SINGAPORE: Singapore and the European Union moved a step closer yesterday to ratifying a free trade agreement that includes a “green” component. They finalised the legal text in Singapore, paving the way for a formal signing in the first half of next year and ratification by their parliaments in late 2014 or early 2015. They completed negotiations in December last year. The EU is Singapore’s second-biggest trading partner and the city-state’s biggest investor. Under the FTA, EU exports will enjoy duty-free access. It will also make it easier for EU and Singapore firms to invest in renewable energy sector.
5.7 earthquake hits Yangon
YANGON: A shallow 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck close to Myanmar’s second-biggest city yesterday evening, seismologists said. The quake hit at 6:54pm local time at a depth of 10kg, the US Geological Survey said. It was 110km north of the city of Mandalay. The agency issued a yellow alert, suggesting a mid-level risk of fatalities.
Doctorate for president
JAKARTA: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono accepted an honorary doctorate from Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh yesterday by calling on Indonesians and the people of Aceh to maintain the Helsinki peace deal, which ended a 30-year war between the government and the Free Aceh Movement. University’s Dean, Samsul Rizal, said Yudhoyono earned the honorary title because of his role in the peace agreement.
Floods kill three in Vietnam
Hanoi: Floods have killed three people and left five missing after Tropical Storm Usagi triggered heavy rains in central Vietnam, authorities said yesterday. Three people were swept away by floodwater, the Central Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control said. Five people, including two children, were missing after their car was swept off the road in Nghe An province. Floods and landslides destroyed nearly 5,000 homes.
Temple of Dawn set for facelift
BANGKOK: Thailand’s iconic Temple of Dawn on the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river is to undergo a three-year renovation costing around $4m, authorities said yesterday. Wat Arun, one of the most famous landmarks, known for the morning light reflecting off its porcelain-encrusted surfaces, will remain open to visitors during the overhaul.
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