Latest news with #shoppingmall
Washington Post
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Australian state plans to ban the sale of machetes following violent gang fight
MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian state government is banning the sale of machetes after a violent gang fight in a suburban shopping mall injured a young man. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan announced Monday the ban on the sale of large knives would take effect Wednesday after machete-wielding gang members clashed at a Melbourne mall on Sunday afternoon.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- The Sun
Watch moment have-a-go hero dad tackles hammer-wielding robber smashing open jewellery cases at shopping centre
THIS is the moment a have-a-go hero dad tackled a hammer-wielding robber in a bid to stop a brazen daylight robbery attempt at a jewellery store. CCTV footage shows the brave father rushing into the store and pinning the would-be thief to the ground after watching him break open jewellery cases at a shopping centre. 4 4 4 Anthony Haby was taking a stroll inside a Victorian shopping mall in Australia when he saw a man breaking boxes inside the store. After hearing screams and what sounded like gunshots, the 31-year-old jumped into action and rushed inside the store to tackle the would-be thief. He grabbed the hands of man before pushing him down to the ground, taking complete control of the situation. Moments later, members of security and police arrived to cuff the alleged robber, said to be in his 20s. He was then led away as bystanders begin to praise the dad for his heroic move. Speaking to 9News, the dad said: "I'm not a hero, I'm just an everyday bloke, doing what needed to be done. "People needed help, so we helped. It's just something I think any normal person would do, really." While Ms Haby was busy tackling the man, his wife Ms Fleming was seen helping the staff to get out of the store safely - just like the perfect team. Ms Fleming said: "We just heard screams, terrifying screams and didn't even think about it, just went in. " A staff member said about the heroic dad: "He was amazing - to not think of himself and put himself in danger - and he was straight on him. "He thought it was gunshots, he didn't know it was a hammer, he thought it was a gun, and he still came in and tackled him to the ground. "He's an Aussie hero." The members of the store have now nominated Ms Haby, who works as a builder, for a bravery award. Store manager Cheryl Luvara said: "Hopefully he'll receive that because I think that's what that award stands for." The alleged robber was presented at an Aussie magistrates' court. It is understood he is not seeking bail and will remain in custody until August. 4
CNA
18-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Nostalgia in Singapore: Why do we always long for the past and what does that say about us?
When Isetan announced it would close its Tampines Mall outlet in November 2025 after almost three decades in operation, it wasn't just a regular business winding up. It signalled to me the death of the Singaporean shopping mall template I have a love-hate relationship with, where a department store is the anchor tenant. This wasn't the only change in the past few years to the Singapore I grew up with. Each loss was made more pronounced against the post-pandemic landscape, where practically nothing was familiar anymore. Several longtime or heritage businesses shuttered too, with a string of notable closures in expatriate enclave Holland Village, like the 80-year institution Thambi magazine store, party shop Khiam Teck and furniture business Lim's Holland Village. Then there was the slow death of cinemagoing, once a classic Singaporean pastime. Filmgarde Cineplexes exited the market in March after 18 years, while Cathay's operator mm2 Asia in the same month continued its slew of closures, shutting down its sixth theatre in three years. No matter the change, public reactions, perhaps predictably, centred around nostalgia. But this prevailing sentiment isn't mere romanticism of the past. I've found it masks deeper, unspoken anxieties about our shifting identity. Do we miss the physical entity that's vanishing, or do we really miss the time and people we used to be that it represents? Plus, what does it even mean to be Singaporean? OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY Some might say that it's our penchant for 'chope-ing' (reserving) seats at hawker centres with tissue packets. Others might highlight our world class airport and Singlish – two hallmarks of Singaporean efficiency. There's also our multiculturalism, 'kiasu' mentality (being afraid to lose), cookie-cutter shopping malls, grouchy taxi uncles, standardised Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, and a peculiar belief that our food is better than Malaysia's. The way I see it, however, the crux of our national identity is less about these tangible anchors than our existential need for them. This desire is most evident in nostalgia – increasingly common and inevitable in a country where change and progress are synonyms. As a millennial digital native, I recognise that social media makes nostalgia more contagious too, creating an algorithm-aggravated collective pining for a past we never knew. It's captured in one popular Facebook group, for starters: Heritage SG Memories. Pictures of Wisma Atria's iconic giant aquarium, for example, tend to see many members reminiscing about the days it was the standard meeting spot. The aquarium, demolished in 2008, only featured occasionally as a gathering point in my memory – but I can't be certain. Like plenty on social media, nostalgia also gets reduced to the most relatable anecdote, and I end up inheriting and remembering experiences I didn't quite live through. And this cultural yearning is only likely to increase, with rapid urban evolution the norm in a land scarce nation. Hobbyist photographer Jonathan Tan noticed a similar sentiment when he started Lepak Downstairs – a photo series of old-school stools and tables found at HDB void decks. Some people told him they appreciated his effort to 'capture history in photos', the 36-year-old said. Without such quaint designs anymore, newer Build-to-Order (BTO) flats 'don't have character'. 