iKON in Singapore

Popular K-pop group iKON will perform at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on July 24 this year. 

Large Hadron Collider and a Weasel

The Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator at Cern is offline after a short circuit - caused by a weasel.

Hinkley

True or false? A new nuclear power station in the south-west of the UK will be the most expensive object on Earth. That's the claim about the proposed plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset - but has anything else ever cost so much to build?

"Hinkley is set to be the most expensive object on Earth… best guesses say Hinkley could pass £24bn ($35bn)," said the environmental charity Greenpeace last month as it launched a petition against the project.

LovethatBag

A retailer of branded handbags and wallets has been fined $190,000, or 11 months and 240 days of imprisonment in default, for his fraudulent evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

According to a statement released by the Singapore Customs, Yu Chung Tan, 47, a partner of LovethatBag LLP, imported 2,338 branded handbags by parcel post a total of 41 times between October 2011 and October 2013.

Pilots in Asia

Asia faces a severe shortage of well-trained pilots as the region's demand for air travel skyrockets, Airbus's chief executive told CNBC. 

Google

There is a word that you never heard anyone use 20 years ago. But today, according to research from Lancaster University, which examined millions of words of casual conversation, it crops up more frequently than "clever", "eggs", "fridge", or "death". That word is Google.

Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is set to announce Carly Fiorina as his running mate, US media reports.

Donald Trump's America First Policy

Donald Trump has detailed his foreign policy in a speech, a day after sweeping to a win in five US primaries.

Mr Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican candidacy in the 2016 presidential race, said he would pursue an "America First" policy.

New Asylum Law in Austria

Austria has passed a controversial new law that restricts the right of asylum and allows most claimants to be rejected directly at the border.

Autumn in New Zealand

Long, sunny days tend to linger long into New Zealand’s autumn, and with average high temperatures of between 18C and 25C, you’ll hardly notice summer has ‘officially’ ended. Nights begin to get chilly around mid-April. Because it’s no longer high season, you won’t encounter the busy crowds of summer.

Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors has said it has used fuel consumption tests that broke Japanese rules for the past 25 years.

The admission follows last week's revelation that it had falsified fuel economy data for four "minicar" models sold only in Japan.

Regulations changed in 1991 to better reflect stop-start urban driving, but Mitsubishi failed to heed the change.

Big Ben

Britain's most famous clock tower is to fall silent so that urgent repair work can be carried out at a cost of £29m.

Parliament says it has no choice but to stop the chimes of Big Ben, after 157 years of nearly unbroken service, to prevent its mechanism from failing.

The Elizabeth Tower, which houses it, will also be repaired during the three year project, which starts next year.

Aramco

The Saudi cabinet has approved sweeping economic reforms aimed at moving the country away from its dependence on oil profits.

Just over 70% of revenues came from oil last year but it has been hit by falling prices.

One part of the plan will see shares sold in state-owned oil giant Aramco to create a sovereign wealth fund.

Idomeni

The name Idomeni has become known around the world for being the unwanted home to more than 10,000 people, most from Syria and Iraq.

The border village is now a sea of tents where conditions are squalid.

Before the Macedonian authorities controversially shut the border, having built a 40km fence to keep them out, more than 1 million migrants had passed through Idomeni - a farming community normally home to just 150.

Cruz-Kasich

Can the Cruz-Kasich tag-team beat Trump?

Air Force One

It has three floors, a gym and there is always a doctor on board. But getting a ride on Air Force One can be tricky. Only 13 journalists are allowed to travel with the president when he flies, and this week the BBC's Jon Sopel managed to bag a seat on the plane.

Stuart Martin

Stuart Martin looks back with pride on his six years as a nursing officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. But he also recalls having to "not be gay". And one incident from that era sticks in his mind: a veterans' leader physically blocking a group of gay ex-servicemen trying to lay a wreath during an Anzac Day service.

Telecoms Fraud

A recent diplomatic row between Taiwan and China has cast light on a massive international telecoms fraud problem.

It is said to involve thousands of scammers, some of them pretending to be government officials to extract money from victims.

Post-Brexit Trade Deal

The UK could take up to 10 years to negotiate trade deals with the US if it leaves the EU, Barack Obama has said.

Oil Pipeline from Uganda to Tanzania

Landlocked Uganda has announced it will build a major pipeline to export its oil through Tanzania.

EU-Turkey Migrant Deal

Last month's EU-Turkey deal on tackling the migrant flow has begun to produce results, a top EU official has said.

"We have seen a sharp reduction of the illegal migration flows," European Council President Donald Tusk said.

Photo Album for Queen Elizabeth

President Barack Obama has had lunch with the Queen - and presented her with a photo album of the monarch's many meetings with US presidents and first ladies.

The album begins with her visit to the United States in 1951. Then known as Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, she toured George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and met President Harry Truman at the White House.

Obama and Brexit

US President Barack Obama has said Britain would go to the "back of the queue" for trade deals with the US if it votes to leave the European Union.

