A TORRENTIAL tropical rainstorm beat down from darkened skies on Thursday as mourners began a funeral mass for Singapore's 'angel' killed by armed militants in Mumbai over a week ago.

The downpour continued even as Ms Lo Hwei Yen's white coffin left the St Teresa's Church near Bukit Purmei for Mandai Crematorium.

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S government cancelled a parliamentary session due next week to select a new prime minister, a government spokesman said on Thursday, adding to the political crisis gripping the country.

The session was due to take place on Monday and Tuesday following a constitutional court ruling this week that disbanded the ruling party and two coalition partners and ousted Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

FRANKFURT - THE European Central Bank cut interest rates a record 75 basis points to 2.50 per cent on Thursday, a bigger move than economists had forecast but in line with the expecations of financial market traders.

It is the biggest cut in the ECB's 10-year existence and is a step up from the two 50 basis point cuts made since October.

LABOUR chief Lim Swee Say wants companies to put Singaporeans at the end of the queue when looking at shrinking the number of their rank and file workers.

Mr Lim believes the way to go in the current downturn is for firms to let the non-Singaporeans go first, by not renewing the contract and work permit of their foreign workers.