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Singapore's Sentosa Island Beaches Closed Due to Oil Spill

Workers clean up the beach following an oil slick, at Tanjong Beach in Sentosa, Singapore June 15, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Workers clean up the beach following an oil slick, at Tanjong Beach in Sentosa, Singapore June 15, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
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Singapore's Sentosa Island Beaches Closed Due to Oil Spill

Workers clean up the beach following an oil slick, at Tanjong Beach in Sentosa, Singapore June 15, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Workers clean up the beach following an oil slick, at Tanjong Beach in Sentosa, Singapore June 15, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su

Beaches on Singapore's Sentosa island were closed on Saturday after an oil spill spread from a nearby shipping terminal to the tourist haven south of the city-state.
A Reuters witness saw tape cordoning off the oil-stained waters and sand of Tanjong Beach from visitors.
"Oil slick spotted. Clean up in progress. Please stay clear of water," read a sign posted on the beach.
An advisory on the Sentosa website said the waters of Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso beaches were closed for cleaning and swimming and sea activities were not allowed.
The oil spill had spread from Pasir Panjang Terminal, less than 10 km (six miles) from the island popular with tourists and locals, after a Netherlands-flagged dredger struck a stationary Singapore-flagged bunker vessel on Friday afternoon. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement on Friday evening some oil from the damaged cargo tank on the bunker vessel had spilled into the water and "the affected cargo tank has been isolated and the spill contained".
In an update on Saturday, the authority said patches of oil were observed off Pasir Panjang Terminal and along Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso beaches. It said it has deployed 16 oil spill response craft "to continue spraying oil dispersants and to collect the oil slicks on the water surface". "There is no impact on navigational traffic. Berthing operations at Pasir Panjang Terminal remain unaffected," the authority said.

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New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
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New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT

Hong Kong welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing on Thursday with a lavish ceremony, raising hopes for a boost to the city's tourism.
An An and Ke Ke are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Their arrival came after their new neighbor, Ying Ying, gave birth to twins last month and became the world’s oldest first-time panda mother on record, The Associated Press reported.
The newcomers bring the Ocean Park panda population to six, including the father of the twins, Le Le. Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong Kin-Yee noted that would make three generations of giant pandas at the popular Hong Kong zoo and aquarium attraction.
Chief Executive John Lee said An An is a 5-year-old male panda who is agile, intelligent and active, while Ke Ke, a 5-year-old female, is good at climbing, cute and has a gentle temperament.
The new arrivals will be in quarantine for two months to adapt to their new home. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December.
In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas’ characteristics.
Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the “panda economy."
Pandas are considered China’s unofficial national mascot. The country's giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest and their population is under threat from development.
But caring for pandas in captivity is expensive.