He said Britain was at its best when "helping to lead" a strong EU and membership made it a "bigger player" on the world stage.

Paris Climate Agreement

Amid hope and hype, delegates have finished signing the Paris climate agreement at UN headquarters in New York.

Some 171 countries inked the deal today, a record number for a new international treaty.

Tencent and Philanthropy

The founder of China's Internet giant Tencent will donate US$2 billion (S$2.69 billion) in shares to charity, the company said - one of the largest gifts ever given in a country whose new super-rich have no tradition of philanthropy. 

Birthday Celebration near Windsor Castle

Crowds of supporters gathered near Windsor Castle on Wednesday to wish Queen Elizabeth II an early happy birthday, as she marked turning 90 with the release of a photograph of four generations of Britain's royals.

Volkswagen in USA

Volkswagen will offer "substantial compensation" and car buy-back deals in the US as part of a settlement of the the diesel emissions scandal.

Final details of the packages offered will be announced in June, but a court had given VW and regulators until Thursday to reach a deal in principle.

Last year, US regulators discovered that VW cars were fitted with software that could distort emissions tests.

The German giant subsequently said 11 million cars worldwide were affected.

Samsung Pay

Samsung mobile users will soon be able to make payments by simply swiping their smartphones, when the electronics giant's mobile payment service Samsung Pay is rolled out in Singapore.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday with a family gathering and a cake baked by a reality television star, as a new poll finds Britain's longest serving monarch is as popular as ever.

Hidden Gold Mine in London

Under London’s streets lies a hidden gold mine.

It stretches across more than 300,000 square feet under the City, the finance quarter in the heart of Britain’s capital. There, beneath the pavement and commuters of Threadneedle Street, lies a maze of eight Bank of England gold vaults – each stacked with gold bars worth a total sum of around £141 billion ($200 billion).

Female Drivers for F1

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says female drivers would "not physically be able to drive a F1 car quickly".

Speaking to businessman Sir Martin Sorrell at an Advertising Week Europe conference, the 85-year-old said he does not think women would be "taken seriously" in the sport.

EU Interference

The European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, has warned that too much EU "interference" in people's lives is eroding support for the bloc.

The former Luxembourg prime minister said the EU had become involved in "too many domains where member states... are better placed to take action".

Koh-i-noor

The Indian government has told the Supreme Court that it should not try to reclaim the priceless Koh-i-noor diamond from Britain.

The gemstone came into British hands in the mid-19th Century, and forms part of the Crown Jewels on display at the Tower of London.

Asiaone

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Russian-Ukraine And Prisoners

The Russian and Ukrainian leaders have had a telephone conversation over the fate of jailed high-profile prisoners, raising the possibility of a swap.

David Bernstein and Lord King

David Bernstein and Lord King have resigned from the Aston Villa board two days after the club were relegated.

Earthquake in Ecuador

At least 235 people have been confirmed dead and more than 1,500 people injured after Ecuador was hit by its most powerful earthquake in decades.

Some 10,000 troops and 3,500 police are being deployed in the affected areas, as rescue operations continue.

The magnitude-7.8 quake struck on Saturday evening.

Drone and British Airways

A plane approaching Heathrow Airport is believed to have hit a drone before it landed safely, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The British Airways flight from Geneva was hit as it approached the London airport at about 12:50 BST with 132 passengers and five crew on board.

IMF And Global Growth

Key countries in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have pledged to pursue "growth-friendly" policies to kickstart the slowing world economy.

The IMF's steering committee, made up of 25 of the world's largest economies, said the global outlook was fraught because of weak trade and a series of risks including a UK exit from the EU.

It urged countries to boost public spending and avoid deflation.

The IMF last week made its second cut to global growth forecasts this year.

Blizzard in Colorado

A powerful blizzard swept through Colorado on Saturday, dumping at least 2 feet (61 cm) of snow in some parts of the state and forcing the cancellation of most of the scheduled flights at the Denver airport, officials said.

Flight UL 309 in Changi Airport

Five passengers of a Sri Lankan Airlines flight were "detained" by Singapore police for questioning before it took off on Thursday (April 14), according to the airline.

But flight UL 309 had to turn back as the police wanted to question another three passengers, said its statement which was posted on its website. The plane was told to return to the airport soon after take-off for "security reasons", it said.

Migrants in Vatican

Pope Francis has taken 12 Syrian migrants back with him to the Vatican after visiting a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

The three families, including six children, are all Muslim and had their homes bombed during the Syrian war.

Jan Boehmermann

Germany will allow the potential prosecution of a top comedian after the Turkish president filed a complaint.

Jan Boehmermann had recited a satirical poem on television which made sexual references to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Under German law, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had to approve a criminal inquiry.

Mrs Merkel stressed that the courts would have the final word, and it was now up to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.

Empty North Dakota

A billboard erected just off the highway reads "Welcome to Williston, ND. Boomtown, USA". But for this once-thriving oil city the boom is going bust.

