S$18,000 fine for Singaporean woman who evaded GST on luxury goods, gave tips online for others to do the same

SINGAPORE: After evading paying goods and services tax at Changi Airport for luxury items she bought in Europe, a woman went on social media to teach others how to do the same. On Thursday (March 27), Cloey Tan Wan Qi, 27, was fined S$18,000 after pleading guilty to a charge under the Customs Act. In sentencing, District...

Police investigation reveals timeline of murder in Bangkok condo

BANGKOK: The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) on Thursday (March 27) revealed details of their investigation into the murder of a Thai woman at a condominium in Sukhumvit Soi 39, in Bangkok’s Watthana district. A manhunt has been launched for Singaporean national Daniel Benjamin Goh Wei-En, 32, after the body of his 30-year-old girlfriend, Phraophilas (surname withheld),...

US to give $73 million to aid Rohingya refugees, State Dept. says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration said on Thursday it will provide $73 million in new financial aid to Rohingya refugees through the U.N. World Food Programme, amid concerns that aid cuts could deepen the crisis for the world's largest stateless population. "This food and nutrition support through @WFP will provide critically needed food and nutrition...

Taiwan orders three mainland Chinese to leave for promoting military takeover of island

Taiwan has ordered three mainland Chinese women – all married to Taiwanese men – to leave the island for advocating cross-strait unification by force, sparking criticism that the move was a violation of free speech. Liu Zhenya, a mainland Chinese influencer, has been given until Tuesday to leave the island or face deportation for promoting Beijing’s...

UK’s Prince Harry ‘in shock’ after quitting his African Aids charity

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry said he was "in shock" after quitting as a patron of Sentebale, a British charity he set up to help young people with HIV and Aids in Lesotho and Botswana, following a row between trustees and the chair of the board. Harry, the younger son of King Charles, co-founded Sentebale...

Singapore Cold Storage, Giant customers can expect cheaper products, more variety after takeover, Malaysian buyer says

SINGAPORE: Customers of Cold Storage and Giant can expect more value for money, a greater variety of merchandise and new outlets following the sale of the supermarket chains to Malaysian retail group Macrovalue. DFI Retail Group, which owns Cold Storage and Giant in Singapore, on March 24 announced that it will sell all 48 Cold Storage...

Sirikanya: Thai PM’s economic failures make Thais nostalgic for coup leader

BANGKOK: People’s Party MP Sirikanya Tansakun stated on Tuesday (March 25) that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s poor economic performance has led Thais to miss the government of coup leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. Speaking on the second day of the censure debate against the prime minister, Sirikanya took the floor at 2pm to express her lack of...

Pope Francis was so close to death that doctors considered ending treatment

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis came so close to death at one point during his 38-day fight in hospital against pneumonia that his doctors considered ending treatment so he could die in peace, the head of the pope's medical team said. After a breathing crisis on February 28 that involved Francis nearly choking on his vomit,...

White House mistakenly shares Yemen war plans with a journalist at The Atlantic

WASHINGTON: Top Trump administration officials mistakenly disclosed war plans in a messaging group that included a journalist shortly before the U.S. attacked Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, the White House said on Monday, following a first-hand account by The Atlantic. Democratic lawmakers swiftly blasted the misstep, saying it was a breach of U.S. national security and a violation...

16 international flights cancelled at Bali airport due to yet another Mt. Lewotobi eruption

BALI (Vietnam News/ANN): Bali island’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport reported the cancellation of 16 international flights in a single day following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Flores district, East Nusa Tenggara of Indonesia. According to General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, as of 4pm on March 21...