'I think people get emotional when these things disappear because there isn't really a replacement. It feels like the disappearance isn't justified. You're taking a piece of their childhood … their memories away, but there's nothing put in place for it,' he added. THE 'TENSION' IN NOSTALGIA So, it seems to many that being Singaporean – or at least having a sense of belonging to this country – lies in constantly navigating the gap between preservation and progress. It's a process often steeped in nostalgia. The creator behind the Instagram account @hdb_mrt, whose film photos reflect a familiar overtone of longing, said he started the account almost a decade ago partly because he was 'searching for this idea of home'. Syafiq, who requested to only use his first name, said he didn't just want to capture the older parts of Singapore that may soon disappear, but to 'remember what we have now and to contemplate what it means to live in this country, to live as Singaporeans, to experience the world as we do'. 'Within that is also a sense of nostalgia,' the 36-year-old said. 'Because the search for home is nostalgic in nature.' To him, nostalgia is a 'longing for a place, time, event or feeling that we cannot go back to'. It's an emotion that 'only exists when we have loss' and has to do with 'how things have changed so much so quickly within our lifetime', such as realising our childhood neighbourhoods are no longer the same. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Suburban Singapore (@hdb_mrt) Heritage educator and millennial Ho Yong Min has similarly observed that his generation is starting to wonder: 'Are the places that I'm growing up in starting to be lost?' The 'trade-offs' create a 'tension in our hearts', believes the 41-year-old founder of The Urbanist Singapore, a content platform dedicated to heritage storytelling amid urban design. 'In Singapore where every square metre is optimised, it tightens the sense of how spaces are so precious. I think it becomes psychological angst for folks who are growing up and witnessing change, (knowing) that obviously has to be balanced out with the need for change. So it's very complex.' There is 'a bit of a paradox' to negotiate living in Singapore, added Dr Felicity Chan from the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). 'To enjoy Singapore, you must be very adaptable to change, but we also know that people like stability,' said the deputy director for the Master of Science in Urban Science, Policy and Planning. Perhaps then, as Syafiq suggested, our nostalgia is also an 'inability to be satisfied with what we have now' and a 'reckoning of the present'. His photography, although it may resemble vignettes of a simpler Singapore, thus compels viewers to reflect on what it means to 'be in the now'. HOW WE CAN EMBRACE NOSTALGIA'S INFLUENCE Some may argue the cure for nostalgia is not to get overly attached to anything – a neighbourhood shop, a local business, a daily path you take to work – in the first place. SUTD's Dr Chan noted that it has become "quintessential Singaporean to rationalise and not hold onto things too tightly". "We've learnt to accept that one cannot expect things to stay the same way for a long time … And because things change so quickly, you don't even realise that you haven't had enough time to develop the depth of emotions before (a place) is gone.' Yet, forming attachment is only human nature. To deny ourselves that experience in exchange for an easier time letting go in future isn't pragmatism, just cynicism. And despite our best efforts, nostalgia resurfaces time and again. Even youth may start experiencing nostalgia at a much younger age too, being exposed to increasing online content about urban change in Singapore. As a full-time educator, Syafiq said his students, most in their mid-teens, aren't often 'given credit' for the nostalgic feelings they have for their childhood. But he believes this nostalgia will inadvertently mould their Singaporean identity as they grow up. Seeing nostalgia as integral to nation-building may hence better reveal what anchors our sense of belonging from an earlier age. After all, as Dr Chan observed, the search for identity among youths is a lot more "acute" than in someone older, when there is more identity "stability". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yong | The Urbanist Singapore (@ With physical symbols of heritage, Ho from The Urbanist Singapore believes it's important to take a 'more nuanced view' to get people thinking about what heritage means to them. He focuses on how to respect and pay homage to our heritage rather than the 'total loss' whenever a building or business disappears. 'Because heritage actually comes from the word 'inheritance'. It's something that we can steward from generation to generation,' he said. 'So while there is a feeling of loss, there's also a recognition that there are government agencies like HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) that do what they can to try to infuse heritage and history into urban planning or a new estate that's being developed. 'The question isn't whether to develop, but how to integrate memory into progress. I feel that is the more constructive way forward – and obviously the 'how' to integrate is important. It should not be something cursory.' Ultimately, things don't have to last forever to leave a mark, even if that runs counter to the Singaporean instinct for stability. While knowing this may not dull the weight of our perennial nostalgia, it just means nostalgia is as baked into our DNA as a desire for economic progress. For in a country where change is the only constant, loss is too.
