SINGAPORE WHAT'S HOTS NOW?

Participants transport costumed

2011-01-27T01:17:00.000-08:00

Participants transport costumed Indian figures on wheels after a reherasal for the Chingay Parade in Singapore late January 22,2011. Chingay parade is an annual street and floats parade held during the Chinese new year period in Singapore. The word Chingay means "the art of masquerade" in Chinese Hokkien dialect.

Red Chinese lantern decorations

2011-01-27T01:15:00.000-08:00

Red Chinese lantern decorations hang in a mall for the upcoming Chinese new year celebrations early February in Singapore Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011

Shah Rukh Khan smiles

2011-01-25T01:15:00.000-08:00

Actor Shah Rukh Khan smiles as he speaks to the media during a news conference before the bollywood Zee Cine Awards at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore January 14, 2011

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan smiles

2011-01-25T01:08:00.000-08:00

Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan smiles on the red carpet of the Bollywood Zee Cine Awards at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore January 14, 2011.

Men carry a Kavadi

2011-01-25T01:00:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE - JANUARY 20: Men carry a Kavadi during preparations prior to the start of the Thaipusam procession on January 20, 2011 in Singapore, Singapore. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community. Devotees will pray and make vows when the prayers are answered they fulfill the vows by piercing parts of their body such as their cheeks, tongues, and backs before carrying a 'Kavadi' on a four kilometre journey of faith.

A performer poses in front of a Chinese lion head

2011-01-25T00:57:00.000-08:00

A performer poses in front of a Chinese lion head as her friend takes photo before the dress rehearsal for the Chingay parade in Singapore January 22, 2011. The word Chingay means "the art of masquerade" in Chinese Hokkien dialect. Chingay parade is an annual street and floats parade held during the Chinese new year period in Singapore.

Chinese New Year decorations hang above a street in Singapore

2011-01-25T00:55:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year decorations hang above a street in Singapore January 21, 2011. The Chinese characters read "may all your wishes come true". The Lunar New Year begins on February 3 and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodia

Performers for the 2011 Chingay parade

2011-01-25T00:52:00.000-08:00

Performers for the 2011 Chingay parade pose for cameras in front of the Singapore skylines during the dress rehearsal in Singapore January 22, 2011. The word Chingay means "the art of masquerade" in Chinese Hokkien dialect. Chingay parade is an annual street and floats parade held during the Chinese new year period in Singapore.

Members of 501st Legion Singapore Garrison

2011-01-25T00:48:00.000-08:00

Members of 501st Legion Singapore Garrison, in their Star Wars costumes, take part in the dress rehearsal of the Chingay parade in Singapore January 22, 2011. The word Chingay means "the art of masquerade" in Chinese Hokkien dialect. Chingay parade is an annual street and floats parade held during the Chinese new year period in Singapore

A seller (R) displays oranges for sale at a stall in Singapore

2011-01-25T00:37:00.001-08:00

A seller (R) displays oranges for sale at a stall in Singapore January 24, 2011. Singapore's annual inflation rate hit 4.6 percent in December, the highest since December 2008, and analysts said if the rate accelerated further in the first few months of 2011 as expected, the central bank was likely to maintain or further tighten policy at its April meeting. The city-state's consumer price index was up a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent from November, said Singapore's Department of Statistics.

major shopping street clad with Christmas

2010-12-29T21:35:00.000-08:00

Shoppers make their way in a major shopping street clad with Christmas decorations during this festive season on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010 in Singapore.

Chinese mythical character "Guan Yu"

2010-12-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

Rocky Goh, dressed as Chinese mythical character "Guan Yu", poses before a Cosplay event at the Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention (SGTCC) in Singapore December 10, 2010. The STGCC runs from December 10 to 12

Taiwanese tattoo artist Jess Yen

2010-12-29T21:31:00.000-08:00

Taiwanese tattoo artist Jess Yen works on a customer at the Singapore Tattoo Art and Culture Show on December 10, 2010. Singapore Tattoo, Art and Culture Show (STACS) is a boutique tattoo exhibition showcasing the very best handpicked tattoo artists from around the world which begin on 10-12 December 2010.

Lifestyle-Asia-Christmas-economy-retail

2010-12-29T21:27:00.001-08:00

To go with Lifestyle-Asia-Christmas-economy-retail, FOCUS by Roberto Colomaphoto taken on December 19, 2010 shows people walking in front of a shopping mall decorated for Christmas festive season in Singapore. Strong currencies and a travel boom are fuelling a yearend shopping spree in Asia's retail capitals even though consumers remain wary of a new downturn, economists and retailers say.

Black Palm Cockatoo sibling

2010-12-29T21:26:00.000-08:00

Three Black Palm Cockatoo siblings, and an egg expected to hatch sometime over the Christmas period, are displayed to the media at the Jurong Bird park in Singapore on December 20, 2010. Black Palm Cockatoos are being bred as part of the parks ongoing birdlife conservation programme which has for the first time hatched three birds in consecutive months

Children play in foam

2010-12-14T19:30:00.000-08:00

Children play in foam used to simulate snow at a shopping mall on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 in Singapore where malls are taking advantage of the festive season to draw in customers through visual merchandising, advertising and year end sales.

A scale model of Rolls-Royce engine V2500

2010-12-01T22:24:00.000-08:00

A scale model of Rolls-Royce engine V2500

A scale model of Rolls-Royce engine V2500 which has been used for the Airbus A319, A320 and A321 and Boeing MD-90, is displayed at the 8th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Zhuhai Airshow) in Zhuhai, southern coast of Guangdong province, China, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010. Rolls-Royce will temporarily replace any oil-leaking engines like the one that caught fire and blew apart on a Qantas superjumbo jet earlier this month, and aviation official said Monday. Qantas said it found oil leaks in three of its Airbus A380s powered by the Rolls-Royce engines. Its entire fleet of six remains grounded since the blowout on the flight to Sydney, which forced the safe return of the jet to Singapore. The airshow will run from Nov. 16 to 21.

Rainer Ng Kai Wee of Singapore

2010-12-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

First leg swimmers (front to back), Rainer Ng Kai Wee of Singapore, Park Seonkwan of South Korea, Sun Xaiolei of China and Irie Ryosuke of Japan compete in the men's 4x100m medley relay final in the swimming event of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 18, 2010.

Ng Lin Zhi Shayna of Singapore

2010-12-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

(From L to R) Gold medalists Tan Shi Hua Cherie, Ng Su Yi Geraldine, Ng Lin Zhi Shayna of Singapore pose on the podium during an award ceremony for the women's trios bowling final at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on November 20, 2010. Singapore won the gold, South Korea won the silver and China took the bronze.

celebrations for Loy Krathong Festival November 21

2010-12-01T22:02:00.000-08:00

Women light a krathong, or floral float decorated with incense and candles, before releasing it into the Kallang River in Singapore as part of annual celebrations for Loy Krathong Festival November 21, 2010. Celebrated by Thai people around the world, Loy Krathong is an occasion where floral floats are lighted and released at a river as a symbol of good luck and to mark a fresh beginning to life.