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REYNOSA, Tamaulipas – Sicarios del Cartel del Golfo se enfrentaron a policías en un tiroteo donde las autoridades rescataron a tres migrantes centroamericanos que la organización criminal había secuestrado. El tiroteo ocurrió esta semana en el lado sur de la ciudad fronteriza de Reynosa, a lo largo de la carretera que conduce a la ciudad de San Fernando. El enfrentamiento tuvo lugar cuando un grupo de policías patrullaba la región y divisó un convoy de sicarios. Los sicarios dispararon contra la policía mientras intentaban escapar, iniciando una persecución a alta velocidad y un tiroteo. El caso fue reportado inicialmente por Hoy Tamaulipas . Los sicarios condujeron por una serie de caminos de terraceria en un intento por evitar ser capturados, pero la persecución terminó cuando las autoridades alcanzaron una camioneta Suzuki gris. El conductor del vehículo disparó contra la policía varias veces, pero murió en el lugar después de que los policías le contestaran los disparos. … [Read more...] about Rescatan a Migrantes Tras Balacera en Ciudad Fronteriza Mexicana

SINGAPORE: Apprehensions over ageing HDB leases might have eased to some extent after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech . Mr Lee did well to explain why HDB leases are limited to 99 years and cannot be indefinitely renewed, for the sake of future generations and for social and practical reasons. While understanding the reasons, Singaporeans can look forward to other options that could see older flats retain their value for a longer period. The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) will be expanded to cover more flats, and the new HIP II scheme will give all HDB flats a second round of upgrading when they reach the 60 to 70-year mark. Residents can also look to the possibility of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). CONSIDER THE UNKNOWNS However, while considering these and other options in the public housing ecosystem, Singaporeans would do well to manage their expectations and exercise prudence in their choices. National … [Read more...] about Commentary: Windfalls and bailouts should not be an expected part of the public housing equation

SINGAPORE: The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a rethinking of our built environment. With so many of us still working from home, we are once again questioning how we should be designing our domestic, work, and urban spaces. In Singapore, the way we look at redesigning homes or urban spaces has evolved over time too. Central to how privately owned architecture changes here is the collective sale, or what is known as en bloc redevelopment. This is where an existing old building is sold to a developer or consortium who then proceeds to demolish and rebuild. Since 1995, there have been 579 transactions marked by two periods of en bloc “boom” in Singapore. The first was between 2006 and 2007 - 250 transactions worth about S$20 billion - and the second was between 2017 and 2018 with 79 transactions worth about S$18 billion. Since then, the numbers have tapered off. Today, when we look at how to deal with ageing infrastructure, the question of sustainability comes into play. … [Read more...] about Commentary: Conserving Golden Mile Complex is a paradigm shift for Singapore architecture

IT was nine days ago, on a FaceTime call to my best friend Laura, that her frustration with my bewildered, preoccupied face got the better of her and she exclaimed: “For goodness sake, get on Tinder and meet people. You need the distraction, woman!” She was right. This third lockdown has hit me hard — like so many others — and while our struggles are all relative, I’ve found the lack of social interaction tough. Although I live in a nice house and have a great outside space, I’m basically at home with a 12-year-old boy, Malcolm, a 16-year-old girl, Martha, and a dog with leukaemia. The only other adult I see is my ex-husband whenever he picks up or drops off our son. Oh, and obviously I see people on my dog walks. But something has certainly been missing. I have to admit, I have been un­com­promising about the prospect of dating apps. Not only am I a technophobe — I took 12 months to transfer my old phone to my new one ­­— I’m also an old-fashioned bird. I like … [Read more...] about I joined Tinder at 53, I won’t date anyone younger than 26 especially if they send me pics of their ‘Sergeant Major’

SINGAPORE: Despite the economic headwind and global uncertainties, construction demand in Singapore is expected to remain strong this year, said Minister for State for National Development and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Wednesday (Jan 8). This follows a record year for the construction sector. Construction demand hit a five year high in 2019, with an estimated S$33.4 billion worth of projects awarded, according to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), higher than its top end projection of S$32 billion. "(This) represents a 9.5 per cent increase in construction demand compared to the year before," said Mr Zaqy. READ: Singapore economy expands 0.7% in 2019, slowest in a decade New petrochemical facilities and continued demand from residential en-bloc developments boosted private sector demand, while industrial and building projects in the Punggol Digital District contributed to public sector demand, he said. For this year, BCA estimated that between S$28 billion … [Read more...] about Construction demand hit 5-year high in 2019; to remain strong in 2020, medium term