When snakes strike, lives shatter, World News,WATAMU, KENYA – On June 15, 2015, four-year-old Chepchirchir Kiplagat's life changed forever. Bitten by a snake as she slept, she permanently lost the use of the left side of her body. Sleeping beside her on a mattress on the floor of their modest,
Japan's Fujitsu brings hand washing AI to Covid-19 fight, Digital News,TOKYO – Three months after the World Health Organisation recommended singing Happy Birthday twice during hand washing to fight the coronavirus, Japan's Fujitsu Ltd has developed an artificial intelligence monitor it say
Britain's Theresa May holds 'constructive' Brexit talks with wary EU, World News,LONDON – British Prime Minister Theresa May said she held \”constructive\” talks in Brussels on Wednesday (Feb 20) as she sought concessions on Brexit from a sceptical European Union, her strategy further b
China may soon shorten quarantine for inbound travellers, China News,HONG KONG – China may soon shorten Covid-19 quarantine requirements for inbound travellers from the current 10 days to seven or eight days, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday (Nov 6). Under the new rule, arriva
Australia bush fires: Search dog Taylor joins efforts to rescue koalas, World News,SYDNEY – Taylor, a four-year-old English springer spaniel, has been among the hard-working rescuers during Australia's bush fire crisis. When told: \”Koala, find!\”, Taylor ventures out into burnt-out bush land to
Historic Dutch bridge to make way for superyacht reportedly built for Jeff Bezos, World News,AMSTERDAM – The city of Rotterdam has agreed to remove a section of a historic bridge in the Netherlands to make way for a superyacht, reportedly built for Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. A spokesperson for t
Canadian air force running short of pilots, jets: Watchdog, World News,OTTAWA – The Canadian air force is increasingly running short of combat-capable fighter jets and pilots and government attempts to address the problem have only made it worse, the nation's top watchdog said on Tuesday (Nov 2
China has seized 31 million fake face masks amid crisis, China News,BEIJING – China's crisis has sparked a thriving black market in fake medical supplies, forcing a crackdown from the authorities who have seized 31 million counterfeit or substandard face masks. Fraudsters have begun producing i
Man arrested over knives at Japan prince's school desk: media, Asia News,Tokyo – Japanese police on Monday arrested a 56-year-old man in connection with two paring knives found at the school desk of Prince Hisahito, grandson of Emperor Akihito, local media reported. The incident comes as author
Hong Kong no longer deserves special US status, Pompeo says, World News,WASHINGTON/HONG KONG – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer qualifies for its special status under U.S. law, potentially dealing a crushing blow to its status as a major financi
US chipmakers quietly lobby to ease Huawei ban: Sources, Digital News,SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON – Huawei's American chip suppliers, including Qualcomm and Intel, are quietly pressing the US government to ease its ban on sales to the Chinese tech giant, even as Huawei itself avoids typical govern
Goldman Sachs fires back after Malaysia charges bank in 1MDB probe, Business Wires News,NEW YORK/KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia on Monday filed criminal charges against Goldman Sachs Group Inc related to its dealings with the sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, and Goldman Sachs fired back that the previous Malays
China sentences Gui Minhai, Hong Kong bookseller, to 10 years in jail, China News,BEIJING – A Chinese court sentenced Chinese-born Swedish citizen Gui Minhai to 10 years in jail on Monday (Feb 24) for illegally providing intelligence overseas, the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court said in a st
Vietnam preparing rules to limit news posts on social media accounts: Sources, Asia News,SINGAPORE/HANOI – Vietnam is preparing new rules to limit which social media accounts can post news-related content, three people familiar with the matter said, as authorities tighten their control over news and
World leaders pledge $11b to fight Covid-19 but US steers clear, World News,BRUSSELS – World leaders and organisations pledged $8 billion (S$11 billion) to research, manufacture and distribute a possible vaccine and treatments for Covid-19 on Monday, but the United States refused to contribute to th
China asks Alibaba to curtail media assets: WSJ, China News,China’s government has asked Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to dispose of its media assets, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Discussions over the matter have been held since early this year, the
Australia suffers deadliest day of pandemic as Omicron drives up hospital cases, World News,SYDNEY – Australia suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic on Tuesday (Jan 18) as a fast-moving Omicron outbreak continued to push up hospitalisation rates to record levels, even as daily infections eased
Hong Kong deploys massive security as Xi prepares to swear in new leader, China News,HONG KONG – The authorities in Hong Kong have deployed a massive security force around the city on Friday (July 1) as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepared to swear in the city's new leader and attend celebrati
