Italy ex-PM Renzi takes on role as newspaper editor

Italian ex-prime minister Matteo Renzi said on Wednesday (April 5) he would take up a new job as the editor of a newspaper — without quitting his political career as a senator and leader of a centrist party. He will lead Il Riformista, a small libertarian newspaper known for its criticism of Italy's justice system, a subject on...

Geylang resident who famously refused to sell terrace house to developers now sandwiched between 2 imposing apartments

After refusing to sell his house to developers working on a luxury condo project, this homeowner in Geylang has found himself in a pickle. As the contractors have begun their work constructing the new condo, his two-storey house is now sandwiched between the two imposing buildings, reported Shin Min Daily News on Tuesday (March 28). The 50-unit condo project, NoMa developed by Macly...

US slaps sanctions on man seeking to sell North Korean arms to Russia

The US on Thursday (March 30) said it had imposed sanctions on a Slovakian man for trying to arrange the sale of over two dozen types of North Korean weapons and munitions to Russia to help Moscow replace military equipment lost in its war with Ukraine. The action, which comes as Washington warned that Russia is seeking...

Bangladesh must work with neighbours to cut pollution, says World Bank

Bangladesh needs better coordination with neighbouring South Asian countries in its quest for cleaner air, a World Bank report said on Tuesday (March 28). Air pollution, which can comprise a mixture of solid particles, liquid droplets and gases, is causing about 20 per cent of the total number of premature deaths in Bangladesh, the World Bank...

Alibaba to break up empire into 6 units as Jack Ma returns home

Alibaba Group is planning to split into six units and explore fundraisings or listings for most of them, it said on Tuesday (March 28), in a major revamp as China vows to ease a sweeping regulatory crackdown and support its private enterprises. The US-listed shares of the Chinese e-commerce conglomerate, which have lost nearly 70 per cent...

UN urges North Korea to confirm fate of forcibly disappeared people

The United Nations Human Rights office in Seoul called on North Korea on Tuesday (March 28) to confirm the fate and whereabouts of people who have been disappeared under its regime, accusing Pyongyang of violating the rights of the victims and their loved ones for decades. In a report on enforced disappearance and abductions by North...

Nashville school shooter had ’emotional disorder’ and small arsenal, police say

The former student of a Christian grade school in Nashville who killed three nine-year-olds and three adults in a shooting spree there was under a doctor's care for an "emotional disorder" and had amassed a collection of guns, the city's police chief said on Tuesday (March 28). New details about assailant Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, emerged...

Prince Harry, Elton John appear at UK court in privacy lawsuit

Britain's Prince Harry and singer Elton John made a surprise appearance at London's High Court on Monday (March 27) as they and five others began a lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail paper over years of alleged phone-tapping and privacy breaches. Harry, the youngest son of King Charles, has brought a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers (ANL),...

Beware: New scam calls display local numbers without +65

While scam calls are often associated with overseas numbers or numbers with a +65 prefix, one netizen recently took to Reddit to share about a scam call they received from a local phone number. In the post, the Reddit user said they answered the call since the number was a local one. The caller claimed there was a "dispute" with...

Woman wins free Cathay Pacific tickets to Hong Kong, but joy ‘short-lived’ due to $200 surcharges

To save Hong Kong's battered tourism industry, Cathay Pacific recently announced that it would be giving away 12,500 round-trip tickets to travellers from Singapore, as part of its World of Winners campaign. Hoping to be one of the lucky ones, Bernice Tan joined the contest and eventually won. Unfortunately, this moment of victory was short-lived and she went through a rollercoaster of emotions. In a TikTok...