Total Eclipse Arcs Across Pacific

HANGA ROA, Chile: A total solar eclipse drew an 11,000-kilometer (6,800-mile) arc over the Pacific, plunging remote isles into darkness in a heavenly display climaxing on mysterious Easter Island.

The skies grew black in the middle of the day Sunday as the Moon slipped in front of the Sun and aligned with the Earth, blotting out the sunshine that just moments earlier had swathed the island's silent, ancient stone guardians.

Applause erupted from thousands of stargazers who began gathering days ago on this remote Chilean outpost for the rare four-minute, 41-second eclipse.

"It was like being in the stadium at night with artificial light. It was like being in a dark room with a 10-watt bulb," awe-struck local official Francisco Haoa told AFP.

"It started with a shadow. The skies were perfectly blue, with lots of wind that chased away the clouds. Everyone applauded.

"We saw a luminous object near here and people started saying they were sure it was a UFO."

In Tahiti, where the solar eclipse began its trek, the effect was so stunning that crowds of football-mad Polynesians turned away from the World Cup final on their television screens to look to the skies instead.

"It was like the Sun was smiling," said eight-year-old Hinanui. "The Sun seemed like a horizontal crescent, then the Moon covered up the bottom of the Sun, which reappeared again as a crescent."

Opticians and pharmacies sold more than 120,000 pairs of protective eyewear in Tahiti, which has 260,000 inhabitants, and warned of the dangers of vision loss if people looked directly at the eclipse.

Beginning at 1815 GMT, when the umbra or shadow fell about 700 kilometers (440 miles) southeast of Tonga, the eclipse zipped in an easterly arc, cloaking Easter Island at 2011 GMT.

It finished with a pass across southern Chile and Argentina, where it came to an end at 2052 GMT, just before nightfall in Patagonia.

An estimated 4,000 tourists, scientists, photographers, filmmakers and journalists flocked to this World Heritage site of only 160 square kilometers (60 square miles), doubling the barren island's population.

The Sun is 400 times wider than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away. Because of the symmetry, the lunar umbra that falls on the face of the Earth is exactly wide enough to cover the face of the Sun.

Throughout human history, superstition, awe and dread -- fears for the birth or death of kings, victories or defeats, bumper harvests or gnawing hunger -- have attended the moment when the Earth is plunged into daytime darkness.

Easter Island authorities increased security, especially around key heritage sites, including the 3,000-year-old large stone statues, or moai, that put the far-flung ethnic Polynesian islanders on the world culture map.

In local ancient lore, such an eclipse "would have been seen as a very powerful signal of upcoming upheaval," as their world view was rooted in nature, in "the earth, the sea and especially the sky," said Patricia Vargas of the University of Chile.

A French and a Japanese tourist were arrested for mounting "platforms where they are not allowed to touch and climb the statues," said police chief Cristian Gonzalez.

Mayor Luz del Carmen Zasso said visitors were asked to treat the island with respect.

"Easter Island is an open-air museum, and the eclipse is part of this museum," she added.

The eclipse has brought a tourist boom to Easter Island and Tahiti, where American film director James Cameron was among the stargazers helping to bring a 10.8-million-dollar tourism bonanza to the archipelago.

Meanwhile, in the small Patagonian town of El Calafate, just across the border from southern Chile in the snow-capped Argentine Andes, hundreds of people gathered to witness the natural phenomenon.

"We are pleased and excited by the interest generated by the eclipse. The five daily flights arriving in El Calafate were full on Friday and Saturday, and the climate is excellent for watching," said tourism director Ana Ianni.

Forecasters said there were clear skies with below-freezing temperatures in the southern hemisphere winter, with all-terrain vehicles needed to brave the snowy mountains.

The more adventurous could choose to spend the day in heated tents, high up in mountain spots only accessible with the help of guides and the stunning Perito Moreno glacier as a backdrop.

More photos of the Annular 15th January 2010 Eclipse:
http://en.chinagate.cn/photos/2010-01/16/content_19249727.htm

Read on:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#SE2010Jul11T
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2010-Fig03.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_11,_2010

Tay Ping Hui Weds Girlfriend & Bids Singlehood Goodbye.

Dubbed as Mediacorp's 'most eligible bachelor', Tay Ping Hui finally settles down as he marries longtime girlfriend Edna Lim last Friday.
The 39-year-old National University of Singapore lecturer accepted Ping Hui's proposal last year and the lovebirds had originally planned to get married after the General Elections.

"I thought the elections would be held in May but apparently I was wrong. We couldn't wait so we went ahead with the wedding."

Ping Hui's wedding news hardly came as a surprise. He has been saying that he was ready to settle down and even thanked his "future wife and unborn baby" after receiving the award for Top 10 Most Popular male Artiste earlier this year during Star Awards,.

Athough xinmsn has caught wind of Ping Hui's wedding plans long ago, the actor requested to only be interviewed after the wedding.

Earlier this morning in an exclusive phone interview with xinmsn, Ping Hui said that the wedding registration, traditional Chinese wedding customs and the wedding banquet were all done last Friday. The wedding banquet was held at Capella Singapore in Sentosa.

The wedding was a simple one, as the couple only invited close relatives and friends.

"Since everyone knew each other, the atmosphere was really very heartwarming and didn't look like we're putting on a 'show'. As for celebrities, I only invited one table, because I only invite those I'm really close to."

Unlike the newly-weds who shed nary a tear, many guests who were present that evening were touched to tears.

Despite the simple affair, the groom went all out with each guest table costing a hefty S$1,800. Unlike fellow celebrities, Ping Hui turned down all wedding sponsorship offers from corporate sponsors.

