid 8.5 percent in March from a year earlier, the 14th consecutive drop, following a revised 2.4 percent decline in February. Sales of electronics products were worth S$5.4 billion last month compared with S$5.1 billion in February.
Singapore's semiconductor shipments declined 6.9 percent from a year earlier after sliding a revised 3.6 percent in February. Disk-drive exports rose 1.3 percent in March.
Overseas sales fell a seasonally adjusted 2.6 percent last month from February, when they dropped a revised 1.4 percent, today's report showed. Economists expected a 1 percent gain.
Sales to the European Union, Singapore's largest overseas market, fell 23.7 percent in March. Shipments to the U.S., its second-biggest market, dropped 27.5 percent, while exports to China decreased 6.2 percent in March.
Non-oil domestic exports fell 5.9 percent from a year earlier following a revised 6.2 percent increase in February, the government's trade promotion agency said in a statement today. Economists expected a 0.4 percent gain.
Manufacturers in Singapore and across Asia are facing slower demand for their products amid signs the U.S., the region's largest export market, is heading for a recession. The World Bank this month said global trade volumes are expected to climb between 4 percent and 5 percent this year, compared with a 7.5 percent increase in 2007.
``Electronic exports are still fairly weak,'' said Ho Woei Chen, an analyst at United Overseas Bank Ltd. in Singapore. ``We expect U.S. growth to be better only later in the year, so export demand will remain moderate until then.''
Pharmaceutical shipments dropped 34.1 percent last month from a year earlier, after gaining 7.6 percent in February. Drug shipments were valued at S$1.62 billion ($1.2 billion) in March, compared with S$1.67 billion the month before.
Non-electronics shipments, which include petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier. Petrochemical exports declined 11.8 percent in the same period, today's report showed.
Computer Chips
Electronics shipments slid 8.5 percent in March from a year earlier, the 14th consecutive drop, following a revised 2.4 percent decline in February. Sales of electronics products were worth S$5.4 billion last month compared with S$5.1 billion in February.
Singapore's semiconductor shipments declined 6.9 percent from a year earlier after sliding a revised 3.6 percent in February. Disk-drive exports rose 1.3 percent in March.
Overseas sales fell a seasonally adjusted 2.6 percent last month from February, when they dropped a revised 1.4 percent, today's report showed. Economists expected a 1 percent gain.
Sales to the European Union, Singapore's largest overseas market, fell 23.7 percent in March. Shipments to the U.S., its second-biggest market, dropped 27.5 percent, while exports to China decreased 6.2 percent in March.
Singapore's non-oil domestic exports down 5.9% in March
The non-oil domestic exports (NODX) in Singapore dropped 5.9 percent in March this year over a year ago, due to a fall in both electronics and non-electronics exports.
According to the figures released by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) on Thursday, the electronics exports, which have been on the descent since February last year, continued to decline by 8.5 percent in March this year. Non-electronics exports reversed the preceding month's 13 percent healthy increase by falling 4.2 percent.
Singapore's NODX to Japan, South Korea and China's Hong Kong rose, but the sector's exports to the rest of the top 10 NODX markets decreased in March this year, and the largest contributors to the NODX contraction were the European Union (EU), the United States and Malaysia.
Singapore's NODX to China dropped by 6.2 percent in March this year, compared to the 4.1 percent growth in February this year.
Total exports rose by 4.4 percent in March this year, following the previous month's 18 percent growth. Total trade jumped by 11 percent in March this year, slower than the previous month 's 19 percent expansion.
According to the figures released by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) on Thursday, the electronics exports, which have been on the descent since February last year, continued to decline by 8.5 percent in March this year. Non-electronics exports reversed the preceding month's 13 percent healthy increase by falling 4.2 percent.
Singapore's NODX to Japan, South Korea and China's Hong Kong rose, but the sector's exports to the rest of the top 10 NODX markets decreased in March this year, and the largest contributors to the NODX contraction were the European Union (EU), the United States and Malaysia.
Singapore's NODX to China dropped by 6.2 percent in March this year, compared to the 4.1 percent growth in February this year.
Total exports rose by 4.4 percent in March this year, following the previous month's 18 percent growth. Total trade jumped by 11 percent in March this year, slower than the previous month 's 19 percent expansion.
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