New Year

Protest in Bethlehem

 Today is the Jewish New Year. But it didn't start out well. 6 terrorists from high security prison escaped and the country is on red alert. Mass gatherings at synagogues and public places are at risk of possible attacks and security has stepped up a lot around the City.

Anyway the streets and roads are a lot more empty as Jews are not allowed to work on this holy day. The borders with Palestine have been closed.

Also tensions at the southern Gaza border has increased, with Gaza flying incendiary balloons into Israel, burning up the surrounding land, and Israel bombing targets in Gaza. Also up north in Syria, tensions are rising. But if things are like previous years, it shouldn't lead up to war.

Israel has lowered Singapore's Covid standing, downgrading it to orange level meaning visitors must be quarantined for 1 week. Hong Kong, Taiwan and China though remain in yellow level which requires only 24 hr isolation. Local infection rates have lowered quite a lot but fears of mass gatherings in synagogues will lead to another spike. 

I try to avoid crowds but work requires me to walk 1km to my office. With my difficulty in breathing, I luckily have a tuk-tuk driven by our doorman to get me there. Our local tuk-tuks are golf carts that don't require licenses to drive; unlike the tuk-tuks in Thailand and Philippines which are jeepneys. Locals bring elderly and sick people around the Old City in tuk-tuks because climbing all the stairs is really very difficult. I'm numbered as elderly and sick.