However, Ping Hui had good friends who helped 'sponsored' some things.

For example, the wedding tuxedo he was wearing was a wedding gift from famous tuxedo brand, Zegna; the bridal car was a sponsored Mercedes Benz 'S' Class and the in-house wedding photographer was Ping Hui's good friend and former MediaCorp artiste, Ix Shen.

After the wedding on Friday, Ping Hui immediately resumed work on Sunday. Due to their hectic schedules, Ping Hui said that they plan to go for their honeymoon in Europe only at the end of the year, when the climate would be cooler.

The 40-year-old also revealed that they plan to buy a marital home in Sentosa when market prices are lower and they are currently living in a rented old colonial-era building.

Ping Hui expressed preference to take things slowly when quizzed on of his plans to have children.
"Of course we'll have children; in fact, I would like to have five kids, big enough to form a basketball team! But that can happen later; for now we prefer to enjoy each other's company."

When asked if it feels different now that he is a married man, Ping Hui says that nothing has changed but acknowledges that he has one more responsibility to fulfill towards his wife and her family.

"It's the beginning of a new chapter of life now."

The Day Orchard Road Turned Into ‘Orchard River’

Singaporeans reacted with shock after seeing photos and videos of Orchard Road being submerged under water by an early morning torrential downpour on Wednesday.

The heavy rain caused major flooding at the Ion Orchard and Scotts Road junction, making the roads impassable to traffic. The rain was especially heavy over the Orchard Road and Rochor Road area, which were submerged in floodwaters of up to half a metre deep. Several shops near Wheelock Place like fast food outlet Wendy’s and luxury retailer Hermes were completely underwater.

Almost 400 Yahoo! Fit-to-Post users reacted with surprise and dismay in the 3 hours since this post was published.
Some like user EHF wondered about the poor drainage facilities along Orchard Road. He said, “Basically, no proper drainage system to go along with rapid buildings being built (sic). Relevant authories need to really look into present drainage system.”
Another FTP user KenluckyL added, “We should not think it is a freak accident but is the concern of the bad reconstruction of road works after building of the new mall — ION. LTA should send its team of specialists and exert to re-inspect the road.”

Yet others like Galleon and Peter questioned if climate change was to blame for the freak heavy downpour.

Besides Orchard Road, other parts of Singapore, including Coronation Road West, Fourth Avenue, Kings Road, Kheam Hock Road and Veerasamy Road were also affected, bringing traffic to a crawl.

The National Environment Agency, in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon, said almost 100 mm of rain fell within a two-hour period from about 9 am to 11 am. The Public Utilities Board also said the downpour accounted for over 60% of the total monthly rainfall for June.

IT specialist Ow Yong Hong, who was travelling along Orchard Road on SBS No. 65, witnessed first-hand the severe flooding.
He told Yahoo! Singapore: ”I’ve never seen such flooding along Orchard Road before. Some cars completely broke down at the junction between Lido and Orchard Road. Drivers were stuck inside and were helpless. The water level was so high it even seeped into my bus. Commuters who had to alight had to take off their shoes and roll up their trousers before getting off. People at the bus-stops were standing on the benches to avoid the water.”

Social networking and micro-blogging site Twitter was also awash with flood photos and Singaporeans tweeting about the flash floods.

Well-known blogger Mr Brown tweeted: “Someone call the Minister of Freak Incidents! Orchard Road flooding!” before posting a photo of a Lucky Plaza basement shop that was completely submerged.

Jovenaatheart tweeted:” It’s the Singaporean equivalent of a natural disaster.”

Yahoo! Singapore user Deb Siddiqi also commented, “I wouldn’t expect this to happen in Singapore, at the most famous road in town.”

The PUB has advised the public to exercise caution as flash floods may still occur in the event of heavy storms. The cause of the flood along Orchard Road is still being investigated.

Oil Spill Spreads To Changi Beach

The oil spill from Tuesday morning’s collision between two large vessels has been spotted along a 700-metre stretch of Changi Beach.

According to a Channel NewsAsia report, oil patches were also spotted along Chek Jawa’s 150-metre stretch of its coastal boardwalk, which is popular among nature lovers. Clean up operations are underway at these locations.

Environmental groups are closely monitoring the situation and have expressed concern that the oil slick will hurt Singapore’s precious coastal wildlife.

Louis Ng, executive director of activist group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, told AFP, “If it more or less hits the sands, it’s mainly the invertebrates like the crabs, the sea snails that will likely be affected.”

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), it will conduct a study on the environmental impact of the oil spill once the clean up is completed.
As for East Coast Parkway, the NEA said the situation has stablised as large patches of oil have been removed by dispersants.

S’PORE CLOSES BEACHES AS OIL SPILL SPREADS
Singapore closes its beaches along 7.2 kilometers of its east coast as an oil spill from a damaged tanker continues to spread.

According to the Associated Press, oil dispersants and 3,300 metres of containment booms deployed by officials have been unsuccessful in keeping the slick from fouling the coast.

A pungent stench now envelopes the eastern coastline, a place normally crowded with families roller-blading, cycling and dining at some of the island’s best seafood restaurants on weekends.

Spots of rust-coloured oil was spotted floating next to a breaker wall at a ferry terminal while the nearby National Sailing Center shuts its doors to hundreds of school students.

Ho Shufen, a manager at the sailing centre, tells AP, “The smell was so bad yesterday, it made me nauseous. I don’t expect anyone would want to come here until the smell is gone.”

