Marine Life Park dolphins released from quarantine

SINGAPORE: The dolphins at Resorts World Sentosa's Marine Life Park have been released from quarantine and is expected to meet the public soon.The park said the 24 dolphins have received the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore's (AVA) approval for their release.It added the mammals have adjusted well to their new home through the care of its staff and veterinary professionals.The...

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Eurozone manufacturing shrinks in December

BRUSSELS: Eurozone manufacturing activity contracted for a 17th month running in December, a key survey of business managers showed on Wednesday.The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector, a leading indicator compiled by the Markit research firm, came in at 46.1 points in November, down from an earlier estimate of 46.3 points and down from November's 46.2 points.Any...

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BCA to source for workers from Sri Lanka, Philippines

SINGAPORE: Sri Lanka and the Philippines have been identified as new source countries for construction workers.The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) told MediaCorp that two test centres will be set up in Sri Lanka.Approval is also being sought from the Philippine authorities to establish test centres there.The BCA hopes to bring in skilled construction workers from Sri Lanka and...

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Singapore rigbuilders set for strong 2013: analysts

SINGAPORE : Singapore rigbuilders Keppel Offshore & Marine (O&M) and Sembcorp Marine have secured a slew of contracts this year.Analysts have said the two companies could see another strong set of orders in 2013, driven by robust demand for ultra-deepwater rigs.Keppel O&M booked about US$8 billion worth of contracts this year - its second highest on record.This follows a record...

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French paper to publish comic book on life of Mohammed

PARIS: A French weekly known for publishing cartoons of the prophet Mohammed to the ire of conservative Muslims said on Sunday it plans to release a comic book biography, that will be researched and educational.Satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has on several occasions depicted Islam's prophet in an effort to defend free speech and defy the anger of Muslims who believe depicting Mohammed...

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Egypt's Morsi to focus on economy in senate speech

CAIRO: Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi is expected to address the economy on Saturday in a speech before a newly-empowered senate as concerns mount over a downturn and cracks in his government.Morsi will give the address after the senate, invested with legislative powers under a newly ratified constitution until a new parliament is elected, convenes at 1100 GMT (1:00 pm local time).A declining...

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India gang-rape victim "struggling against the odds"

SINGAPORE: The Indian gang-rape victim who has been been admitted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital remains in an extremely critical condition.The 23-year-old student is still receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.The medical team's investigations showed that in addition to her prior cardiac arrest, the patient had an infection of her lungs and abdomen, as well as significant...

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More cash payouts for Silver Housing Bonus and Lease Buyback Scheme

SINGAPORE: Authorities have announced plans to raise the cash bonuses of two housing monetisation schemes for the elderly in response to public feedback.The latest changes to the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) and Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) will see households having to put less of their flat's sale proceeds into their Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts - a national pension scheme. They...

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Football: Liverpool's Sterling commits himself to England

LONDON: Liverpool's teenage winger Raheem Sterling has pledged his international future to England, thereby calming fears he was considering a switch of allegiance to Jamaica.The 18-year-old holds dual-nationality as he was born in Jamaica to Jamaican parents, but he has represented England at every level from under-16 upwards and made his senior debut in the 4-2 friendly loss to Sweden...

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BCA to look into Sembawang homes affected by cracks

SINGAPORE: The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is looking into the concerns of some residents in Sembawang who have suffered damage to their properties.Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs as well as MP for the area K Shanmugam visited the homes of affected residents along Jalan Legundi, Jalan Derum and Sembong Road on Monday and posted photos of the damage on his Facebook page.At...

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Cricket: Eager fans await India-Pakistan matches

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan will soon resume their competitive cricket ties with the upcoming series.The two sides continued to play each other in World Cup competitions and at third country venues.But this is the first time in five years that Pakistani cricketers are visiting India for an exclusive competition between the two rival nations.And that five-year gap has just understandably...

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Lions receive roaring welcome in S'pore

SINGAPORE: The Lions returned from Bangkok to a hero's welcome at Changi Airport on Sunday, after lifting the AFF Suzuki Cup for an unprecedented fourth time.Singapore won the 2-leg final 3-2 on aggregate, against the more-fancied Thais."I am proud that to come back here. The fans are crazy, they welcome us back... for me, the only thing was to bring the Cup back to our homeland," said...

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Gunmen kill 11 people on Pakistan-Iran border

QUETTA, Pakistan: Unknown gunmen killed 11 people as they prepared to illegally leave Pakistan in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, officials said on Saturday.The gunmen, riding motorcycles, attacked a convoy on Friday night in Pakistan's Gwadar district near the border with Iran, some 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) southwest of Quetta.Officials described the dead as "illegal immigrants"...

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Asian markets retreat as US fiscal cliff fears grow

HONG KONG: Asian markets mostly fell on Friday after Republicans scrapped a vote on putting in place a back-up plan if talks on averting the US fiscal cliff end in failure.The news out of Washington late Thursday cancelled out a rally on Wall Street and upbeat data on the US economy, while it also hit currency traders, who have sent the safe-haven yen higher despite more Bank of Japan...

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Stocks likely to continue being investors' favourite

SINGAPORE: Stocks may continue to be a favourite asset for investors next year.Improving corporate earnings and attractive valuations are expected to drive stock prices higher. Experts said investor sentiment may also get a lift on hopes of a recovery in the Chinese and US economies. Equities are among the star performers in financial markets this year.In the US, key stock indices like...

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Nature no excuse for cheating, says Chris Wang

SINGAPORE: Is it in men's nature to cheat?Taiwan actor Chris Wang thinks so."The Fierce Wife" star said he came to this conclusion after reading up on the topic and observing similar cheating behaviour among males of other animal species, during his travels as the host of an adventure programme.However, he stressed that this doesn't make it okay for men to betray their partners."I think...

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Asian stocks mostly higher on US fiscal hopes

HONG KONG - Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday, taking a lead from Wall Street as dealers grow confident US lawmakers will reach an agreement to avert the fiscal cliff.Continued weakness of the yen helped send Japanese shares surging for a second straight session as Shinzo Abe prepares to take over as prime minister, vowing to press for a more aggressive policy of monetary easing.Tokyo...

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Flat to low digit growth for S'pore telco sector in 2013: analysts

SINGAPORE: The three main telco operators in Singapore will have a tough year ahead as analysts expect flat to low single digit revenue growth, despite the rollout of the high speed 4G network.The telcos face slowing industry-wide growth and loss of sales in core voice and data markets as their hip, young, internet-based competitors offering free services are stealing market share.Yet,...

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China commentary urges policy shift as Japan votes

BEIJING: China's state media on Sunday urged Japan to seek a post-election foreign policy that will improve relations with its neighbours, as Japanese voted in a poll likely to bring in a more hawkish administration.It came just days after Beijing's latest effort to bolster its claim to disputed islands at the centre of a fierce row with Tokyo, by submitting to the United Nations information...

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India PM says reforms steps "only the beginning"

NEW DELHI: India's premier Manmohan Singh said on Saturday his government's new reforms to spur the economy were "only the beginning", while lashing out at the "excessive pessimism" that he said is hurting growth.Singh's government has initiated a string of reforms to further open up sectors such as retail, insurance and aviation to foreign investment as it seeks to kickstart growth before...

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