Typhoon Haishen heads toward Korea after battering Japan, Asia News,SEOUL/TOKYO – South Korea hunkered down for the arrival of Typhoon Haishen on Monday, after the powerful storm battered Japan’s southern islands but appeared to pass through without major damage or casualties. The storm, carrying to
Coronavirus: 5 Singaporeans aboard the quarantined cruise ship in waters off Japan, Singapore News,SINGAPORE – Five Singaporeans are aboard the quarantined cruise ship docked off the coast of Japan which saw its number of passengers infected with the coronavirus jump to 61 on Friday (Feb 7). Singapo
Twitter asks: When should we cut off rule-breaking world leaders?, Digital News,Twitter Inc said on Thursday (March 18) it will seek public input on when and how it should ban world leaders, saying it was reviewing policy and considering whether the leaders should be held to the same rules as other
Millions of masks stockpiled in Canada's Ontario expired before coronavirus hit, World News,TORONTO – Millions of face masks stockpiled by Ontario in the aftermath of the SARS outbreak to protect healthcare workers during a future epidemic have expired, according to provincial officials and doc
Indonesian troops flood Jakarta streets after post-election riots, Asia News,JAKARTA – Tens of thousands of Indonesian military and police were deployed on the streets of Jakarta on Thursday (May 23), as a deadline approached for a presidential challenger to file an appeal over claims of widespread
'There's nothing to be afraid of': Woman expresses interest in Potong Pasir flat where owner's remains were found, Singapore News,Deal-breaker or no big deal? Buying a flat in which a person has died may be too much of a taboo to some, but to others, location trumps everything el
Why Hong Kong's extradition law changes are fuelling fears, China News,HONG KONG – Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday (June 9) in a bid to block changes to the Chinese-ruled city's extradition laws, which could pave the way for fugitives
Japanese honeymooners stranded in Cape Verde islands become unlikely Olympics ambassadors, Asia News,Japanese couple Rikiya and Ayumi Kataoka had their honeymoon wrecked by the coronavirus pandemic , but their resourcefulness in enforced exile in Cape Verde has won them appointments as ambassadors f
Stop bickering, Fifa will use AI cameras to track players to help make offside calls at the 2022 World Cup, Digital News,Fifa has just announced that it will use a system of AI-powered cameras and sensors in balls to help make accurate offside calls at the upcoming 2022 World Cup. As part of this sy
Putin says US wrong to destroy relations with China, World News,Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (Oct 27) US was wrong to destroy its relations with China over Taiwan. Putin said Russia recognises Taiwan as part of the People's Republic of China and said visits by US officials,
At least 9 dead in Mumbai hospital fire, Asia News,MUMBAI – At least nine people died in a fire that engulfed a mall housing a hospital that treated coronavirus patients in Mumbai, authorities said on Friday (March 26). More than 70 patients with Covid-19 infections in the private hospital, on the t
Will coronavirus pandemic fan the flames of Southeast Asia's haze problem?, Singapore News,KUALA LUMPUR : Weak enforcement of restrictions to curb Covid-19 infections in rural Indonesia, coupled with farmers opting for cheap ways to clear land, could see a repeat of the forest fires and smoke t
Amid land crunch, Washington state legalises use of human remains to nurture soil, World News,WASHINGTON – It saves space, cuts emissions and feeds plants – now human composting may go mainstream after Washington became the first US state to legalise the transformation of human remains to nurturing
Trump-Kim summit expected to go ahead June 12: White House, World News,NEW YORK – A senior North Korean official made a rare visit to the United States on Wednesday for talks about a possible summit between the leaders of the two countries but the sides appeared far apart on the central issue of Pyo
Coronavirus: China considers 'complete ban' on wildlife trade, China News,BEIJING – China's top legislative committee on Monday (Feb 24) began deliberating a proposal to ban all trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed responsible for the country's deadly corona
Thailand tells universities to stop students' calls for monarchy reform, Asia News,BANGKOK – Thai authorities have summoned the heads of universities to tell them to stop students demanding reform of the monarchy, warning that such calls could lead to violence, a member of the military-appointe
21-year-old woman arrested over alleged involvement in kidnapping scam; victim found in Yishun, Singapore News,SINGAPORE – A 21-year-old woman has been arrested for her alleged involvement in a kidnapping scam which saw a victim cheated of more than $350,000. The victim was also made to record a vid
Australia's most populous state braces for travel chaos as schools, offices reopen, World News,SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Australia's most populous state on Monday (May 25) deployed hundreds of crowd control staff to enforce social distancing on public transport amid an expected commuter surge as
Japan keeps word, gifts Akita dog to Russian skater Zagitova, Asia News,Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday took part in a ceremony to present a Japanese Akita dog to Russia's Olympic figure skating champion Alina Zagitova during a visit to Moscow. Zagitova, the 16-year-old who won g