The National Environment Agency said it would take “the next few days” to clean up the coastline and advises the public to stay away from the affected beaches.

S’PORE OIL SPILL ‘CONTAINED’, CLEANUP CONTINUES
An AET spokesperson told AFP that the leaked crude was “more or less contained” and “won’t spread” out of the cleanup zone.

“The incident caused significant damage to the vessel’s hull and resulted in a spill of Bintu light crude oil that is now being cleaned up by specialists using a small armada of boats,” he said in a statement.

The Malaysia-based company told AFP, “Efforts resumed early this morning, with the addition of more than 100 personnel deployed along the shoreline in case the spill reaches the coast.”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in its latest update that 5,000 tonnes of crude had leaked from the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, double its estimate just a few hours earlier.

A crude oil slick about four kilometres long and one kilometre wide was spotted near the east coast of Singapore hours after the pre-dawn collision.

The MPA said that the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 has been damaged in a collision with a bulk carrier MV Wally registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency, the collision tore a 10-metre gash in the Malaysian tanker.
Nobody was injured in the accident and ship traffic in the area has not been affected by the incident that took place 13 km off Singapore in the Traffic Separation Scheme at 6.10am Tuesday, according to the release.

The Traffic Separation Scheme is a commercial channel that runs along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

In the aftermath of the accident, both vessels were anchored off Singapore and neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have been notified.

Singapore’s MPA said a total of 20 vessels from Singapore and Malaysia were involved in the cleanup effort while 200 personnel were on standby to attend to coastal areas that might be affected by the slick.
It also said the damaged double-hulled tanker — designed to minimise cargo spillage in case of an accident — was carrying almost 62,000 tonnes of crude.

Ho Yew Weng, response and projects manager of disaster management firm Oil Spill Response Singapore, told AFP, “It seems to be a lot but if it is light crude, it will just evaporate.”

Ho added that Singapore’s hot climate would make the crude disperse even faster, and with the oil’s prolonged exposure to the sun since morning, “a lot of evaporation would have taken place”.

Although the stench of fuel lingered over residential districts near Changi airport into the night, the smell was gone by the morning as joggers enjoyed the fresh morning breeze.

“If they manage to contain it, then it won’t affect wildlife that much,” Louis Ng, executive director of activist group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society tells AFP.

According to Singapore food-industry officials, 51 offshore aquaculture farms near the spill were loaned canvas skirting to cover their underwater nets and prevent any leaked oil from contaminating their fish.

Lee DeWyze Is New ‘American Idol’

Paint store worker, Lee DeWyze, captured the “American Idol” Season 9 title over longtime season front-runner Crystal Bowersox, the cool, dreadlocked single mother with the raspy folk-rock voice.

Lee, 24, looked like he was about to burst into tears after Idol host Ryan Seacrest revealed he won the contest.

He wins the coveted title as well as a recording contract after millions of Americans placed their votes for the bluesy guitarist despite what “Idol” judges had deemed a better showing by Bowersox in her performance finale.

“He’s a fantastic singer. Throwing in the fact that he has an appealing humble and unassuming persona, it’s no wonder he won the hearts of millions,” said Maria S., a die-hard fan of Lee.

Added Kelvin Lian, who watched the finale live on TV this morning, “I’m disappointed Crystal lost out because she certainly has stronger vocals than Lee.”

DeWyze’s cover version of U2′s hit “Beautiful Day” will be released as his first single.

Was Lee your winning choice?

Huge Oil Spill Off Singapore Doubles In Size

Emergency teams are scrambling to contain nearly 5,000 tonnes of crude oil that leaked into the Singapore Strait after two vessels collided in the busy waterway, according to port officials.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in its latest update that 5,000 tonnes of crude had leaked from the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, double its estimate just a few hours earlier.

An AFP report said that a crude oil slick about four kilometres long and one kilometre wide was spotted near the east coast of Singapore hours after the pre-dawn collision.

The stench of fuel lingered over residential districts near Changi airport into the night as some of the oil evaporated in the stifling tropical heat.

The MPA said that the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 has been damaged in a collision with a bulk carrier MV Wally registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency, the collision tore a 10-metre gash in the Malaysian tanker.

The tanker’s operators, Malaysia-based AET, said in a statement, “Oil booms are being placed around the leaked cargo to contain the spill.”

Nobody was injured in the accident and ship traffic in the area has not been affected by the incident that took place 13 km off Singapore in the Traffic Separation Scheme at 6.10am Tuesday, according to the release.

The Traffic Separation Scheme is a commercial channel that runs along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

In the aftermath of the accident, both vessels were anchored off Singapore and neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have been notified.

Singapore’s MPA said a total of 20 vessels from Singapore and Malaysia were involved in the cleanup effort while 200 personnel were on standby to attend to coastal areas that might be affected by the slick.

It also said the damaged double-hulled tanker — designed to minimise cargo spillage in case of an accident — was carrying almost 62,000 tonnes of crude.

Ho Yew Weng, response and projects manager of disaster management firm Oil Spill Response Singapore, told AFP, “It seems to be a lot but if it is light crude, it will just evaporate.”

Ho added that Singapore’s hot climate would make the crude disperse even faster, and with the oil’s prolonged exposure to the sun since morning, “a lot of evaporation would have taken place”.

Tanjong Pagar KTMB Station To Relocate

The Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB station) at Tanjong Pagar will be relocated to the Woodlands train checkpoint by 1 July 2011.

In a Channel NewsAsia report, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak also agreed that Malaysia would co-locate its railway and Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) to the Woodlands train checkpoint.