Mail & Guardian
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Mall taxi rank upgrades are a strategic imperative in enhancing mall environments and enhancing the commuter experience
The main terminals for taxis in South Africa are taxi ranks, normally located near shopping malls and shopping complexes, serving commuters in various communities. According to the As compared to other Gauteng metros, City of Johannesburg conducted an Taxi rank integration in property management supports dignification Malls with well-designed taxi ranks can help alleviate traffic congestion by providing a dedicated area for taxis to wait and load and offload passengers. For taxi commuters, the taxi rank linked to a mall is part of their customer experience and sense of arrival. It is imperative that this is a dignified experience. The establishment of taxi ranks at malls supports fostering a more structured, regulated and safe environment for both taxis and passengers This ensures the provision of designated areas where taxis can queue, ensuring a more orderly and predictable process for passengers. Furthermore, the overall experience for taxis and passengers at well-managed taxi ranks is enhanced as a result of improved safety and security measures where unauthorised or unsafe pick-up points are reduced. Established in 1979, the Liberty Two Degrees managed Eastgate Shopping Centre was the first superregional mall in the eastern suburbs of Johannesburg. As the mall experienced growth in customers from the greater parts of the east of Johannesburg, noticing that a lot of the commuters to the mall and its surroundings used public transport, in 2005 the mall established a taxi rank in its premises as a vital transport hub for the community. Today, the mall houses more than 200 retailers and approximately 30% of Eastgate's customers rely on taxi services. Establishing safer environments that support informal trading Due to the high unemployment rate in South Africa, many are engaging in desperate means for survival. The informal trading market is expanding as a result and acts as a safety net for many, providing employment and income opportunities for those excluded from the formal labour market. Informal traders, who in some cases operate in unsanitary conditions, have been deemed a challenge across the country. The lack of appropriate facilities as well as resources to support informal trading is largely to blame. To curb this challenge, those affected are addressing some of these issues to establish structure, safer environments and overall positive experiences. Naturally, the establishment of taxi ranks at malls unintentionally introduces various survivalist businesses, creating a hub of informal economic activity. This leads to overcrowding due to a lack of appropriately demarcated trading areas for informal traders. In line with L2D's Interactive Spaces strategy, which aims to create dynamic and responsive experiences, Eastgate Shopping Centre has embarked on an upgrade of its taxi rank which commenced in January 2025 and is due to reach completion in September 2025. This upgrade includes a comprehensive effort to revitalise the area currently occupied by informal trading vendors, addressing a long-standing issue related to informal trading activity. Integrating informal trading within controlled and safe spaces of mall taxi ranks benefits the businesses of the informal traders and serves as a business incubator. It also aims to manage public space allocation and regulate competition and ensure safety. A covered lockable area with well-lit walkways and facilities along with visible signage, addresses some major safety concerns that informal traders have in such areas. Mall taxi ranks play a major role in addressing such issues. The move to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the mall surroundings is a shift towards a more regulated and safe informal trading platform. Eastgate's strategy ensures that each informal trader enters into a lease agreement with the taxi rank operator and a copy of the lease will be shared with Eastgate's leasing team for oversight, to ensure fairness. This approach creates a much safer and organised environment for pedestrians and taxi commuters, as well as Eastgate shoppers. Opportunity in collaboration Collaboration with stakeholders is crucial and cannot be taken for granted. It ensures buy-in, the sharing of knowledge and seamless processes. The upgrading of taxi ranks requires collaboration with the Taxi Association, this ensures such projects are implemented in a way that aligns with the taxi industry's needs and addresses key issues such as infrastructure disparities and the integration of public transport. Eastgate's taxi rank upgrade is a strategic move, entailing an extensive scope of work that includes; an improved flow of taxis within the rank by creating a circular one-way traffic flow, designated queueing areas for boarding and elevated walkways with kerbs to clearly separate vehicle traffic from commuter walkways, covered parking where customers board the taxis, a new covered waiting area with seating available, refurbished ablution facilities and control offices, a covered informal trading area that is lockable as well as a pedestrian walkway connecting the rank to Entrance 6 of the mall. In the construction process, Eastgate had to also factor in a temporary taxi rank relocation with ablution facilities. For this to be successful, Eastgate engaged the four Taxi Associations operating at the Eastgate Taxi Rank, with whom they've had a longstanding relationship, to put in place a revised taxi rank management agreement for the future operation of the upgraded taxi rank. This will ensure both parties have a common vision for the taxi rank and that it is well maintained and sustainable. Taxi ranks should not be overlooked in property management Mall based taxi ranks are not just transport hubs, they are also centres of informal economic activity, supporting various businesses and providing employment. The integration of taxi ranks in property management initiatives is vital as a contributor to increased foot traffic and accessibility to malls. Well-designed mall taxi ranks can help alleviate road congestion and ultimately frustration, while enhancing experience and perception. Malls play a critical role in ensuring the success of any project outcomes, with stakeholder engagement being imperative to achieving this. A comprehensive approach fosters collaboration, builds trust and ultimately leads to a more successful and sustainable outcome.
Washington Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
They built a secret apartment in the mall. Now it's a movie.
Jeremy Workman thought he was being pranked. How else would you react to someone telling you they once secretly lived inside a shopping mall for four years? The documentary filmmaker had been capturing footage of a domino-toppling artist in Greece in 2019 when he encountered another American, Michael Townsend, who was decorating buildings there with temporary murals made of low-adhesive tape. Townsend watched Workman as he interviewed the domino toppler, and the two men established enough rapport for Townsend to trust the director with his own revelation:
