Latest news with #PritamSingapore
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
North Korean rescued after swimming across border
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to the South since the peninsula was divided by war in the 1950s. Seoul - A North Korean defector who swam across a sea border with South Korea while reportedly tied to floating plastic has been rescued and taken into custody, Seoul authorities said on Aug 7. The North Korean managed to swim across the de facto maritime border off the western coast of the Korean peninsula on the night of July 30, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The border is known as the Northern Limit Line and has occasionally served as a route for North Korean defectors swimming to South Korea's Ganghwa Island. 'The military identified the individual near the north of the mid-river boundary,' a military official told reporters. The individual, who local media reported was tied to Styrofoam when he was found, waved for help and said he wanted to defect to South Korea when asked by a South Korean naval officer, the official said. The operation took about 10 hours, according to Seoul, and the individual was rescued at around 4am on July 31. The North Korean is now in custody and has expressed their wish to defect, the defence ministry said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income Business UOB lowers outlook on tariff impact after 6% drop in Q2 profit; shares fall 1.7% Singapore SCDF officer who molested female subordinate gets 15 months' jail Ganghwa Island, located northwest of Seoul, is one of the closest South Korean territories to North Korea, with some parts of the surrounding sea lying just 10km from the maritime border between the two countries. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to the South since the peninsula was divided by war in the 1950s, with most going overland to neighbouring China first, then entering a third country such as Thailand before finally making it to the South. Defections across the land border that divides the peninsula are relatively rare, as the area is densely forested, heavily mined and monitored by soldiers on both sides. But a North Korean man defected in July to the South by crossing the Military Demarcation Line. The number of successful escapes dropped significantly from 2020 after the North sealed its borders – purportedly with shoot-on-sight orders along the frontier with China – to prevent the spread of Covid-19. North Koreans are typically handed over to Seoul's intelligence agency for screening when they arrive in the South. AFP
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Food Picks: Modern Indian with a Western twist at Firangi Superstar
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Firangi Superstar has added new items to its menu. SINGAPORE – Do not be fooled by Firangi Superstar's plain terracotta exterior. There is nothing minimalist about the experience here. It overwhelms before the first bite even hits the table, spinning you through rooms crammed with memorabilia. Think American film-maker Wes Anderson on a trip through Delhi, a kind of kitschy fantasyland for colonial nostalgists wrapped in ornate wallpaper and studded with vintage firearms. Thankfully, this meeting of worlds is far more amicable when confined to the kitchen of this modern Indian restaurant, which opened in 2021. Firangi Superstar's decor is as bold as its menu. PHOTO: FIRANGI SUPERSTAR Have a seat. Red? Blue? Cushion? Chair? Oh, here comes the menu, recently revamped and folded into a newspaper – with actual clippings, by the way, just in case you were done gawking at the mounted moose heads on the wall and wanted something else to look at. Open it up. Today's big story is a list of dishes, both old and new, Indian and international, all with characteristically eyebrow-waggling names. Some riff off old iterations – This Is Also Not Aloo Gobi ($18++) still holds the traditional curry at arm's length, even as it borrows its taste. Others squeeze in a winky pun – We're Goan-Ing To Porto! ($96) beckons to diners with grilled Iberico pork and sorpotel chilli sauce. Big personalities work only if backed up with big flavours, and Firangi Superstar's bite is as good as its bark. Starters like Papi's Jammed Gun ($29++), wagyu beef tartare with caviar, grated egg and gunpowder spice, and Big Baller Peperoner ($28++), its version of paneer Manchurian, with fried burrata and Manchurian chilli sauce, expertly fuse Western ideas with south Asian flair. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple Singapore Afraid of small talk? Scared to make a phone call? How social skills workshops are helping young people Singapore ST and Uniqlo launch design contest for Singapore stories T-shirt collection Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income Business UOB Q2 profit drops 6% to $1.34 billion, missing forecast The Bengal Bake-Off from Firangi Superstar. PHOTO: FIRANGI SUPERSTAR Off to a riotous start, I move on to mains. The Bengal Bake-Off ($108++) is trotted out in show-stopping fashion: a salt-baked seabass emerges from its crust, tender and steaming, and is robed in Kasundi cream. Back In The Saddle ($21++ for 100g) triumphantly rides in on tandoori-spiced lamb, crowned with confit garlic and chilli leaf. All these dishes also come in vegetarian form, should you so desire. In the middle of this lip-smacking extravagance, a few humble sides quietly sneak their way onto the table. Turn your attention immediately to the black garlic naan ($14++). Look how pillowy the bread is, breathe in its nutty fragrance. You already know it is going to be a knockout. End the night with some banoffee fritters ($14++) or Rasmalai 'tres leches' ($16++). Recline back on your throne of pillows, cocktail or royal melon lassi ($20++) in hand. Firangi – Hindi slang for foreigner – or no, one really does feel like a superstar here.