Also announced was the establishment of MS Pte Ltd. It is reported that Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional Berhad would hold a 60 per cent stake in this company while Singapore’s Temasek Holdings will have a 40 per cent share.

MS Pte Ltd will oversee the development of three parcels of land in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands, and another three pieces of land in Bukit Timah.

The railway land could be swapped for real estate in two of Singapore’s most expensive districts, in Marina South and/or Ophir-Rochor area.

In a joint statement released, both sides will conduct valuations of the land and PM Lee will visit Kuala Lumpur within a month with a proposal for a land swap.

According to Song Seng Wun, a regional economist with CIMB-GK Research in Singapore, he told AFP the railway land’s worth “could be in the billions”.

Rest In Peace Dr Goh Keng Swee

Singapore’s former Deputy Prime Minister and chief economic architect, Dr. Goh Keng Swee, has passed away after a long illness. He was 91.

Dr Goh is best remembered as one of the key architects behind Singapore’s economic success. His daughter-in-law, Tan Siok Sun described the story of his life in the new book Goh Keng Swee: A Portrait. The biography features many of the key milestones in Singapore’s journey from sleepy backwater to a globalised, First-World city.

He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two grandsons and three great grandchildren.

Born into a rich Malacca family, his father, Goh Leng Inn, managed a rubber plantation and his mother was from a family that produced famous Malaysian politicians like Tan Cheng Lock and his son Tan Siew Sin.

Dr. Goh came to Singapore at the age of two, and was later educated at Anglo Chinese School before going on to study economics at Raffles College.

He was active in post-war administration after joining the Department of Social Welfare in 1946. He then tendered his resignation from the civil service to enter politics in 1959. Elected as the People’s Action Party (PAP)’s representative for the Kreta Ayer Constituency, he only retired from the position in 1984.

In 1959, upon taking up the post of Minister of Finance, he once famously described the state of Singapore’s economy as “wretched”. Thanks to his efforts, however, the economy did not stay that way for long.

Twelve years later, in 1979, Dr. Goh made significant contributions to Singapore’s education system, introducing key policies like religious education and streaming in primary schools.

Apart from his role as the Finance Minister, Dr. Goh also became the Minister for Interior and Defence until 1967 following Singapore’s independence. One of the key policies he is credited for is the creation of National Service.

Due to personal reasons, Dr. Goh stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister in 1984. By then, he had been in the Cabinet for 25 years, serving the last 11 as Deputy Prime Minister.

Famed for his legendary thriftiness, President S.R. Nathan, who once worked with Goh in the defence ministry in the 1970s, observed that he was so averse to the idea of spending that he would carry soap flakes to wash his clothing in the hotel bathroom whenever he travelled.

Retired civil servant Oon Lye Kim, 70, told Yahoo! Singapore, “Dr. Goh wasn’t much of a talker but he was a brilliant economist. He really laid the foundations for Singapore’s economic success. He was also instrumental in developing Jurong Island, then just a wild jungle, thereby giving jobs to thousands.”

Another retiree, Paul Loh, 63 said, “He was a very tough but also prudent man, especially when Singapore broke away from Malaysia and we were left on our own. People respect him for what he has done.”

My condolences to his family.

Thank you, Dr. Goh. Rest in peace.

Can iPad Replace Laptop????

Apple has impossible expectations to meet with the iPad. In the run up to its launch, fans around the world predicted a super-saviour, near-messianic tablet that would not only save the publishing industry but forever change the way we use computers.

In many ways, the iPad is on the way to changing the ergonomics of computing, the same way Apple changed the way smartphones work in our hands.

But really, hype aside, how useful is the iPad as a companion for road warriors?

As part of the job at Yahoo!, I’m on the road about twice a month on average. I’ve been traveling with the iPad for the past few weeks with one question in mind — is it good enough to replace my office-issued Hewlett-Packard sub-notebook?

No. Here’s why:

1. Multi-tasking: No small matter — who likes having to close and open applications continuously? If you get an email with an invite to a meeting, you’ll have to close the mail app, open the calendar, check the schedule, close the calendar, open the mail app and reply. Computing may be tough sometimes, but multi-tasking is nothing short of sliced bread.

2. Keyboard: I’ve been annoyed that the iPhone doesn’t have a keyboard. I hate it even more that there isn’t one for the iPad. Sure, I know I can pair it up with a Bluetooth keyboard, but that’s just one more gadget to pack on a trip.

3. Charger: The iPad can only be charged through a wall charger — you can’t juice up on a regular USB port. That’s another thing to think about.

4. Business apps: Want to work on a 20-page Powerpoint deck on the iPad? Don’t even bother. Apple’s Keynote often shreds Powerpoint pressos.

5. The attention: A curse on early adopters! While it’s a great conversation piece, it means having to demo it for plenty of onlookers.

There are, of course, lots of great reasons to travel with an iPad. Just to balance the argument, here are three of the best ones:

1. Instant on: No-fire-up-and… wait, wait, wait on this. Hit the “on” button and you’re up instantly.

2. Battery life: You get up to ten hours on this.

3. Flights: It’s comfortable to use in the economy seat. No scrunched up body postures. Also, the iPad guarantees a quick pass through on airport security checks. This is one computer that you can safely keep in your bag during luggage x-rays.

Overall, the experience has been positive. But if I had to pick only one business computer for a trip, it would still be the laptop.

What’s been your experience with the “wonder tablet”? Do you plan to get your hands on one?

