Singapore Food Festival returns for 20th year

Singapore Food Festival returns for 20th year

Get ready to feast on Friday, as the Singapore Food Festival returns for its 20th year.

Food lovers can savour some of Singapore's best delicacies at various places till July 28.

But food aside, the month-long culinary extravaganza will feature food-related events, such as cooking classes and a mini-film festival.

The food festival this year also aims to shed more light into the local culinary scene over the decades.

And for those who love to do it in style, they can savour gastronomic delights while enjoying panoramic views from the cable car.

The meals will be whipped up specially by three prolific local chefs - Mr Pung Lu Tin of Gim Tim Restaurant Group, Mr Tony Khoo from Singapore Chefs Association and Mr Derrick Ang, executive chef of The Mount Faber Leisure Group.

Mr Chew Tiong Heng, Executive Director of Precincts & Tourism Concept Development at the Singapore Tourism Board, said: "Since it's already 20 years in the running, what else can we do to surprise the visitors? So we decided to interpret the food festival from various angles.

"From the normal kind of food festival menu promotions in the restaurants, food tours, masterclasses, we have also included workshops where one can come and discuss anything about food and culture."

The Singapore Tourism Board is working with more than 20 dining, attractions and precinct partners for the festival.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Treats in store as Singapore Zoo turns 40

Treats in store as Singapore Zoo turns 40



SAY CHEESE: Former president S R Nathan with the Singapore Zoo's orang utans at the zoo's 40th-birthday celebration yesterday. There were performances and photo opportunities for guests. (PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE)

Expect the Singapore Zoo to deliver a more interactive experience to better engage younger visitors.

That was one of the plans shared yesterday by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) at an event to celebrate the zoo's 40th birthday.

Ms Claire Chiang, the chairman of WRS, which runs the zoo, said that the zoo of the future in Singapore and in other parts of the world would be one that is interactive.

She explained that the younger generation would have grown up with gadgets and prefer immediate access to information.

"(The zoo) has to be immersive, so you feel like you are going through a journey in the rainforest instead of being a passive observer," she said, adding that using social media could be one way to make the zoo experience more interactive.

The zoo is also going beyond children and reaching out to other demographics, such as youth and adults, to spread the animal-conservation message.

At the zoo's birthday celebration yesterday, there were performances and photo opportunities for guests with some of the animals, such as elephants and orang utans.

Among the guests yesterday was former president S R Nathan.

The Singapore Zoo opened its doors as an open-concept zoo in 1973. It is home to more than 2,800 specimens representing over 300 species, of which 26 per cent are endangered.

Besides the zoo, WRS also runs Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and the River Safari.

Fans of the zoo are in for a treat: For the whole of next month, all Singaporeans and permanent residents can enjoy 40 per cent off the entry price.

Ms Chiang said of the zoo's birthday: "Turning 40 is a monumental event and this is a time for us to reflect on all that we have accomplished with the Singapore Zoo, and what it means to our families, friends and international visitors."

～Info courtesy of Omy～

动物园40岁庆生 门票折扣40%

动物园40岁庆生　门票折扣40%



前总统纳丹昨天出席了新加坡动物园的40岁生日会。（摄影／唐家鸿）

1973年6月27日开园的新加坡动物园，昨天庆祝40岁生日。

为了感谢国人对动物园40年来的支持，新加坡野生动物保育集团（WRS）全年将推出特别优惠，包括7月一整个月份，让新加坡公民及永久居民，享有40％的门票折扣。

WRS集团主席张齐娥昨天与庆祝会贵宾、我国前总统纳丹，一同主持了生日会及切蛋糕仪式。纳丹还在巨型生日卡上，写下他对动物园的祝福。

40年前，动物园只有272只动物，如今的动物园有超过2800只动物，其中多达26％是频临绝种的稀有动物。每年共有170万名来自国内外的访客到访动物园。

张齐娥说，我国动物园采用开放式的园区，没有笼子，是与众不同的地方之一。她希望接下来打造一个更具互动性、让访客更有参与感的动物园，并增添一些亲老龄的设施。

～以上新闻转载自OMY～

$45k in cash to be won at King of Games

$45,000 in cash to be won at King of Games

Digital Life and Alienware present the King of Games tournament to celebrate and reward the best gamers in Singapore, with prizes worth $45,000 in cash. -- ST PHOTO

Digital Life and Alienware present the King of Games tournament to celebrate and reward the best gamers in Singapore, with prizes worth $45,000 in cash. Gamers are invited to test their skills in multiplayer online battle arena game Defense Of The Ancients 2 (Dota 2), action role-playing game Dragon Nest and first-person shooter Counter-Strike Online.

