Stunner air to air missile

BANGKOK: For Bangkok’s “Spiderman Team”, dangling on ropes and rappelling down the city’s tallest buildings is just one of the risky parts of their job. High above the choked streets, on many days throughout the year the greatest adversary for the glass window cleaners is the very air they breathe. In the Thai capital, the situation is getting worse by the year. The irony is that for the cleaning company, the persistence of air pollution actually means their services are needed more often. But there is concern for those braving the elements. “Of course, it’s getting worse. For the ‘spider men’, I am worried about them because they are working on the high-rise facade and the air up there isn’t good during the time that air pollution rises,” said the company’s owner Suchart Owatwunasakul. Having to shield their workers from the impacts of damaging air pollution is an economic impost on the company - Owat Pro & Quick - that hires 30 expert window cleaners and a total of 2000 … [Read more...] about New research links Asia’s air pollution with heavy economic impacts, thousands of premature deaths

LONDON: Everybody loves a good productivity hack. Clever tips on getting more from each working hour are a well-loved genre, from complicated to-do lists and tomato-shaped timers, to advice on mindfulness and the merits of going barefoot. That’s not to mention the supposed gains in creativity and concentration from surrounding your desk with the colours red and blue. But there is one action that seldom appears on these lists, despite a growing volume of evidence to suggest it has a pronounced effect on both physical and mental productivity: Working in a location with good air quality. IMPACT ON COGNITION AND WORK Particulates — especially fine and ultrafine particles below 2.5 micrometres in diameter — are widely recognised as a long-term health issue, even if many people do not appreciate the scale of the harm or how extensive the evidence has become. Inhaling particulates leads to a higher risk of dementia and causes one-third of all deaths from stroke, lung cancer and … [Read more...] about Commentary: Air pollution’s nasty effects should motivate stronger action but hasn’t

SINGAPORE: Flights from Singapore to Hong Kong on Nov 22 were sold out on Wednesday (Nov 11) several hours after Singapore's Transport Ministry announced the start date of an air travel bubble between the two cities. A check on Google Flights at around 4pm showed no seats were available on either Singapore Airlines (SIA) or Cathay Pacific on Nov 22, a Sunday. From Nov 22, travellers on air travel bubble flights between Singapore and Hong Kong will not have to serve quarantine or stay-home notice - a significant relaxation of travel restrictions after months of strict border controls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nov 22 is also the second day of the year-end school holidays in Singapore. READ: Singapore, Hong Kong air travel bubble to start on Nov 22 with 200 travellers each way per day READ: Singapore, Hong Kong tourism boards collaborate to welcome air travel bubble launch For a start, there will be only one air travel bubble flight a day but this will be slowly … [Read more...] about Air tickets between Singapore and Hong Kong on Nov 22 sell out, economy class seats hit S$1,000

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is collaborating with its counterpart in Hong Kong to offer joint promotional activities to welcome the launch of the air travel bubble between the two destinations . The partnership, launched ahead of the first flights on Nov 22, “demonstrates the close ties between the two destinations as well as a mutual commitment to provide visitors with a safe travel experience”, STB said in a joint announcement with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) on Wednesday (Nov 11). This is the first collaboration between both tourism boards. READ: Singapore, Hong Kong air travel bubble to start on Nov 22 with 200 travellers each way per day Travellers under the air travel bubble will have to take dedicated flights – with a maximum of 200 passengers each way – but will have no restrictions on their travel purpose and do not have to follow a controlled itinerary. They will also not be subject to quarantine or stay-home notice. However, these … [Read more...] about Singapore, Hong Kong tourism boards collaborate to welcome air travel bubble launch

SINGAPORE: The requirements for the air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore are not designed to be “totally symmetrical”, said Singapore’s Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (Nov 11), Mr Ong said both cities had agreed to the need for pre-departure COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests as a prerequisite for travel. “But beyond that, we say that in each other's territories, I think we should have the flexibility to impose additional conditions should we want to, especially in the beginning,” he said. Mr Ong was explaining the differences in requirements between the two cities. For example, travellers from Singapore to Hong Kong are required to take a PCR test upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, in addition to the test taken pre-departure in Singapore. But for travel in the opposite direction - Hong Kong to Singapore - only a single PCR test within 72 hours of departure is needed. Singapore also excludes … [Read more...] about Requirements for Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble not meant to be ‘totally symmetrical’: Ong Ye Kung