The Crescent Moon and the “Evening Star”

We received a “front-row seat” last Sunday evening, May 16, 2010 to a common and yet always awesome sight – the “evening star” visibly sitting on top of a crescent moon. People were abuzz both offline and online as people took photos of this astrological occurrence and posted it on social media sites.

The “evening star” is, as many may know already, the planet Venus. As community member Wiser explains in a question, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky after Moon so people thought in the early days (before we has astronomy) it was a star.

Actually, when Venus is seen in the easter sky before the sunrise it is referred to as a “morning star” and when it is seen in the evening in the west after sunset (similar to what just happened last night) it’s called an “evening star.”

How does this happen, that Venus appears as a star? Nuscorpi223 explained that it’s because Venus’ orbit lies inside Earth’s orbit around the Sun. When the orbit of Venus passes between the Earth and the Sun, it also reflects the light of the Sun to earth so that when it moves from the evening to the morning sky, it becomes very visible to us and appears as a “star”.

To people who have just seen this, one question that may be on your mind is if there’s any significance to the crescent moon and Venus being so close together. Don’t worry, this natural phenomenon has no effect on Earth. Community member podi shared that planetary alignments have been happening for the longest time and there’s never been a documented effect to our planet.

But have you ever wondered why the crescent moon and star has come to symbolize Islam? This was asked by bettycatmouse and Schneb gave the best answer. He said the crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years. Most sources say that these ancient celestial symbols were in use by the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia in their worship of the sun, moon and sky gods. In this Wikipedia article, it says that possibly the symbol became associated with the Muslim faith when the Ottoman Empire became affiliated with the Muslim world.

If you missed seeing the crescent moon and “evening star” last night, don’t worry. Just click the link below and check out the different photos submitted in Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=rec&w=all&q=venus+moon&m=text

Prudential Eyes Record Takeover Of Asian Insurer

LONDON: British insurance giant Prudential said Monday it will raise 14.5 billion pounds (17 billion euros, 21 billion dollars) from the sale of new shares to help fund a record takeover of Asian insurer AIA.

"Prudential today announces further details of the proposed combination of the Prudential Group and the AIA Group, including the terms of its fully underwritten rights issue to raise approximately 14.5 billion pounds," a statement said.

The British group had delayed by almost two weeks details of the record rights issue needed to fund the insurance sector's biggest ever takeover as regulators voiced concerns about the enlarged company's capital strength.

Prudential announced in March that it had agreed to buy AIA -- the Asian arm of troubled US insurer AIG -- for 35.5 billion dollars (29 billion euros).

It expects to complete the takeover in the third quarter of 2010 while reports suggest Prudential may have to sell its British operations to fund the rest of the deal.

"We are creating the leading life insurer in the fastest growing region in the world, giving us greater exposure to the highly attractive long-term growth offered in Asia," Prudential chairman Harvey McGrath said Monday.

"We believe this opportunity will deliver substantial long-term value for our shareholders."

The takeover will give Prudential about 30 million customers in Asia and see the Asian operation become by far the group's biggest division -- contributing some 60 percent of new business profit.

Regarding the rights issue, Prudential said it was offering almost 14 billion new shares, each priced at 104 pence. According to analytical group Dealogic, the rights issue is the biggest ever launched to fund a takeover.

Current Prudential investors will be offered 11 new shares for every two shares they own. The sale price represents an 80.8-percent discount to the insurer's closing price of 542.5 pence on Friday.

Prudential's share price slipped 0.37 percent to 540.5 pence in midday London trade.

The AIA deal and the rights issue need 75-percent backing at a shareholders' meeting due on June 7.

"The combined business will be a fast growing and highly profitable company, with a leading position in many of the most attractive markets in the world," Prudential chief executive Tidjane Thiam insisted on Monday.

"We believe that, through capital management and portfolio rationalisation, there will be opportunities for the combined entity to create additional shareholder value over and beyond the revenue and cost synergies identified," added the Frenchman who put together the mega-deal.

Reports have suggested however that some of Prudential's biggest shareholders are opposed to the tie-up.

The rights issue is set to raise about 13.8 billion pounds net of fees and transaction-related expenses and it is being fully-underwritten by Credit Suisse, HSBC, J.P. Morgan Cazenove plus by a syndicate.

These groups will take up any shares not bought by existing shareholders.

Alongside the rights issue, London-listed Prudential has said it plans to begin trading existing shares in Hong Kong and Singapore on May 25.

The listings are seen as a move to garner support from regional investors for the rights issue.

The Hong Kong and Singapore listings will be done by way of introduction, which means adding trading venues without issuing new shares.

The acquisition of AIA will double the size of Prudential and transform it into the world's top non-Chinese insurer by market capitalisation, ahead of major competitors Allianz and AXA.

Sales in Asia already make up half of new contracts for Prudential across a number of countries including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The company also has a strong presence in Britain and the United States.

Dhabi Hotel Installs Gold-Dispensing Machine

DUBAI - It's the ultimate hole-in-the-wall — a money machine that dispenses pure gold.

But installed beneath the gold-coated ceilings of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace hotel, where royalty and billionaires come for cappuccinos topped with gold flakes, the machine almost seems part of the furniture.

"The reason we chose Emirates Palace is because it really fits with the surroundings here," said German entrepreneur Thomas Geissler, creator of the "Gold to Go" brand and chief executive of Ex Oriente Lux.

The exterior of the machine is coated with a thin layer of gold and offers customers 320 items to choose from, ranging from gold bars that can weigh up to 10 grams, to customized gold coins.

"All the gold is imported from Germany, and soon we will have a customized gold bar with a print of the Emirates Palace logo, which will be a nice souvenir for guests to take home," said Geissler.

