The Malaysian Insider

SINGAPORE, Nov 7 — A few weeks ago, Singaporeans watched in awe the hoisting of a 700-tonne beam linking the towers of Marina Bay Sands (MBS) to form the Skypark — a vast rooftop garden — while at Sentosa, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) was working on the finishing touches to the rides for its Universal Studios Theme Park.

Just how awesome these two integrated resorts (IRs) are is becoming more visible by the day. Together, they will cost in excess of S$13 billion (RM31.2 billion) when they are complete. Not only will they be iconic attractions, but within five years they could bring in 17 million top quality tourists who will spend in excess of S$30 billion and help create over 100,000 jobs, directly and indirectly.

BANGKOK, Nov 7 — Each of the 51 submersible pumps at the Phra Khanong pumping station — the biggest of the facilities draining Bangkok — can at full throttle blast 173 cubic metres per second of water into a broad canal.

From there, the momentum propels the water into the Chao Phraya river 1km away.

Night and day, the pumps work, literally keeping Bangkok above water.

NOV 7 — For more than four hours this week, a packed Constitutional Court in Jakarta listened transfixed to 67 wiretapped conversations implicating the police and the Attorney-General's Office (AGO) in a plot to fabricate evidence against Indonesia's embattled Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK).

Perhaps it stemmed from the arrogance of power. Perhaps it was the result of profound stupidity. One may well have fed into the other, but the tapes gave Indonesians a riveting and depressing view of a justice system for sale.

NEW YORK, Nov 6 — Not long ago, gene therapy seemed troubled by insurmountable difficulties. After decades of hype and dashed hopes, many who once embraced the still-experimental idea of correcting genetic disorders by giving people new genes all but gave up the idea.

But scientists say gene therapy might be on the edge of a resurgence. There were three recent, though small, successes — one involving children with a fatal brain disease, one with an eye disease that causes blindness and one with children who have a disease that destroys the immune system.

BARCELONA, Nov 2 – A company behind plans to open the first hotel in space says it is on target to accept its first paying guests in 2012 despite critics questioning the investment and time frame for the multi-billion dollar project.

The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island.

During their stay, guests would see the sun rise 15 times a day and travel around the world every 80 minutes. They would wear velcro suits so they can crawl around their pod rooms by sticking themselves to the walls like Spiderman.