Around 60 per cent of Singaporean households recycle regularly, but many still find it difficult to identify contaminants and non-recyclables, surveys conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have found. Gwyneth Teo reports.
29 Apr 2019
SINGAPORE: Can plastic toys, clothes and glass pots be recycled? If you say yes, you're not alone, but these items do not belong in a recycling bin, according to authorities.
Around 60 per cent of Singaporean households recycle regularly, but many still find it difficult to identify contaminants and non-recyclables, surveys conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have found.
The two surveys, which were conducted between June 2018 and February 2019, covered different aspects of household recycling, said the agencies in a joint media release on Monday (Apr 29).
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
Commentary: Career Mobility is the new Career Stability
Long gone is the notion that the ideal CV has a narrow, vertical progression, says Forest Wolf’s Crystal Lim-Lange.
By Crystal Lim-Lange
By Crystal Lim-Lange
29 Apr 2019
SINGAPORE: You’ve probably heard the rule that one year to a human equals seven years for a dog.
These days, career coaches joke that one year in a single role for a millennial is the equivalent of seven years for a Gen X-er.
Frequent career transitions used to be a sign of failure but today, being career mobile and having a diverse array of experiences is not only common, but is rapidly becoming aspirational.
Long gone is the notion of the career ladder, where the ideal CV looks like a narrow, vertical progression. Today’s gold-standard CV looks like a career matrix, with horizontal and vertical moves signifying depth and breadth of experience, skills and exposure to different cultures.
Employers have gone from being cynical about hiring job-hoppers to becoming accustomed to seeing diverse CVs from top talent who are in frequent demand.
I recall being asked “Why didn’t you stay for longer?” in job interviews 10 years ago. Today I hear many employers asking candidates “Why did you stay in one role for so long and not stretch yourself?”. It smacks of complacency.
SINGAPORE: You’ve probably heard the rule that one year to a human equals seven years for a dog.
These days, career coaches joke that one year in a single role for a millennial is the equivalent of seven years for a Gen X-er.
Frequent career transitions used to be a sign of failure but today, being career mobile and having a diverse array of experiences is not only common, but is rapidly becoming aspirational.
Long gone is the notion of the career ladder, where the ideal CV looks like a narrow, vertical progression. Today’s gold-standard CV looks like a career matrix, with horizontal and vertical moves signifying depth and breadth of experience, skills and exposure to different cultures.
Employers have gone from being cynical about hiring job-hoppers to becoming accustomed to seeing diverse CVs from top talent who are in frequent demand.
I recall being asked “Why didn’t you stay for longer?” in job interviews 10 years ago. Today I hear many employers asking candidates “Why did you stay in one role for so long and not stretch yourself?”. It smacks of complacency.
Friday, April 26, 2019
Economists often get their forecasts wrong. Here’s why.
By Faris Mokhtar
26 April, 2019
SINGAPORE — Economists are paid to predict how the economy will perform — whether it will grow or shrink, and by how much.
But these professional forecasters do not always get it right. In fact, they can miss the mark by a wide margin.
In its latest macroeconomic review, published on Friday (April 26), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) waded into the issue of the difficulties that economists face when trying to predict a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth as well as upcoming economic recessions and recoveries.
Citing studies and media reports, it pointed out that forecasters, though aware that recession years are anomalies, tend to “miss the magnitude of a recession by a wide margin until the year had drawn to a close”.
They also made the largest errors ahead of GDP contractions, according to an assessment by The Economist.
But these professional forecasters do not always get it right. In fact, they can miss the mark by a wide margin.
In its latest macroeconomic review, published on Friday (April 26), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) waded into the issue of the difficulties that economists face when trying to predict a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth as well as upcoming economic recessions and recoveries.
Citing studies and media reports, it pointed out that forecasters, though aware that recession years are anomalies, tend to “miss the magnitude of a recession by a wide margin until the year had drawn to a close”.
