Category: Life & Style

Singapore’s tourism industry is on track for a strong rebound in 2024, with India emerging as a prominent participant, claiming a seat among the top three visitor source markets.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), 1.2 million Indian tourists are scheduled to visit the city-state this year, highlighting India’s prominence in Singapore’s tourism industry. While China leads with 3.08 million arrivals, followed by Indonesia with 2.49 million, India’s strong performance highlights Singapore’s expanding attraction to Indian travellers. This overall rebound in international tourist arrivals has seen a 21% increase, reaching 16.5 million, but still somewhat short of the 19.1 million pre-pandemic peak in 2019.

Beyond the top three, considerable growth has been recorded in markets such as Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This good trend is mirrored in tourism receipts, which are expected to range between SGD 27.5 billion and SGD 29 billion. As of September 2024, spending has already reached SGD 22.4 billion, a 10% increase from the same period last year.

The STB attributes its success to new tourism products, strategic collaborations, and high-profile events, such as concerts by worldwide music icons Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.

A new phase of the Talent Attraction and Retention 2031 strategy has been launched by the UAE Cabinet, solidifying the nation’s standing as a global centre for highly qualified individuals. Initially launched in 2021, the program seeks to draw and keep talent in several vital industries.

Key industries include technology, biotechnology, advanced industries, financial services, biotechnology, healthcare, renewable energy, aviation, food and water technology, and the creative economy are the emphasis of the plan. The UAE hopes to strengthen its standing as a top location for international knowledge and innovation by stepping up its efforts.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s vice president, prime minister, and ruler of Dubai, presided over a Cabinet meeting where the decision to move forward with the program was accepted.

The UAE Cabinet referenced LinkedIn research that highlights the country’s attractiveness as a top destination for professionals looking for new employment opportunities and a good standard of living. According to the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index, the UAE is also ranked among the top 20 countries worldwide and first in the MENA region for human development.

Thailand has taken a huge step towards expediting its immigration process by implementing the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), often known as the “TM.6 online” system. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has established this digital portal to make entrance formalities easier for international visitors and travellers.

The TDAC system is intended to replace the existing TM.6 paper form and make admission into Thailand more efficient. By eliminating the need for physical forms, the new approach speeds up immigration procedures and improves the entire visitor experience. Visitors can now pre-register and submit personal information online before arriving in Thailand, resulting in a more streamlined, efficient, and comfortable immigration process.

To enable effective data verification, the system has been integrated with major agencies such as the Department of Consular Affairs, the Department of Disease Control, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The Immigration Bureau has also worked with these departments to integrate the TDAC with Thailand’s E-Visa system, disease screening process, and tourist fee collection system, thereby easing admission procedures.

The TDAC system is planned to be completely operational by May 1, making Thailand a more contemporary, efficient, and tourist-friendly destination while also stimulating the country’s tourism industry.

Chandrika Tandon, an Indian-American artist, achieved a historic event by winning her first Grammy Award at the age of 71. She won the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album award for Triveni, a collaboration with three-time Grammy-winning South African flautist Wouter Kellerman and Japanese-origin cellist Eru Matsumoto.

Tandon, overcome with delight, thanked everyone in her award speech in Los Angeles. “Music embodies love, light, and laughter.” Let us be surrounded by love, light, and laughter. “Thank you to everyone who makes music,” she stated.

On Instagram, she remarked on the importance of music, writing, “Music ignites the light within us and spreads joy even in the darkest times.”

Tandon and her partners beat out nominees like Ricky Kej (Break of Dawn) and Anoushka Shankar (Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn). While Kej has three Grammy awards, Shankar has yet to win, despite 11 nominations.

Tandon, who was born in Chennai, worked in banking before discovering his passion for music. She attended IIM Ahmedabad, worked for Citibank in Lebanon, and became the first Indian-American partner at McKinsey & Company.

She is a classically trained vocalist who was nominated for a Grammy in 2011 for Soul Call.

Jewar International Airport is all set to become Asia’s largest airport, with regular operations set to commence in April, according to India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. During his presentation to the Rajya Sabha, Naidu confirmed that preparations for the airport’s opening are on track. Validation flights were successfully completed in December, representing a critical milestone in the project’s timeframe.

Major airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, were clearly excited to begin operations at the new airport. This construction is projected to transform India’s worldwide connectivity and establish Jewar as a key aviation centre in Asia. The airport’s advantageous location near the Noida Motorway will increase its accessibility. The ongoing infrastructure enhancements are aimed at providing seamless transportation alternatives for passengers and freight.

As part of the government’s sustained commitment to aviation, Naidu announced that the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) initiative would be extended for another decade. The program, which aims to improve regional aviation connectivity, will enable the construction of 100 additional airports throughout India.

Furthermore, the Kushinagar Airport is on pace to open soon, contributing to the government’s overall goal of increasing aviation facilities across the country

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore made history on Thursday by conducting a 5.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). This achievement is noteworthy for both astronauts, as Williams sets a new personal and collective record for time spent on spacewalks.

