11.17.2009

connect four: Singapore, Philippines, Israel, Corruption

1. Singapore, Iran foreign ministers to visit Manila

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will arrive Wednesday for a two-day official visit, while Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo will be in Manila for an official visit on November 19-22, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

...His visit to the Philippines is auspicious as the Philippines and Singapore are commemorating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

“The Philippines enjoys cordial diplomatic relations with Singapore, cultivated through frequent exchanges of visits by high-ranking officials. Both countries share a common vision of the importance of Asean and work closely together at Asean meetings and other international fora,” the DFA said.

In the economic front, Singapore is one of the Philippines’ top trading partners. Bilateral meetings have been held at the sidelines of annual meetings such as the Asean Ministerial Meeting, the Asean Summit, the United Nations General Assembly, and Apec, among others.

While in Manila, the Singapore foreign minister will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Park and officiate the formal opening of the Singapore embassy at the Bonifacio Global City.

read more @ global nation


2. feb 09: development at Bonifacio Global City continues amid global slowdown

Emerging business district Bonifacio Global City in Taguig remains a sought-after location for both office and residential spaces, even as rival business districts continue to feel the effects of the slowing global economy.

Noel Eli B. Kintanar, Commercial Operations head of Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC), told a briefing yesterday they continue to enjoy high lease rates, with land values appreciating by more than a quarter to P140,000 to P150,000 per square meter last year.

...Among the establishments that have expanded there are global financial service firm JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, Globe Headquarters and the Chancery for Singapore Embassy. Mr. Kintanar noted that as of end-2008, 72 projects have been completed, 41 were ongoing while 23 residential, office and retail development projects had been proposed.


mm hmm. read more @ ayalaland


3. aangirfan: Singapore: all the trafficking in the world was there

Singapore is like Palermo or Chicago or Tel Aviv?

1. Italy's Calabrian Mafia, known as the ‘Ndrangheta, is a global organisation which reportedly earned $70 billion in 2007. (Mafia rushed through gap in Berlin Wall)

Francesco Fonti, an ex-boss, currently in jail in Italy, says:

Singapore was a favourite haunt – "all the trafficking in the world was there ... ships, missiles". (gap in Berlin Wall

2. Singapore has brothels.

Orchard Towers, for example, is "four floors of whores".

In Singapore, the travel writer Paul Theroux came across young girls for sale. ("Ghost Train to the Eastern Star" by Paul Theroux, 2008. Page 330)

Singapore is like Palermo or Chicago or Tel Aviv?

3. In a book entitled "The Israeli Connection: Whom Israel arms and why", Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi (1988, pg26) wrote, "According to the CIA (1979), Singapore is the location of the main Mossad station in Asia."



read more @ aangirfan


4. Israel ranks No. 32 *least* corrupt country in the world

Israel ranks 32 out of 180 on the list of the world's corrupt countries, according to a study released by the International Transparency Organization on Tuesday. ...the lower the ranking,the more corrupt a country is considered to be.

The study defined corruption as misuse of a position of public influence to further one's personal interests.

The ranking is based on a grade which combines data from 13 questionnaires, executed by 11 different research centers. The results are based on the answers of 28,000 business people and experts from Israel and abroad.

According to the final results, Israel ranked the same as Spain, with both countries receiving the grade 6.1. This put it ahead of the Dominican Republic, Portugal and Puerto Rico (35), Botswana and Taiwan (37). Some of the countries ranked lower than Israel include Poland (49), Italy (63), China (79), Syria (126) and Iran (168).

According to the study, News Zealand, Denmark, Singapore and Sweden are the least corrupt countries in the world, while Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sudan are considered the most corrupt countries in the world.

This is the first time New Zealand, graded 9.4, has been ranked as the country with the least amount of corruption in the world, followed closely by Denmark with the grade of 9.3.

The United States ranked 19, just after Britain, which came in at 17.


the source for this hilarity: haaretz
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128800.html

2 comments:

INCOMING!!!!!!! said...

They love these gated cities don't they? You can carry on all the old predilictions and satiate the gnawing hungers hidden in cities. It's difficult to do in the pampas, and there are very few beaches deep in the forest!!!

Seriously, The Phillipines must be getting ready for change of ownership now, if that didn't happen in 1991.

A. Peasant said...

yes it seems to be at the center of something big. all those mines...