They also made the largest errors ahead of GDP contractions, according to an assessment by The Economist.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Sports is not a guide to life, and this is why Tiger Woods ain't a role model
By Janan Ganesh
New York Times
New York Times
The author says that sport is a meritocracy, but in real life, it is entirely possible for a person to possess talent, work hard and get nowhere.
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| Tiger Woods shakes hands with Patrick Reed, last year's winner, in a ceremony after winning the Masters on April 14. |
22 April, 2019
In happy news, a world that used to regard Tiger Woods as a tragicomic case of fallen celebrity, citing his broken marriage and major-less decade, now regards him as an inspirational tale of endurance, citing his broken marriage and major-less decade.
The narrative change occurred on April 14 between 2.28pm and 2.29pm local time in Augusta, Georgia, when the golfer sank a decisive puttat the second attempt. A centimetre wide and he would have had to do without our upward revision of his moral worth.
Woods reclaimed two titles that day. One comes with a green jacket; the other promises the highest decorations of state. One comes with a cheque; the other will earn him millions of dollars in a more roundabout way.
In happy news, a world that used to regard Tiger Woods as a tragicomic case of fallen celebrity, citing his broken marriage and major-less decade, now regards him as an inspirational tale of endurance, citing his broken marriage and major-less decade.
The narrative change occurred on April 14 between 2.28pm and 2.29pm local time in Augusta, Georgia, when the golfer sank a decisive puttat the second attempt. A centimetre wide and he would have had to do without our upward revision of his moral worth.
Woods reclaimed two titles that day. One comes with a green jacket; the other promises the highest decorations of state. One comes with a cheque; the other will earn him millions of dollars in a more roundabout way.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thai king confers awards on two Australian divers for rescue of cave boys
19 April, 2019
BANGKOK — Two Australian cave divers who were instrumental in the rescue last year of 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave received on Friday a royal honour from King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a ceremony in Bangkok.
The “Wild Boars” soccer team, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach became trapped on June 23 while exploring the cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels.
A 17-day effort to rescue them gripped the world with experts from various countries volunteering to help.
Mr Richard Harris and Mr Craig Challen were members of the main rescue team, made up of 13 foreign divers and five Thai navy divers, that brought the boys and their coach out to safety.
BANGKOK — Two Australian cave divers who were instrumental in the rescue last year of 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave received on Friday a royal honour from King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a ceremony in Bangkok.
The “Wild Boars” soccer team, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach became trapped on June 23 while exploring the cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels.
A 17-day effort to rescue them gripped the world with experts from various countries volunteering to help.
Mr Richard Harris and Mr Craig Challen were members of the main rescue team, made up of 13 foreign divers and five Thai navy divers, that brought the boys and their coach out to safety.
The Mueller report is 448 pages long. You need to know these 7 key things.
19 April, 2019
The special counsel, Mr Robert Mueller, produced a report of more than 400 pages that painted a deeply unflattering picture of US President Donald Trump but stopped short of accusing him of criminal wrongdoing. Here are seven takeaways.
The special counsel, Mr Robert Mueller, produced a report of more than 400 pages that painted a deeply unflattering picture of US President Donald Trump but stopped short of accusing him of criminal wrongdoing. Here are seven takeaways.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Can we grow more food on less land? We’ll have to, a new study finds
08 DECEMBER, 2018
TODAY
WASHINGTON — If the world hopes to make meaningful progress on climate change, it won’t be enough for cars and factories to get cleaner. Our cows and wheat fields will have to become radically more efficient, too.
That’s the basic conclusion of a sweeping new study issued Wednesday (Dec 5) by the World Resources Institute, an environmental group.
The report warns that the world’s agricultural system will need drastic changes in the next few decades in order to feed billions more people without triggering a climate catastrophe.
The challenge is daunting: Agriculture already occupies roughly 40 per cent of the world’s vegetated land and is responsible for about a quarter of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions.
But with the global population expected to grow from 7.2 billion people today to nearly 10 billion by 2050, and with many millions of people eating more meat as incomes rise, that environmental impact is on pace to expand dramatically.