Through a computer system, the ATM gold machine updates the gold price every 10 minutes to match international markets.

For now, it takes notes of the local dirham currency, but the option of using credit cards will soon be introduced.

The cash-for-gold machines were first tested in Germany in 2009, but Geissler chose Abu Dhabi for the official launch of his invention because of the region's high demand for gold.

"On the first night we had a lot of demand," he said. "One customer even bought one item of every product we have."

Geissler's timing is spot-on, as investors flock to gold as a safe haven from economic turbulence.

On Thursday, gold priced in sterling and euros reached record highs, while that priced in the more usual dollar denomination was quoted at $1,236 an ounce, with dealers expecting it to reach fresh highs over coming days.

World's 1st Curved Double Helix Bridge At Marina Bay

It's 280 meters long, made of a special stainless steel, was lovingly assembled over two years with great precision and is already being touted as an architectural marvel and engineering feat. Officially named "The Helix," the sweeping, curving structure is the world's first double helix bridge and joins CNNGo's list of 24 of the world's most amazing bridges.

The bridge is located just beside the floating platform at Marina Bay, and when Phase 2 of Marina Bay Sands is open in June, it will allow pedestrians a direct link to the integrated resort. At its entrance is Singapore's first art park -- the Youth Olympic Park -- which opened at the same time as the bridge, and alongside it is the vehicular bridge to the casino resort, called Bayfront Bridge.

Designed by Australian firm Cox Group, engineering firm Arup and Singapore-based Architects 61, the bridge is made up of a major and minor steel helix that wind around each other. The bridge has five viewing platforms spanning across the entire length which provide great views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay. It also functions as a outdoor gallery where children's paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing.

To put it in perspective, if all the steel tubes forming the major and minor helix are laid end to end, it will measure 2,250 meters long, and the entire structure weighs about 1,700 tons, which is equivalent to about 1,130 saloon cars. There is also a night lighting feature built into the pedestrian bridge, which can be programmed to create various moods for different events.

"When the (Marina Bay) Promenade is completed by the middle of this year, together with this bridge, it will form a 3.5-kilometer pedestrian loop around the whole bay," said Fun Siew Leng, Group Director of Urban Planning and Design, Urban Redevelopment Authority, to Channel NewsAsia.

To mark the completion of the bridge and the opening of the Youth Olympic Park, a specially choreographed two-minute pyrotechnic show was held over the weekend, which was set against the backdrop of the pedestrian bridge. The Helix was officially named and declared open by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

A series of music, dance, drum and gongfu performances choreographed by Aaron Khek, the chief choreographer for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, was also held in the newly built Youth Olympics Park.

What’s Your Worst Dining Experience?

Everyone’s favourite fried chicken giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was recently ordered to fork out almost S$40,000 after a cockroach was discovered eating a chip in one of its busiest UK branches.

Further inspection of the branch in London’s West End turned out flies, dried chicken blood on the floor and even a mouse.

And that’s not all – health inspectors found there were no handwash dispensers in the food preparation area. This could only mean that on the day of the inspection, staff were not able to wash their hands properly before handling the food.

Four months prior to the incident, the fast food giant received a “specific warning” from the authorities about its sub-standard hygiene practices. But judging from the aftermath of various inspections, little has been done. I’m pretty sure Colonel Sanders must be turning in his grave right now.

We Singaporeans live to eat, and this incident serves as a harrowing reminder that sometimes we simply have no idea just what goes into our food, or how it’s being prepared.

Dining in Singapore, I’ve survived maggots in sushi, insect wings in Tom Yum soup, rubber bands in my mee hoon and residual lipstick marks on wine glasses. But these are just the tip of the iceberg.

Last April, in what is touted as the worst mass food poisoning case in Singapore, two women lost their lives after eating at an Indian Rojak stall in Geylang Serai. More than a hundred others were either hospitalised or received outpatient treatment for food poisoning.

This follows yet another mass-poisoning scare back in 2007 when Prima Deli bakery was found to have sold salmonella-laced chocolate cake. More than 150 people fell ill and experienced fever, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Do you think food hygiene practices in Singapore are satisfactory?

Share your worst horror dining experience with us and tell us what you think can be done to ensure better local food hygiene practices.

The Official Song of FIFA World Cup 2010

The song will be performed at the FIFA World Cup(TM) Final by Shakira and South African artist Freshlyground on July 11, 2010.

The song combines Afro-Colombian instrumentation and rhythms with a rousing Soca beat and Southern African guitar. The chorus borrows from a favorite Cameroonian marching chant made popular by the group Golden Voices.

“The Official Song is as much awaited by the fans as the Mascot or the Logo. It is part of the identity of the world’s most exciting sport’s event. This song is the personification of the African rhythm and identity and sets the pace for this unique event. I am looking forward to hear the song throughout the tournament and watch it performed by Shakira and Freshlyground at the Final,” said Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA President.

“I am honored that Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) was chosen to be part of the excitement and the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Shakira. “The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that’s what this song is about.”



The so-called “Battle of the World Cup Theme Songs” has finally been settled.

After much confusion, Shakira’s “Waka Waka” (or “Burn Bright” in Swahili ) has officially been named South Africa 2010′s World Cup theme song. Why confusion? Because if you do a quick search on “World Cup 2010 song”, expect most results to show ”Wavin’ Flag” by Somali-Canadian artiste K’naan.



To be fair, both songs boast lively beats, a catchy tune and — most important of all – a great sing-along, easy-to-remember chorus ( my all-time favourite is still Ricky Martin’s “Cup of Life”). But after a fair amount of investigation, I discovered that “Wavin’ Flag” is actually the official anthem for Coca Cola’s 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign and not for the actual tournament.

