News Today

Iran faces more sanctions over nuclear programme
BERLIN - IRAN faces harsher United Nations sanctions following a report released by the UN nuclear watchdog yesterday that concluded it had expanded its uranium enrichment programme instead of complying with an ultimatum to freeze it.A 60-day deadline set by the... [Read more]

Wanted: S'poreans to develop the next YouTube or Skype
DAVOS (SWITZERLAND) - SINGAPORE needs to attract individuals with bright ideas who can develop the next YouTube or the next Skype, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. Dr Balakrishnan, who is also Second Minister for Information,... [Read more]

Seychelles' Rockers on training stint here
THEY are amateur basketballers from the African archipelago of Seychelles, known more for its tourism and fishing industries than the sport. But that has not stopped the Mont Buxton United (MBU) Rockers from forging ties with Singapore. The team are in... [Read more]

Carbon offsetting becoming good business
PARIS - HUNTING for a present for a pair of environmentally-sensitive newlyweds? Try this: a 'just married' voucher worth a few hundred dollars in carbon offsets. Smaller than a toaster but more meaningful, this piece of paper will compensate for about... [Read more]

Duo jailed, caned for fatal bashing at Marina South bar
TWO men who attacked another - who later died - at a Marina South bar last April have been handed jail terms and six strokes of the cane each. The victim, Mr Mohamed Salleh Tukiman, 38, was brutally beaten up at... [Read more]

Alan Leong poised to be first challenger for top HK job
HONG KONG - PRO-DEMOCRACY lawmaker Alan Leong has garnered enough support to launch a bid to challenge China-backed Chief Executive Donald Tsang, an official said yesterday.The source said Mr Leong had been promised enough nominations for his bid for the March... [Read more]

3 charged over wave of violence in Thai south
PATTANI - THAI security forces have arrested three men in connection with a wave of violence that left eight dead and 69 injured across the Muslim-dominated far south at the weekend. Southern Army commander Viroach Buacharoon told a news conference yesterday... [Read more]

Retirement planning low on S'poreans' priority list
MOST Singaporeans are prepared for short-term financial emergencies and big expenses such as their mortgage and children's education. However, such planning falls well short in other areas like retirement.Those were the key findings of a new survey on how ready people... [Read more]

Cold wave disrupts travel in Britain and US
LONDON - BRITAIN was hit by travel chaos yesterday with much of the country covered by a thick blanket of snow during the morning rush-hour. There were delays on railways and roads, and airports were forced to close as snow and... [Read more]

Case file
MAN ACCUSED OF LYING DURING TRIALA 46-YEAR-OLD man was yesterday charged with two counts of giving false evidence at the trial of a lawyer two years ago.Part-time car washer Mohamed Ariffan Mohd Hassan allegedly lied at the trial of Mr Ratankumar... [Read more]

How a 5-star dream turned into a 3-star nightmare
BANGKOK - STRUCTURAL engineer Tortrakul Yomnak has been spending a lot of time lately gloomily sticking his fingers into cracks in the taxiways at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi International Airport. When he isn't doing that, he chases paper trails and studies contracts to... [Read more]