TODAY
WASHINGTON — If the world hopes to make meaningful progress on climate change, it won’t be enough for cars and factories to get cleaner. Our cows and wheat fields will have to become radically more efficient, too.
That’s the basic conclusion of a sweeping new study issued Wednesday (Dec 5) by the World Resources Institute, an environmental group.
The report warns that the world’s agricultural system will need drastic changes in the next few decades in order to feed billions more people without triggering a climate catastrophe.
The challenge is daunting: Agriculture already occupies roughly 40 per cent of the world’s vegetated land and is responsible for about a quarter of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions.
But with the global population expected to grow from 7.2 billion people today to nearly 10 billion by 2050, and with many millions of people eating more meat as incomes rise, that environmental impact is on pace to expand dramatically.
News analysis: A ‘new Malaysia’ but same old racial, religious divide
By Faris Mokhtar in Kuala Lumpur
11 December, 2018
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, which swept into power in May through a significant swing in the Malay vote, should be under no illusion that the Malay voters bought into its progressive ideology, analysts told TODAY.
If there were ever any doubt, the 50,000-strong turnout for last weekend's rally at the historic Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) sent a loud and clear message: Malay rights and Islam’s status as the national religion must remain enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
As it becomes increasingly clear that the groundswell of support for PH during the elections had largely stemmed from voter dissatisfaction with corruption in the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government, the opposition United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) are now ready to pounce and play the race and religion cards to win over the hearts and minds of the majority Malay population, the analysts said.
[Ok. So BN's corruption not an issue anymore?]
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, which swept into power in May through a significant swing in the Malay vote, should be under no illusion that the Malay voters bought into its progressive ideology, analysts told TODAY.
If there were ever any doubt, the 50,000-strong turnout for last weekend's rally at the historic Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) sent a loud and clear message: Malay rights and Islam’s status as the national religion must remain enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
As it becomes increasingly clear that the groundswell of support for PH during the elections had largely stemmed from voter dissatisfaction with corruption in the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government, the opposition United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) are now ready to pounce and play the race and religion cards to win over the hearts and minds of the majority Malay population, the analysts said.
[Ok. So BN's corruption not an issue anymore?]
Tough to get ‘balance right’ when pricing HDB flats in central areas: Lawrence Wong
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| TODAY file photo |
By JANICE LIM
It is difficult to get the “balance right” when it comes to pricing public housing flats, particularly for those located close to the city centre, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
07 MARCH, 2019
SINGAPORE — It is difficult to get the “balance right” when it comes to pricing public housing flats, particularly for those located close to the city centre, as the Government has to weigh between pricing them to market value and keeping housing affordable, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
Speaking during his ministry’s Budget debate on Thursday (March 7), Mr Wong was responding to a concern raised by Nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Walter Theseira about social stratification in housing estates.
Associate Professor Theseira, a labour economist with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, had pointed to the widening price disparities between Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats located close to the city centre and those that were not.
Acknowledging the challenges that the Ministry of National Development (MND) faces, Mr Wong said: “It’s difficult to get this balance right”
“If you price it to market, then only the very well-off can afford. If you want to make it affordable, the only way is through a big discount to the BTO (Build-to-Order) price.”
SINGAPORE — It is difficult to get the “balance right” when it comes to pricing public housing flats, particularly for those located close to the city centre, as the Government has to weigh between pricing them to market value and keeping housing affordable, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
Speaking during his ministry’s Budget debate on Thursday (March 7), Mr Wong was responding to a concern raised by Nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Walter Theseira about social stratification in housing estates.
Associate Professor Theseira, a labour economist with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, had pointed to the widening price disparities between Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats located close to the city centre and those that were not.
Acknowledging the challenges that the Ministry of National Development (MND) faces, Mr Wong said: “It’s difficult to get this balance right”
“If you price it to market, then only the very well-off can afford. If you want to make it affordable, the only way is through a big discount to the BTO (Build-to-Order) price.”
New CPF rules for purchase of older flats to kick in by May
 |
| TODAY file photo |
TODAY
When National Development Minister Lawrence Wong first signalled in August last year that CPF rules will be tweaked for the purchase of older flats, analysts told TODAY the move could help reassure flat owners that their ageing properties still held value.