Even so, response to Shakira’s “Waka Waka” has been lukewarm. Firstly, the imagery of war and battle in the first 2 verses of the song is a little dodgy, bearing in mind the continent’s fresh and painful history of violence. But what riles many Africans more — never mind the fact that native South African band Freshlyground plays back-up – is whether the sultry Colombian is the right “face” for the continent’s first World Cup. And who can blame them?

As diverse as her heritage may be, she isn’t the least bit African. Local South African fans have voiced their disgust. “It’s horrible, I’m not standing for it” says Lindi Munondeand, and “How is Shakira going to sing the African part of it?” laments Nomaswazi Thomo. Jenny Cryws-Williams, presenter for South African station 702 Talk Radio also cried out: “Why don’t we have South Africans doing it for us?”.

The issue with Shakira’s song wasn’t the organisers’ only faux pas. The tournament’s opening concert on June 11 as also heavily criticised for having too many foreign acts such as American artistes Alicia Keys and the Black Eyed Peas. This forced an about-turn by organisers to showcase more local African acts in the line-up.

This will be the first time Africa will host the World Cup — a historic and proud moment for all Africans. The least the organisers could do is get it right.

But whatever has been decided will stand. And it’ll be interesting to see the reception when Shakira performs “Waka Waka” with Freshlyground at the World Cup Finals.

Having said that, have a listen to both songs and tell us which do you prefer?

World’s First Curved Double Helix Bridge Opens

SINGAPORE: The world’s first double helix curved bridge in Marina Bay will open to the public this Saturday (April 24) at 9.30pm.

The pedestrian bridge is set to transform Singapore’s city landscape, and serve as a key link to the second integrated resort, Marina Bay Sands.

A walk along this 280—metre long bridge promises to be a treat to an architectural marvel that took two years to complete.

It has not been given a name yet.

But it’ll be well—known — as an engineering feat that’s assembled with great precision, using a special stainless steel to withstand corrosion.

The steel tubes form the minor and major helix that spiral in opposite directions. In fact, if all the steel tubes forming the major and minor helix are laid end to end, it will measure 2,250 metres long — almost the length of the 2.4 kilometres fitness run.

The pedestrian bridge is centrally located just beside the floating platform at Marina Bay. And in the future, it will offer you a direct link to the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort.

It will probably take less than five minutes to walk the entire length of the bridge. While doing so, one will be able to admire the city skyline and the entire structure of the bridge.

The link to Marina Bay Sands integrated resort is still cordoned for now. It will open when Phase 2 of the IR opens this June.

Fun Siew Leng, Group Director of Urban Planning and Design, Urban Redevelopment Authority, says: "In terms of people coming by the MRT, the promenade station has just been opened, so people coming from the station can get to the bay front avenue through the pedestrian bridge.

"And when the Promenade is completed by the middle of this year, together with this bridge, it will form a 3.5—kilometre pedestrian loop around the whole bay."

When the lights come on at night, the bridge will take on a different look.

The lighting feature can be programmed to create various moods for different celebrations.

At its entrance is Singapore’s first art park — the Youth Olympic Park — where works sit as a symbol of the inaugural games this August.

Motorists will be able to use a new vehicular bridge, just beside the double helix bridge, from 3pm on Sunday (April 25).

Both bridges and the Youth Olympic Park will officially open at 8pm on Saturday, complete with performances and pyrotechnic display.

The total cost for all 3 new features is about $82.9 million.

Penyanyi Achik Spin Maut Dalam Kemalangan

SEREMBAN, 17 April — Penyanyi Achik Spin atau nama sebenarnya Abdillah Murad Md. Shari, 27, meninggal dunia dalam kemalangan ngeri di KM 14.7 Lebuh Raya Kajang-Seremban (LEKAS) dekat sini, petang tadi.

Pegawai Turut Trafik negeri ASP Abd Halil Hamzah berkata kejadian berlaku pukul 6.15 petang apabila kenderaan pelbagai guna (MPV) jenis Toyota Estima yang dinaiki penyanyi itu bersama seorang rakan lelaki yang belum dikenali dikatakan terbabas dan melanggar papan tanda.

“Achik meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian selepas kenderaan yang dipandunya itu melanggar papan tanda selepas melepasi kawasan Rawat dan Rehat (R&R) dekat susur keluar ke Pajam.

“Difahamkan kenderaan yang dipandunya itu dalam perjalanan balik ke Seremban bersama seorang rakan selepas menyertai sebuah rancangan di RTM, Kuala Lumpur,” katanya di sini.

Katanya Achik meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian selepas mengalami kecederaan parah di kepala dan beberapa bahagian anggota badan.

Allahyarham dikatakan tercampak keluar dari kenderaan, yang kemudiannya terbakar dan meletup.

Mayat Achik dan rakannya yang cedera telah dibawa ke Hospital Tuanku Ja’’afar (HTJ) Seremban.

Sementara itu Ketua Operasi Bomba dan Penyelamat dari Mantin, Hamizin Khaidir berkata, penyanyi berkenaan tercampak keluar dari MPV dan orang ramai cuba menyelamatkannya sebelum dia meninggal dunia.

“Pihak kami menerima panggilan pada pukul 6.32 petang dan kebakaran berjaya dipadamkan beberapa minit kemudian,” katanya.

Achik merupakan penyanyi utama kumpulan Spin yang popular sekitar tahun 2002.

