HANOI: Seething international tensions over the South China Sea have struck an unlikely victim in Vietnam: children’s dolls. These popular playthings have been pulled from shops over a facial mark supposedly resembling Beijing’s claims in the flashpoint waterway. Small and fluffy, with large eyes and rabbit ears, Chinese-made “Baby Three dolls” became a must-have among Vietnamese kids...
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit closed firmer against the US dollar on Wednesday, gaining 0.24 per cent to 4.4330/4400 from Monday’s close of 4.4450/4490, amid cautious sentiment ahead of the outcome of the United States (US) Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting later today. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said market sentiments...
HARBIN, (China): (Bernama-Xinhua) Li Xiaopeng (pic), former Party chief and chairman of China Everbright Group, was on Tuesday (March 18) sentenced by a court to 15 years in prison for accepting bribes, Xinhua reported. Li was also fined 6 million yuan (about US$831,000), and all his illegal gains will be recovered and turned over to the...
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao overcame a stern challenge to book his place in the second round of the Swiss Open on Wednesday (March 19). Playing at St Jakobshalle, Basel, Jun Hao was tipped to have little trouble clearing the first hurdle against Japan’s world No. 45 Koo Takahashi. However, the match proved tougher...
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to a partial ceasefire in the Ukraine war during a phone call, stating that a “full ceasefire and permanent peace” would begin with a focus on “energy and infrastructure”, according to the White House. Slated to start immediately in the Middle East, further talks will include “technical negotiations on the implementation...
SINGAPORE: In need of money to settle his loans, a man agreed to “rent out” his bank account which was later used to receive more than S$3.3 million. Kong Juu Wenn, who found out that the account would be used to facilitate transactions linked to illegal online gambling activities, received $1,800 as a reward. On Wednesday (March...
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A man accused of stabbing a priest at St Joseph’s Church in November 2024 was given additional charges on Monday (March 17). Basnayake Keith Spencer, 37, now faces three counts of being in possession of a weapon on the day of the attack, on Nov 9, 2024, on top of one charge...
LOS ANGELES: The FBI and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning against a dangerous ransomware scheme. In an advisory posted earlier this week, government officials warned that a ransomware-as-a-service software called Medusa, which has launched ransomware attacks since 2021, has recently affected hundreds of people. Medusa uses phishing campaigns as its main method for...
(Reuters) -Ukrainian troops are still fending off Russian and North Korean forces in Russia's Kursk region but face a potential new attack on Ukraine's northeast Sumy region, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. Military analysts say Russia is close to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region, prompting U.S. President Donald...
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian anti-corruption protesters, riot police, and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic faced off in central Belgrade on Saturday as tens of thousands of people turned out for massive anti-government rallies following a night of sporadic clashes. Police deployed hundreds of officers in full riot gear in and around Pionirski Park, where supporters of...