07 MARCH, 2019
[Note date]
SINGAPORE — Homebuyers looking to purchase older flats from May onwards will be able to benefit from new Central Provident Fund (CPF) rules, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (March 7).
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Singapore's Food Security "30 by 30" plan
[Two articles on the state of SG's urban farming endeavours.
See also the 2015 post on this.]
09 April, 2019
The recent announcements in Parliament to raise Singapore’s food self-production level from the current 10 per cent to 30 per cent of total food needs by 2030, the “30 by 30” strategy, have raised some pertinent questions on capacity, investment and exportability.
Singapore’s huge dependency — 90 per cent — on imports for its food supply puts it at the mercy of external forces in the exporting countries, most of which are beyond the Republic’s control.
So it is laudable and indeed even overdue, that the government would want to reduce the country’s vulnerability and achieve greater stability in its supply of food as part of food security.
See also the 2015 post on this.]
Singapore’s ‘30 by 30’ food production target: Is it feasible?
By Paul Teng and Jose Montesclaros 09 April, 2019The recent announcements in Parliament to raise Singapore’s food self-production level from the current 10 per cent to 30 per cent of total food needs by 2030, the “30 by 30” strategy, have raised some pertinent questions on capacity, investment and exportability.
Singapore’s huge dependency — 90 per cent — on imports for its food supply puts it at the mercy of external forces in the exporting countries, most of which are beyond the Republic’s control.
So it is laudable and indeed even overdue, that the government would want to reduce the country’s vulnerability and achieve greater stability in its supply of food as part of food security.
Climate change: Yes, your individual action does make a difference
By Steve Westlake
16 April, 2019
What can we do in the face of the climate emergency? Many say we should drive less, fly less, eat less meat. But others argue that personal actions like this are a pointless drop in the ocean when set against the huge systemic changes that are required to prevent devastating global warming.
It’s a debate that has been raging for decades. Clearly, in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions, a single person’s contribution is basically irrelevant (much like a single vote in an election).
But my research, first in my masters and now as part of my PhD, has found that doing something bold like giving up flying can have a wider knock-on effect by influencing others and shifting what’s viewed as “normal”.
16 April, 2019
What can we do in the face of the climate emergency? Many say we should drive less, fly less, eat less meat. But others argue that personal actions like this are a pointless drop in the ocean when set against the huge systemic changes that are required to prevent devastating global warming.
It’s a debate that has been raging for decades. Clearly, in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions, a single person’s contribution is basically irrelevant (much like a single vote in an election).
But my research, first in my masters and now as part of my PhD, has found that doing something bold like giving up flying can have a wider knock-on effect by influencing others and shifting what’s viewed as “normal”.
Friday, April 12, 2019
China’s state pension fund to run dry by 2035 due to shrinking workforce: Study
 |
| The urban worker pension fund, the backbone of the country’s state pension system, held a reserve of 4.8 trillion yuan (US$714 billion) at the end of 2018. It is predicted to peak at 7 trillion yuan in 2027, then drop steadily to zero by 2035. |
12 April, 2019
TODAY
HONG KONG — China’s main state pension fund will run out of money by 2035 due to a decline in the available work force, according to new research.
The urban worker pension fund, the backbone of the country’s state pension system, held a reserve of 4.8 trillion yuan (S$968 billion) at the end of 2018. It is predicted to peak at 7 trillion yuan in 2027, then drop steadily to zero by 2035, a report by the World Social Security Centre at the government-supported Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has said.
And the gap between contributions and outlays could be as high as 11 trillion yuan by 2050, with each retired citizen supported by only one worker, down from the current level of two, the government think tank calculated.
HONG KONG — China’s main state pension fund will run out of money by 2035 due to a decline in the available work force, according to new research.
The urban worker pension fund, the backbone of the country’s state pension system, held a reserve of 4.8 trillion yuan (S$968 billion) at the end of 2018. It is predicted to peak at 7 trillion yuan in 2027, then drop steadily to zero by 2035, a report by the World Social Security Centre at the government-supported Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has said.