In the mid 2000s hydraulic fracturing - or fracking - coupled with soaring oil prices, made it possible to unlock billions of barrels of oil from the rocky Bakken formation, one of the largest deposits of oil and natural gas in the country.

Another Earthquake in Japan

A more powerful earthquake has rocked the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto in the middle of the night, a day after an earlier tremor killed nine people.

The magnitude-7.3 quake hit at a depth of 10km (six miles) at 01:25 on Saturday (15:25 GMT on Friday) in Kyushu region. At least three people died and hundreds were injured.

A village has been evacuated after a dam collapsed, it says.

A tsunami warning was issued, and lifted some 50 minutes later.

Barnevernet in Norway

The case of a young couple in Norway whose five children were taken away by the state has fuelled mounting concern within the country and abroad over its child protection practices. Protesters around the world - and leading Norwegian professionals - say social workers are often too quick to separate children from their families, with too little justification, particularly when parents are immigrants.

Earthquake in Kumamoto

No tsunami warning was issued after a magnitude 6.4 quake, which struck at 21:26 (12:26 GMT) east of Kumamoto city, on the island of Kyushu.

Wallis and Futuna

Dozens of people are occupying the royal palace building on the French Pacific territory of Wallis and Futuna, the public broadcaster has said.

The protestors are trying to prevent the enthronement of a new king, due to take place this Saturday.

Juvenia Neo

"I really didn't expect it, Auntie!"







All the very best to your interview 
in NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine today.
I'm so happy for you, Juvenia! :)

Donald Trump and Ted Cruz

Republican Donald Trump has said the party's leaders do not want him to win the presidential nomination.

The system was "stacked" against him, he said in New York, accusing the Republican National Committee (RNC) of conspiring against him.

His comments come after his rival Ted Cruz was awarded all the delegates in Colorado without a state-wide vote.

Mr Trump leads the race but may fall short of getting enough delegates to get the nomination outright.

USS Donald Cook

Two Russian planes flew close to a US guided missile destroyer almost a dozen times, American officials have said.

The Sukhoi SU-24 warplanes, in international waters in the Baltic Sea, had no visible weaponry and the ship took no action.

One official called the events on Monday and Tuesday "one of the most aggressive acts in recent memory".

The commander of the missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, described the flights as a "simulated attack".

Saenuri in South Korea

The ruling party in South Korea has lost its majority in parliament after elections aimed at boosting its position, exit polls suggest.

Exit polls forecast the Saenuri party to retain a slight lead over opponents but not enough to secure a majority in the 300-member National Assembly.

Saenuri previously had only a slim majority in the assembly.

It meant that President Park Geun-hye's time in office had been hampered by legislative gridlock.

She was hoping a stronger showing of support in the National Assembly would help her to push through labour and economic reforms before her term in office expires in about 20 months' time.

Brexit

The UK's exit from the European Union could cause "severe regional and global damage", the International Monetary Fund has warned in its latest outlook.

A so-called "Brexit" would disrupt established trading relationships and cause "major challenges" for both the UK and the rest of Europe, it said.

The IMF said the referendum had already created uncertainty for investors and a vote to exit would only heighten this.

Dilma Rousseff

President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil denounces a "coup" plot against her, suggesting that Vice-President Michel Temer is one of the "conspirators".

Paul Ryan

US House Speaker Paul Ryan has officially ruled out making a late attempt to become the Republican presidential nominee.

"I do not want, nor will I accept the Republican nomination," he said.

Chung Siew Goh

Does he blog?

Tengah New Town

Plans to develop Tengah, a 700ha site which is bounded by the Kranji and Pan-Island expressways, Brickland Road and Bukit Batok Road, were mooted as early as 1991 in a concept plan for Singapore in the future.

Obama and Libya

US President Barack Obama has said failing to prepare for the aftermath of the ousting of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi was the worst mistake of his presidency.

Seated Man with a Cane

A £17m ($25m) painting has been sequestered in Geneva after leaked documents from law firm Mossack Fonseca appeared to reveal its disputed owners.

An art dealer's estate wants the art-collecting Nahmad family to return the Amadeo Modigliani work, which it claims the Nazis seized in World War Two.

The family said International Art Center (IAC) held the work. The papers showed David Nahmad owned that company.

Heatwave in Malaysia

Schools in Jerantut and Temerloh in Pahang and Perlis were closed yesterday as temperatures in those areas have exceeded 37°C over a 72-hour period, says the Education Ministry. In a statement, the ministry said that the closure was a precautionary measure to safeguard the health of the over 100,000 pre-school, primary and secondary pupils in the states.

Afghanistan Earthquake

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake has been felt across a number of major cities across south-west Asia.

The earthquake struck in Afghanistan, close to its border with Tajikistan, at 10:28 GMT, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The tremor was felt in Kabul, Islamabad, Lahore and Delhi, forcing residents to leave their homes.