Penyanyi yang popular dengan lagu Janji Kita itu telah mendirikan rumahtangga dengan bekas Pegawai Khidmat Pelanggan Astro, H.M. Rose Zaitul Suriani Wati Maarof pada Nov 2005.

Mereka dikurniakan seorang cahaya mata, Puteri Rania pada 2007 tetapi meninggal dunia ketika berusia dua bulan akibat demam panas dan masalah usus dalam perut.

Achik Spin bernikah dengan Tasha atau nama sebenarnya HM Rosezaitul Suriani Wati pada 18 November 2005. Pada 9 Januari 2007, Tasha selamat melahirkan Putri Rania di Hospital Tunku Jaafar, Seremban. Namun, anak sulongnya itu meninggal dunia kerana dijangkiti penyakit derita demam panas selama seminggu dan disyaki mempunyai masalah dengan usus dalam perut.

Al-Fatihah. Semoga allahyarham ditempatkan di kalangan orang-orang beriman. Nampaknya, tahun 2010 menyaksikan ramai sekali insan seni yang telah pergi meninggalkan dunia untuk mengadap Allah Yang Maha Esa.

Taiwan Singer Conjures Up Susan Boyle Comparisons

Lin Yu Chun - Amazing Grace & I Will Always Love You

TAIPEI, Taiwan – As a younger man, Taiwan's Lin Yu-chun sang for hours on end, trying to get his mind off the sneers he endured because of his portly figure.

The round-faced soprano with the bowl haircut never imagined his voice would one day transform him into an international sensation.

But now, he is being compared to Britan's Susan Boyle, the plain-looking 48-year-old who shot to stardom after singing "I Dreamed a Dream" on "Britain's Got Talent."

Lin's Whitney Houston-like rendition of "I Will Always Love You" on Taiwan's "Avenue to Stardom" talent show last Friday has already racked up some 1.3 million views on YouTube, and the number is climbing fast.

For the 24-year-old with the disparaging nickname of "Little Fatty," the event has been a life-changer.

"I now have more confidence in pursuing a singing career," Lin told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "You don't have to be a good-looking man or woman to succeed. Just be yourself and try your best."

Lin said he had long suffered from a lack of self-confidence because of his plain looks and rotund figure.

"Being fat draws a lot of mockery in our society," he said.

To cope with the pain of his exclusion, he locked himself in his room and sang along with the songs of Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.

But the artist who really grabbed him was Houston _ particularly the song "I Will Always Love You," from the soundtrack to the 1992 film "The Bodyguard."

"I played it again and again even though my parents couldn't stand it any more and asked me to stop," Lin said.

Lin has had a bumpy start to stardom.

After graduating from college last year, he failed to make much of an impression on another Taiwanese talent show, where judges criticized both his looks and his high-pitched voice.

"One said I should instead pursue the career of a comedian, and another questioned whether it was right for a man to sing soprano," he said.

Now all that is behind him.

"(The show) has reinvigorated me," he said.

Still, Lin said, he is doing his best not to let his new found fame go to his head.

"I'm trying not to be overwhelmed," he said.

Din Beramboi Meninggal Dunia

Allahyarham Mior Ahmad Fuad Mior Badri atau lebih dikenali sebagai Din Beramboi
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KUALA LUMPUR 2 April - Pelawak popular dan penyampai radio Era, Mior Ahmad Fuad Mior Badri meninggal dunia di Hospital Selayang, lewat malam tadi.

Allahyarham yang dikenali sebagai Din Beramboi menghembuskan nafas terakhir di Unit Rawatan Rapi (ICU) pukul 12.30 malam.

Menurut adik Allahyarham, Rozana Mior Badri, semua ahli keluarga berada di sisi Allahyarham kecuali ayahnya yang tidak dapat hadir.

Katanya, Allahyarham meninggal dunia akibat demam denggi berdarah yang menyebabkan beberapa organ badannya gagal berfungsi.

‘‘Jenazah abang saya akan dikebumikan di Tanah Perkuburan Taman Ehsan, Kepong di sini sebelum solat Jumaat,’’ katanya ketika ditemui di hospital itu, malam ini. - Utusan Online


http://jomss.blogspot.com/2010/03/terkini-din-beramboi-terkena-denggi-dan.html

Tom Jones Cancels His Rescheduled Concert @ RWS

SINGAPORE: Tom Jones has cancelled his rescheduled concert at Resorts World Sentosa citing throat problems.

He was supposed to perform on Thursday at 8pm.

He had cut short his performance after just two songs last Friday saying he was unwell.

There were about 4,000 fans in attendance last week.

The singer’s management said the 69—year—old singer would have risked permanent damage to his throat if he carried on with his concert on Thursday.

The management added that Mr Jones has been resting his voice all week in Singapore with regular checkups with local specialists but doctors are "nevertheless unable to guarantee that the singer would be able to perform the full show tonight at 100 per cent vocal strength."

Andrea Teo, vice president of Entertainment, Resorts World Sentosa, said,: "Resorts World Sentosa is naturally distressed by the latest cancellation of the concert. His management has just informed that Tom Jones is genuinely ill. He stayed behind in Singapore with the full intention to perform for his fans.

He was advised by his doctor only today against risking permanent loss of his vocals by staging the performance. We again apologise to our guests."

Organisers said full ticket refunds will be made available at the SISTIC Box Office located at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, from Friday onwards till April 18, Monday to Saturday from 11am to 8pm; Sunday and Public Holidays from 1pm to 7pm.

This will also include the SISTIC S$3 booking fee but organisers say that the S$1 handling fee will not be refunded.