Blogs

The Shanghai universal Expo, which is due to last from May,1 to October,31 2010, has entered it's last weeks of intense preparation. The event promises to be huge, with more than 70 millions visitors expected and over 200 participating countries.

Jobs DB, a leading jobsite in Singapore and Asia is holding it's career expo 2010 in Singapore this month.

An interesting opportunity for job seekers to meet recruiters and take a direct snapshot of the "state of the local job market".

• Date: 26-28 March 2010
• Venue: Suntec Singapore- Halls 602 and 603, level 6
• Time: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily.

"AFP - Saudi Arabia could soon allow women lawyers to appear in court, though apparently only representing other women, the country's justice minister said in comments published on Sunday.

Justice Minister Mohammed al-Issa said the ministry is drafting new rules to permit female lawyers to argue family cases, which could be passed soon, Saudi newspapers reported.

The women would be able to represent women in marriage, divorce, custody and other family cases, the newspapers said.

Thanks to a last quarter in 2009 which was better than expected, with a 1,1% growth of its gross interior product, Japan remains the number 2 world Economy in 2009.

But 2009 was a very difficult year for Japan. It's economy contracted by 5% in 2009, the worst results since 1955, and it's growth in 2010, according to gevernmental sources, should not exceed 1,4%.

In these conditions, Japan could well cede it's 2nd rank to China as soon as in 2010 : it's total GDP in 2009 was 3.871 billions €, compared with china's 3.594 billions €.

10 years ago, Accenture conducted a survey on the characteristics of the "leader of the future". 10 years later, are those traits been integrated by today's leaders? During the last decade, the globalization of the economy has continued to expand, with the emergence of new key actors and an engine "made in Asia". The current business context requires new abilities from our leaders, stemming from a world that has become global, cross cultural and slightly virtual.

Book: 

Leading Beyond the Walls: Wisdom to Action Series

Australia tightened yesterday it's migration rules in an effort to slow the inflow of foreign students attending short and low level education programs in hope to settle in the country, and to reemphasize the need to preferably welcome engineers and doctors.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans said about 20,000 overseas applications have been rejected, and new rules would require better english skills and target the best and the brightest.

Expatriate in Singapore, Florence Notte has taken advantage of her stay in the city State to perfect her art in photography. After an exhibition last year, she launches her last book on February 9th. An urban journey where natural mirror effects ceaselessly reinvent new perspectives and where building transmute into frames holding captive a mystified reality.  

Established in May 2009, the Economic Strategies commitee (ESC) submitted on the 1rst of February its key recommendations to ensure sustainable growth and maximize Singapore's ability to benefit from current opportunities in the Region.

The aim of the exercise was to look beyond the coming decade, and to work with no delay on how to adress the opportunities and challenges that will condition Singapore's continuous success and comfort it's central role in the Region.

Hiring expectations in China, Hong Kong and Singapore are wearing bright colours in this first quarter of the year, in sharp contrast with 2009.

According to a recent quaterly survey conducted by Hudson, nearly half of respondents in China (49% Compared to 39% in Q409) forecast a headcount growth this quarter, 53 % in Hong Kong, and 51% in Singapore.

Social tools have taken such an importance in our daily life that it seems almost impossible to live without facebook, Youtube, twitter and the like. But such tools are not unanimously welcome around the world and some countries are actively engaged in hampering their use, which they consider a danger for political stability, moral code or religion. How do expatriates manage to live without Facebook when, as it's the case in China and other countries, the access to the website is forbidden?