'Some of us will die': India's homeless stranded by coronavirus lockdown, Asia News,NEW DELHI – In a densely packed neighbourhood of Delhi, hundreds of homeless people queued up this week as volunteers doled out rice and peas from a vat in the back of a van. Only a handful of the peop
US detects new activity at North Korea factory that built ICBMs: source, World News,WASHINGTON – US spy satellites have detected renewed activity at the North Korean factory that produced the country's first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, a senior US
India reports record daily jump of 69,652 in Covid-19 cases, making it worst-hit country in Asia, Asia News,BENGALURU/NEW DELHI – India reported a record daily jump of 69,652 coronavirus infections on Thursday (Aug 20), taking the total number of cases to 2.84 million, data from the federal health m
Thai prisoner electrocuted during botched jailbreak, Asia News,BANGKOK – A Thai prisoner died early Tuesday (Dec 25) after being electrocuted by high-voltage barbed wire as he attempted to escape, police said. Wiwat Aksorsom, 32, broke free from his cell just after midnight along with two other pris
Fans snatch up reservations for Disneyland Star Wars park, Travel News,Reservations for Disneyland's new Star Wars theme park filled up within two hours of going online Thursday as fans raced to be the first to experience the attraction based on the iconic film series. The California park began
Tapes show Saudi journalist's fingers were chopped off, then he was decapitated: Turkish daily, World News,ANKARA – Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was tortured before being decapitated inside Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul, pro-government daily Yeni Safak reported on Wednesday (Oct 17),
Indonesia holds off on AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, awaits WHO review, Asia News,JAKARTA – Indonesia will delay the administering of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine due to reports of blood clots among some recipients in Europe and would await a review from the World Health Organisation (WHO), its he
Beijing will not tolerate attempts to separate Hong Kong from China: State media, China News,SHANGHAI – Hong Kong is an inseparable part of China and any form of secessionism \”will be crushed\”, state media said on Monday (Sept 9), a day after demonstrators rallied at the United States Consulate to a
China charges man who wanted banquet despite gathering ban, China News,BEIJING – Prosecutors in China have brought criminal charges against a 59-year-old man who strapped on firecrackers and doused himself with petrol to defy a ban on public gatherings during a coronavirus epidemic, the Xinhua news
Trump called off Pompeo's North Korea visit after belligerent letter, World News,WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump called off a visit to North Korea by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after the latter received a belligerent letter from a senior North Korean official just hours after the tri
New Zealand won't send diplomats to Beijing Olympics, cites Covid-19, World News,WELLINGTON – New Zealand will not be sending diplomatic representatives at a ministerial level to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said on Tuesday (Dec 7), citing Covid
Two climbers die in fall on South Africa's Table Mountain, World News,JOHANNESBURG – Two climbers were killed abseiling on Cape Town's Table Mountain on New Year's Day, with hundreds of tourists stranded on the summit for hours during the rescue effort, South African officials said Tu
Jab but no tab: Israeli bar offers free drinks with vaccine shots, World News,TEL AVIV – An Israeli bar doubled as a Covid-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, with free drinks given to those who got the shots. More than 43 per cent percent of Israel’s 9 million population have received at least one d
Bitcoin use under scrutiny in Bali , Asia News,JAKARTA/KUTA, Indonesia – Indonesian authorities are investigating the use of bitcoin in the holiday island of Bali, amid warnings by the central bank in Southeast Asia's biggest economy over the risks posed by virtual currencies, an official said.
Long refugee-shy, Japan prepares to welcome Ukrainians, Asia News,TOKYO – Japan said on Tuesday (March 15) Ukrainian evacuees will be able to convert short-term entry visas into longer-term ones allowing them to work, the latest move by Tokyo, long refugee-shy, to welcome Ukrainians fleeing their wa
Twitter users can now control who replies to their tweet, Digital News,Twitter Inc on Tuesday rolled out a moderation feature that would allow its users to limit how many people can reply to their tweets, giving account-holders more control over conversations on their page. All accounts, including t
Heavy snow in Japan traps 1,000 cars , Asia News,TOKYO – A heavy snowfall in central Japan brought road traffic to a standstill on Tuesday, trapping some 1,000 cars, local officials said, adding they have asked the military for help but have not heard of any injuries or illness among those trapped.
Heavy rains, landslides kill 5 in Sri Lanka, Asia News,COLOMBO – Heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka have killed five people, prompting authorities to warn against landslides and floods in low-lying areas after spill gates had to be opened across the Indian Ocean island. Lightning killed three people,
