JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has confirmed that its forces are operating in central parts of Rafah in its expanding offensive in the southern Gaza city. The military said in a statement Friday (May 31) that its troops in central Rafah had uncovered Hamas rocket launchers and tunnels and dismantled a weapons storage city of the group. Israel...
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly four months on Friday, with 150 people freed after negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said 75 Ukrainian prisoners had been returned from Russia. They included four civilians while the rest were members of the...
Courts here handed jail terms to an activist musician and an opposition lawmaker for insulting the monarchy, their lawyers said, the latest individuals to fall foul of one of the world’s strictest lese-majeste laws. The law shielding Thailand’s powerful monarchy from criticism carries a penalty of up to 15 years in jail for each offence and...
BANGKOK (The Straits Times/ANN): It began with an emergency call on May 21 requesting Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital to take in about 20 injured passengers from nearby Suvarnabhumi Airport. But every few minutes, the number would climb. Eventually, the private hospital would provide medical care for 104 patients who were on board Singapore Airlines’ turbulence-hit Flight SQ321...
HANOI: Vietnam earned an estimated US$725 million from shipping tra fish overseas during the first five months of 2024, up 2 per cent year-on-year, Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday (May 27), citing the General Department of Vietnam Customs. The country's tra fish export has roared back to growth after a significant drop recorded earlier this...
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Suspended policeman Kevin Chelvam admitted in court on May 27 that he had grabbed domestic helper Piang Ngaih Don by her hair and lifted her off the ground in a fit of anger a month before her death. The 24-year-old Myanmar national weighed only 24kg when she died on July 26, 2016,...
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A new Covid-19 vaccine is available under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP) from May 28, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on the same day. Called the Novavax/Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 Covid-19 vaccine, it will be free for eligible individuals at any participating general practitioner (GP) clinics offering Covid-19 vaccinations. Approved by...
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis, widely quoted as having used a highly derogatory word to describe the LGBT community, did not intend to use homophobic language and apologises to anyone offended by it, the Vatican said on Tuesday. It is extremely rare for a pope to issue a public apology. "The pope never intended to offend or...
DUBLIN (Reuters) -Twelve people travelling on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Ireland were injured during a bout of turbulence, Dublin Airport said on Sunday, adding that the plane landed safely and as scheduled. Flight QR017, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed shortly before 1 p.m. Dublin time (1200 GMT), the airport said. "Upon landing, the aircraft...
THE HAGUE: Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel on Friday (May 24) to halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Reading out a ruling by the International Court of Justice or World Court, the body's president, Nawaf Salam, said provisional measures ordered by the court in March did not...
