Bulk of Ukrainian forces fighting inside Russia almost cut off, open source maps show

LONDON/KYIV (Reuters) - Tens of thousands oftroops who smashed into Russia last summer and took control of a swathe of territory there are nearly encircled by Russian forces and cut off from their main supply lines, open source maps showed on Friday. Ukraine's situation in Russia's Kursk region has deteriorated sharply in the last three days,...

QuickCheck: Is the value of the modern Oscar statuette only US$1?

THE world got to watch the Oscars 2025 recently, and the winners from various categories gleefully celebrated their victories upon being announced the winners for their respective categories and going up to the stage to receive their Oscars and give their speeches. The 'gold statuette' they receive must be valuable, right? But is it true that the...

YouTuber and adventure guide Andrew Cross dies a month after auto accident

Popular YouTuber and adventure guide Andrew Cross was taken off life support and died Tuesday (March 4), a month after an auto accident left him with a traumatic brain injury. He was 36. “Andrew’s spirit is free, surrounded by light & love,” his sister, Jenna, wrote on a CaringBridge website set up to provide updates to friends...

Singapore woman offers S$2,000 bounty to find life partner

SINGAPORE: How much would you pay to meet the love of your life? For one woman, that figure comes up to S$2,000. Bella Dai, 29, began sharing her $2,000 bounty and dating criteria on her Instagram account (@bellzdai) in February. “I am looking for a life partner that embodies the following qualities,” reads her post. These qualities...

Thailand’s deportation of Uighurs was to avert China ‘retaliation’: Minister

BANGKOK: Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uighurs to China last week was in the South-east Asian country’s best interest due to the possibility of retaliation from Beijing if the group was sent elsewhere, a Thai minister said on Thursday (March 6). Thailand’s government has repeatedly defended the secretive deportation, which came despite calls from United Nations human...

Mandatory EPF contributions for foreign workers start Q4 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Mandatory Employee Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for foreign workers is expected to come into effect in the fourth quarter of 2025, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. This comes after the Employees Provident Fund (Amendment) Bill 2025, which mandates foreign workers and their employers to contribute 2% of monthly wages to...

King, Queen attend breaking of fast event with ministers, foreign envoys

KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Her Majesty the Queen, Raja Zarith Sofiah, attended a breaking of fast event with Cabinet ministers and foreign envoys at Istana Negara here on Thursday (March 6) night. Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan...

Batik Air launches Hari Raya fixed fares to Sarawak and Sabah

SUBANG: Batik Air has introduced Hari Raya Fixed Fares for flights to Sarawak and Sabah, providing more affordable and transparent travel options for Malaysians during the festive season, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the government, caps fares at RM319 for flights to Sarawak and RM379 for Sabah. Loke praised the airline’s...

House arrest allowed under existing Malaysian law, confirms Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR: House arrest is permitted in Malaysia, and no new laws are necessary for its implementation, according to Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic), Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms). Azalina clarified that, per the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), Section 3 of the Prisons Act 1995 allows house arrest as a form...

Police investigation into Era FM DJs complete and referred to AGC, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR: The police investigation into a controversial video involving three Era FM radio announcers have been completed and the investigation paper has been referred to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC), say police. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain (pic) also said a total of 73 police reports were lodged in connection with the case He...