During the 5-hour and 30-minute spacewalk, Williams and Wilmore successfully removed a radio frequency group antenna assembly off the ISS’s truss. They also took surface material samples from the Destiny laboratory and Quest airlock. NASA has stated that these materials would be analysed as part of ongoing scientific studies. This spacewalk was Williams’ tenth, adding to her already excellent record. 

She has completed 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalks, ranking fourth on NASA’s all-time chart for the longest time spent outside the ISS.

Meanwhile, NASA is working closely with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to return Williams and Wilmore to Earth. The astronauts, who were supposed to be aboard the ISS for eight days, have been stuck there for several months due to technical concerns with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. NASA has opted to employ SpaceX’s spacecraft for its return, but delays have pushed it back.

Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest international airport, has reached a new record of 92 million passengers in 2024, representing a remarkable 6% rise from the previous year. This feat demonstrates Dubai’s robust post-pandemic recovery and ongoing prominence as a worldwide aviation hub. Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, celebrated the milestone on social media, noting that DXB had also registered 440,000 air movements, with 106 airlines linking the city to 272 destinations in 107 countries.

DXB is the world’s busiest airport for the tenth year in a row, having handled over 700 million passengers in just the last decade. Looking ahead, Dubai Airports plans to invest AED 128 billion ($34.8 billion) over the next ten years to improve its aviation infrastructure and passenger experience. This initiative intends to boost Dubai’s standing in the global aviation industry by consolidating its leadership in connectivity, efficiency, and innovation.

In line with this expansion, Dubai is expanding Al Maktoum International Airport with a $35 billion terminal project. The expansion, scheduled for completion in 2034, will boost the airport’s capacity to 150 million passengers per year, eventually making it Dubai’s major airport and cementing the city’s position as a global aviation leader.

A revolutionary high-speed rail service connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai has been launched, reducing travel time to 30 minutes. The new line, introduced by Etihad Rail, would see trains travel at speeds of up to 350 km/h, going past popular tourist attractions and urban monuments.

The route will have six stations: Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Zayed Airport, and places near Dubai’s Al Maktoum Airport and Jaddaf. Although building has not yet begun, network designs have been completed and contract tenders have been submitted.

Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled and Sheikh Hamdan stressed the project’s transformative benefits for citizens, residents, and tourists as a key step towards enhancing the UAE’s infrastructure. The high-speed trains are intended to boost the UAE’s worldwide competitiveness and add an estimated $40 billion to its GDP over the next 50 years.

The trains, which can carry 400 to 600 passengers, will provide a safer and speedier alternative to driving. Furthermore, the project is projected to alleviate traffic congestion, minimise emissions, and promote tourism, revolutionising the daily commute.

The high-speed service will supplement a normal train line connecting important UAE cities, with an expected 36 million passengers per year by 2030.

Argentina is abolishing import duties on specific low-cost electric and hybrid automobiles in a big step towards promoting green mobility. The initiative, which takes effect next week, intends to make environmentally friendly transit more accessible. Economy Minister Luis Caputo made the statement on X, emphasising the government’s commitment to sustainable mobility options.

The new legislation allows up to 50,000 electric and hybrid automobiles to join the Argentine market without taxes per year. This decision is consistent with the global trend towards greener mobility options, and it is likely to increase customer demand.

In addition, Argentina is altering its auto tax system. Cars costing between 41 million pesos ($39,047) and 75 million pesos ($71,428) will henceforth be tax-exempt. Meanwhile, automobiles costing more over 75 million pesos would have their tax rates slashed from 35% to 18%.

The motorbike industry is also involved in the change. Models costing between 15 million and 23 million pesos will receive a tax break, making two-wheel electric transportation more affordable.

With these tax and tariff concessions, the country hopes to expedite adoption, increase competition, and modernise its automobile sector while also making sustainable transportation more affordable to its residents.

Daksh Malik, a Class 9 student from Shiv Nadar School in Noida, has discovered a new asteroid called “2023 OG40.” This astonishing feat was accomplished as part of the International Asteroid Discovery Project (IADP), a joint effort with NASA’s International Astronomical Search Collaboration. When NASA finishes its verification process, which might take up to five years, Daksh will have the unique honour of naming the asteroid.

Daksh’s interest in space began early, fuelled by documentaries on planets and the solar system. Speaking with The Print, he stated, “This is like a dream come true.” His interest in asteroid hunting began in 2022, when his school’s astronomy club exposed students to the IADP, a project run by STEM & Space in collaboration with IASC. Over 6,000 people join the program each year, but only a few, like Daksh, succeed in detecting new asteroids.

Daksh is now one of six Indian students to have reached this milestone, demonstrating the expanding commitment of young Indians to space science. His feat demonstrates the potential of student-led space exploration efforts, inspiring numerous more to follow their passion in astronomy.

As the world awaits NASA’s final verification, Daksh Malik’s story is a glorious moment for India.