Each week, one game will be played at the Alienware Arena, located at Lucky Chinatown, level 3. Kicking off the tournament will be Dota 2, followed by Counter-Strike Online and Dragon Nest. The first Dota 2 qualifier will start this Friday, June 28.

Register your King of Games account here. Gather your friends and form a team of five and register your team for Dota 2, Dragon Nest and Counter-Strike Online.

Registered teams are required to be at the Alienware Arena by 10.30am to confirm their attendance. Details of the upcoming match dates for Dragon Nest and Counter-Strike Online will be updated on the King of Games website. The top eight teams from each game will proceed to the grand finals at Licence2Play, held from Dec 6 to 8 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. Visit the website for more details.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

用新添值机申请退款 被多扣车资直接退回

用新添值机申请退款 被多扣车资直接退回

从今天起，乘客如果发现他们乘搭地铁或巴士时，被扣除的车资不正确，可以使用地铁站或巴士站内的添值机领取车资退款，非常方便。

这个获得全面提升的添值机（Add Value Machine），易名为AVM+，上述是新机器增添或提升的5项功能之一。

公众之前得通过地铁或巴士站的售票处，提出车资退款要求，再到添值机索回退款。

全天运作的AVM+则可以让乘客直接完成退款程序。乘客可在被多扣车资的2天后，申请并立即领取退款，款项将直接退还到车资卡上。

乘客在发现扣除车资不正确的当天，也可马上到AVM+申请退款，但系统需较长时间才能完成审核程序，乘客过后才可索取退款。

通联公司（TransitLink）去年每天平均处理100起退款事件，最普遍的状况是：车资卡被扣两次钱、下车时没有触动阅卡器，以及扣除额外车资。AVM+相信能大大减少乘客在索取退款时，所需的时间。

AVM+保留原有的紫色外观，但上头将贴上白色的AVM+标签。用户界面也更为简洁易懂。新机器将取代现有的74台添值机。

AVM+其他新功能有：索取车资卡的电子账单、把“公共交通礼券”兑换成储值，直接存入车资卡内、向通联公司提供反馈，以及查询其他AVM+所在。

～以上新闻转载自OMY～

如何正确戴口罩？

如何正确戴口罩？



口罩若是戴得不正确，空气里的微子还是能够被吸入体内。（摄影／蔡进鸿）

卫生部昨天表示，N95若没有弄湿或变形可重复使用。但专家透露，有心脏相关疾病及哮喘的人不适合用N95。

不少公众以为可过滤空气中95％悬浮颗粒的N95口罩是最理想的口罩，但专家指出，即使是年长者、孕妇、15岁以下少儿或患有慢性疾病者也不适宜长时间戴。

伊丽莎白医院的耳鼻喉专科医生应守斌则告诉《联合早报》，购买口罩时须购买适合自己的口罩，若不够密封，公众仍可能吸入烟雾，无法起到保护作用。

有心脏相关疾病与哮喘病的公众较不适合用N95口罩，因为这类口罩相当密封，公众其实是在循环呼吸自己所呼出来的空气，口罩内的氧气含量会越来越少，可能会使得心脏相关疾病与哮喘病患者呼吸较为困难。戴上口罩后会密不透风，有些皮肤较为敏感的公众可能会出现过敏症状。

点击这里看图，学习戴口罩的正确方法。

《新明日报》

不满18岁或年满65岁的新加坡人 因烟霾看病有30元津贴

民众多不知　因烟霾看病有30元津贴

卫生部长颜金勇透露，截至昨天，全岛共有215家诊所加入这个临时启动的津贴计划，他们多是原本就已加入社保援助计划的诊所。全岛18家综合诊疗所也参加计划。

国大医院已从前天起关闭津贴病房的窗户，并在房内放置移动式冷气机，避免烟雾飘入病房的同时，也确保环境舒适。

卫生部昨早推出看诊津贴，协助受烟霾影响病人减轻负担，不过不少符合条件的民众，是在诊所职员告知后才知道可享有这项津贴。

民众可在那些贴有CHAS标签的诊所享有津贴。从上午8时起，那些因烟霾感到不适而又符合条件的病人，到综合诊疗所看病，只需支付最多10元费用。至于其他到卫生部指定私人诊所看病的病人，则从昨天中午12时起享有30元诊费津贴。

受惠者包括不满18岁或年满65岁的新加坡人，和领取公共援助金及加入社保援助计划者。

求诊哮喘病人增加；颜金勇：公共医院将确保床位足够；津贴病房放置移动冷气机。

《联合早报》