And the gap between contributions and outlays could be as high as 11 trillion yuan by 2050, with each retired citizen supported by only one worker, down from the current level of two, the government think tank calculated.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Video Compilation: Nuclear Fear, Nuclear Power, and the way to save our planet, save our climate, and save our environment.
Drafted 1 April 2019
In an earlier blogpost on Climate Change, I compiled a list of videos to support the position that Climate Change is already irreversible.
The solution for clean energy is already with us. But we have been manipulated to believe that it is dangerous and worse than the problem.
This first video is about how the fear of Nuclear power was created. It is intriguing.
In an earlier blogpost on Climate Change, I compiled a list of videos to support the position that Climate Change is already irreversible.
The solution for clean energy is already with us. But we have been manipulated to believe that it is dangerous and worse than the problem.
This first video is about how the fear of Nuclear power was created. It is intriguing.
Monday, April 8, 2019
With no Tan Cheng Bock-led alliance in sight, opposition parties turn to plan Bs
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| Tan Cheng Bock being pestered by Chee Soon Juan |
By Kenneth Cheng and Wong Pei Ting
TODAY
08 April, 2019
SINGAPORE — Inspired by last year’s shock victory of the Pakatan Harapan alliance in the Malaysian General Election (GE), hopes were briefly raised among the opposition circles on this side of the Causeway that several parties could band together, led by former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock.
SINGAPORE — Inspired by last year’s shock victory of the Pakatan Harapan alliance in the Malaysian General Election (GE), hopes were briefly raised among the opposition circles on this side of the Causeway that several parties could band together, led by former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock.
It was touted as a possible game-changer given the fragmented opposition landscape dotted by fewer than a handful of established parties and several fringe ones that have struggled to make any impact at recent polls.
Eight months on, however, the proposed coalition of seven opposition parties appears dead in the water, with several party leaders fast losing hope and turning to plan Bs.
Eight months on, however, the proposed coalition of seven opposition parties appears dead in the water, with several party leaders fast losing hope and turning to plan Bs.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
All you need to know about Singapore’s proposed fake news law
By Asyraf Kamil
02 April, 2019
TODAY
SINGAPORE — After two years spent studying the threat of fake news, the Republic is taking things a step further with the introduction of sweeping new laws that will, among other things, give Government ministers broad powers to quickly stop the dissemination of online falsehoods and punish those who create and spread them.
These new laws, which will come under a new Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, were tabled in Parliament on Monday (April 1).
 |
| iStock photo |
TODAY
SINGAPORE — After two years spent studying the threat of fake news, the Republic is taking things a step further with the introduction of sweeping new laws that will, among other things, give Government ministers broad powers to quickly stop the dissemination of online falsehoods and punish those who create and spread them.
These new laws, which will come under a new Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, were tabled in Parliament on Monday (April 1).
Friday, April 5, 2019
Investment talks with MBS, RWS were on Singapore’s terms due to economy’s strength: Chan Chun Sing
 |
| TODAY file photo |
TODAY
By Faris Mokhtar
05 April, 2019
SINGAPORE — Negotiations with the integrated resorts to commit about S$9 billion of non-gaming investments took more than two years, but the Singapore Government was able to iron out a deal based on its own terms, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said.
Singapore has to be in a position of strength to negotiate, and ensure that the country is “never held ransom” or “overly dependent” on one particular sector, he said at a media briefing on Friday (April 5) to talk about the negotiation process.
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Why an ageing China will never overtake the US as the world’s biggest economy
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| Business photo created by onlyyouqj - www.freepik.com |
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
02 April, 2019
Forecasts that China will dethrone the United States as the world’s biggest economy neglect the country’s ageing population and its drag on growth, says the author.
02 April, 2019
In 2010, China replaced Japan as the world's second-largest economy. Many economists believe it is just a matter of time before China dethrones the United States as the world’s biggest economy – some have argued that it could happen before 2030.
