Photo by Anna Smirnova
Indonesia and Singapore strengthen ties in tourism and business
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister welcomed Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin's proposal to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
One specific area of cooperation that can be achieved is increased intensity and capacity between Indonesia and Singapore, as the two countries become strategic destinations for both tourism and business.
"We see that flights between Indonesia and Singapore are becoming very popular. We can work together to increase capacity so that we can have more flights and encourage travel not only by plane but also by ferry," said the Singaporean politician.
The Indonesian vice president also brought greetings from President Joko Widodo and invited Singapore's Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to Bali for the G20 summit.
Source
Live performances, activity booths at Istana open house for Deepavali celebration
The Istana will open to the public on Monday (Oct 24) to celebrate Deepavali. There will be various activities such as candle-making, balloon sculpting and games.
Visitors can also catch dance and band performances by students from schools such as CHIJ Katong Convent, NAFA School of Young Talents, Xinmin Secondary School and Clementi Town Secondary School.
Guided tours of the Istana main building will be conducted from 9am to 2.30pm and 4.30pm to 5pm. Visitors can view selected function rooms as well as the collection of state gifts presented to Singapore's leaders. Visitors interested in the Istana's flora and fauna can join the nature guided tour of the enhanced Japanese Garden and the Inclusive Garden from 10am to 4pm.
Source
Singapore Maritime Institute awards S$12 million to advance local maritime R&D capabilities
The Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) has awarded a new core funding of S$12 million to NTU Singapore to support the research efforts of the Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development (MESD) Centre of Excellence over a new five-year period until 30 September 2027 from this September.
The research centre was launched in October 2017 and jointly funded by SMI and NTU with the mission to deepen Singapore’s maritime capability in the field of energy and sustainable development, with a focus on future port and shipping operations.
Source
NTU Singapore rises 10 places to place 36th in Times Higher Education global rankings
NTU Singapore has broken into the top 40 universities in the world in this year's Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The University rose 10 spots to rank 36th place globally, its highest position to date in the Times Higher Education global rankings, having climbed 138 places over the last 12 years.
NTU improved its score in four of the five ranking indicators for Research, Teaching, Citations and International Outlook. It scored highly for Research, which calculates the volume, income, and reputation of research excellence conducted by the University.
Source
Deepavali in Little India: Police to step up patrols, enforce curbs on sparklers and alcohol
Police and auxiliary police officers will be stepping up patrols in Little India to "maintain law and order" during the upcoming Deepavali celebrations, where large crowds are expected particularly on the eve of the holiday on Sunday (Oct 23).
In an advisory issued on Thursday, the Singapore Police Force also reminded the public about restrictions on drinking alcohol in the area, setting off sparklers and illegally discharging fireworks.
With heavy vehicular and human traffic expected along Serangoon Road during the Deepavali period, auxiliary police officers will be deployed to regulate traffic and assist motorists, said the police.
Source