SINGAPORE (AFP) ― Former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew is recovering in hospital after suffering from an irregular heartbeat, the government said Saturday.Lee, 89, will remain at Singapore General Hospital for a few days, said a statement issued by the office of his son, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.The elder Lee was confined on Friday “after experiencing a suspected transient ischaemic attack (TIA) associated with a prolonged episode of atrial fibrillation”, or an irregular he

Thousands of Unification Church followers were married in a mass wedding in South Korea Sunday ― the first since the death of their “messiah” and controversial church founder Moon Sun-myung.Some 3,500 identically-dressed couples ― many of mixed nationality who had met just days before ― took part in the ceremony at the church’s headquarters in Gapyeong, east of the capital Seoul.Mass weddings, some held in giant sports stadia with tens of thousands of couples, have long been a signature feature

Actor Shin Young-kyun, 84, who graduated from the dentistry college of Seoul National University in 1955, donated 66,000 square meters of land in Jeju to his alma mater Friday, the school said.Shin and the university agreed to establish the Shin Young Kyun-Seoul National University Development Fund with the donation.Shin debuted as an actor on the big screen in 1960 and has since starred in about 300 films. He served as president of the Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organizations of Korea an

Not mainstream yet, but vegetarian diet attracts health, environment-conscious eaters

Once thought to be found only in secluded temples in the mountains, healthy and tasty temple cuisine is now available in the heart of Seoul. Baru, a temple cuisine restaurant run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, opened in 2009 to promote Buddhist culture and its palates. At the Templestay Information Center, located between Jonggak and Anguk stations, there are Baru restaurants on the building’s second and fifth floors: the lower floor serves casual meals and mini-buffets with side dishes

Ski resorts woo winter sports enthusiasts with discount package programs

KRABI, Thailand ― Krabi province is Thailand’s representative resort area. Unfortunately, it’s not as easily accessible as other tourist spots in Thailand. Unlike Phuket, you have to arrange flights, jeep rides and boats to get around. Yet the area is one of the most desired destinations in Thailand, a true “hidden gem” that remains untouched by mass tourism.We started the tour by taking Thai Airways International from Bangkok to Phuket. Working our way to the northwest coast of Phuket, we arriv

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Despite threatening skies, the Mardi Gras party carried on as thousands of costumed revelers cheered glitzy floats with make-believe monarchs in an all-out bash before Lent. In the French Quarter, as usual, Fat Tuesday played out with all its flesh and raunchiness.Crowds were a little smaller than recent years, perhaps influenced by the forecast of rain. Still, parades went off as scheduled even as a fog settled over the riverfront and downtown areas.Police, who had to deal wi

Verona presents the “Alto-Adige” promotion from Feb. 14 to March 31. The one-course menu features T-bone steak with mushroom sauce, veal rib barbecue with herb sauce, and steamed veal shank with rice and asparagus. The lunch set menu includes a risotto croquette with marinated beet and steamed veal shank with rice and asparagus. The dinner set menu includes pineapple cannelloni filled with crab meat, marinated mushroom, Sicilian green olive, baked oyster and white asparagus followed by T-bone ve

The hotel presents “Spring Picnic Package” from March 1-31 for guests who want to enjoy an outdoor picnic in Seoul. The hotel offers two bicycles and helmets for guests to enjoy a ride along Dorim Stream and the Han River close by the hotel. Guests will be provided with a picnic mat and an outdoor meal from the Deli and can select from a wide variety of sandwiches, pastries, coffee and beverages available at the Deli. Guests will be provided with a Sheraton voucher for 30,000 won. The package in

Exchange Bar is launching a new Happy Hour promotion, with unlimited cocktails on a different base liquor every evening. The promotion will run from Feb. 18 to March 31, from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday’s Happy Hour cocktails are gin-based martinis, followed by rum-based lime mojitos and pina coladas on Tuesday, vodka-based martinis and Black Russians on Wednesday, tequila-based margaritas and tequila sunrises on Thursday and whiskey-based Rusty Nails and whiskey sours on Friday. All Happy Hour cocktai