They have cited the history of other Asian economies as evidence to back the claim. The nominal per capita gross domestic product of China was just a sixth of America’s in 2018 – a level similar to Japan in 1960, Taiwan in 1978 and South Korea in 1986.
In the following two decades, the three Asian economies achieved annual growth rates of between 7 per cent and 8 per cent.
As such, economists including Justin Lin Yifu, the former World Bank chief economist, have argued that China would go through a similar trajectory and the nation would be able to achieve a 6 per cent annual growth rate from now until the 2030s.
Johor crown prince accuses Mahathir of lying about shipping hub project
KUALA LUMPUR — Johor’s crown prince has launched an attack on Putrajaya, denying Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that a new shipping hub project at the Johor Baru port is public knowledge.
Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, in a Facebook post, said neither he, his father Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Johor Chief Minister Osman Sapian nor the state government was aware of the project.
“Whoever says Johor is aware is lying. Anything within three nautical miles of the shores of the state — in particular, land and water matters — is the sole prerogative of the state.
[Note the limits of Johor's jurisdiction - 3 nautical miles.]
“Is Putrajaya trying to usurp the powers of the state?”
Update on Climate Change - Video Compilation. Commentary
It may seem to you that everyday, there is news or updates or a new breathlessly reported fact about Climate Change and what you can do to stop or even reverse Climate Change.
David Wallace-Wells, author of "The Uninhabitable Earth" was interviewed and asked if he intended his book to spur people to action, to slow, stop or even reverse climate change.
David Wallace-Wells, author of "The Uninhabitable Earth" was interviewed and asked if he intended his book to spur people to action, to slow, stop or even reverse climate change.
How Singapore’s hawker culture started
By JOHN KWOK
TODAY file photo
The Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre. On March 27, Singapore submitted a nomination for Singapore hawker culture to be inscribed on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a year after after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the move.
03 APRIL, 2019
On March 27, Singapore submitted a nomination for Singapore hawker culture to be inscribed on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a year after after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the move.
In the lead up to the submission of the nomination, the official government website on hawker culture in Singapore described that street hawking in Singapore can be traced back to the mid-1800s when street hawkers sold a variety of food along the streets of Singapore.
The narrative leaps forward to the time period 1968 to 1986 when the Singapore government resettled street hawkers into hawker centres and markets.
On March 27, Singapore submitted a nomination for Singapore hawker culture to be inscribed on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a year after after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the move.
In the lead up to the submission of the nomination, the official government website on hawker culture in Singapore described that street hawking in Singapore can be traced back to the mid-1800s when street hawkers sold a variety of food along the streets of Singapore.
The narrative leaps forward to the time period 1968 to 1986 when the Singapore government resettled street hawkers into hawker centres and markets.
Monday, April 1, 2019
'Anti-vax' movement fuels rise in measles, vaccine-preventable diseases in South-east Asia
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| A girl receives anti-measles vaccination drops at a health centre in Tondo, Manila, on Sept 3, 2014. REUTERS |
29 March, 2019
HONG KONG — Vaccination rates for measles have dipped across South-east Asia, falling below the 95 per cent mark which experts say is needed to fully protect a community from the infectious disease.
At the same time, cases of measles have spiked in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines in recent years — part of a worldwide 50 per cent increase seen last year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Freedom with ‘Fire’: Living simply, saving heavily to retire young
By Richard Hartung
30 March, 2019
Having the option of retiring in your 30s or 40s sounds really attractive for many people.
“Fire”, short for “financial independence, retire early” is a growing movement that started in the United States. Its followers tend to be millennials who choose that goal in a bid to free themselves from what they see as a prolonged and unsustainable work life that takes its toll on them.
It’s not easy, though, so it may not be as enticing as it seems.
Having the option of retiring in your 30s or 40s sounds really attractive for many people.
“Fire”, short for “financial independence, retire early” is a growing movement that started in the United States. Its followers tend to be millennials who choose that goal in a bid to free themselves from what they see as a prolonged and unsustainable work life that takes its toll on them.
It’s not easy, though, so it may not be as enticing as it seems.
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