Seventy people were evacuated after a fire broke out at a 12th-floor unit in a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Bukit Merah on Saturday (Jan 24).The incident happened at about 5.30pm at Block 103B Depot Road in Bukit Merah.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that the fire involved one of the rooms in a residential unit on the 12th-floor. When firefighters arrived at the scene, black smoke was seen emitting from the affected unit. The fire was put out with two water jets.«As a result of the fire, the rest of the unit also sustained heat and smoke damage,» SCDF said in its Facebook post.About 70 people were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.One person from the affected unit, who had evacuated before firefighters arrived, was taken to Singapore General Hospital after he felt unwell.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot have avoided the airspace of Iraq and the Red Sea as a precautionary measure amid tensions between US and Iran.In a reply to AsiaOne's query on Sunday (Jan 25), SIA Group stated that the measure has «no significant impact» on operations.SIA and Scoot does not fly over Iranian airspace, it added.«The SIA Group will continue to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East, and will adjust our flight paths as needed,» said a spokesperson.The spokesperson added that the SIA Group's top priority is the safety of its customers and staff.Airlines rerouting, cancelling flights across Middle EastAirlines have been rerouting and cancelling some flights across the Middle East as tensions ramp up between Iran and the United States, reported Reuters. President Donald Trump said on Thursday (Jan 22) that the US had an «armada» heading towards Iran, while a senior Iranian official said on Friday that Iran will treat any attack «as an all-out war». 

A motorcycle was seen moving without a rider back and forth across three lanes on the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) on Saturday (Jan 24) after being rear-ended by a car.The accident happened at about 11.40am, along KPE towards the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), after the Airport Road entrance.  The accident happened at about 11.40am, along the KPE towards MCE, after the Airport Road entrance. PHOTO: Google Maps In a video posted to its page by SG Road Vigilante, a white Mercedes sports utility (SUV) vehicle is seen travelling on the merging lane after the Airport Road entrance.A motorcycle, which was travelling to the SUV's right, lines up ahead of the SUV towards the end of the merging lane as traffic slowed down near the bend. 

Veteran actor Dharmendra and former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren will be honored with Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan posthumously, respectively. India announced 131 Padma Awards for 2026, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri, recognizing distinguished service across various fields.

The Trinamool Congress has strongly condemned BJP leader Sanjay Das for his derogatory remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, including calling her a «witch» and advocating for her beheading. The TMC accused the BJP of normalizing misogyny, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's past remarks and the act of handing a sword to another BJP leader during the event.

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[UN News] «Giving up is not an option - so many people depend on you,» the words of Maryanne Gichanga, a participant in a UN supported initiative, which aims to help farmers in Kenya find solutions to alleviate the pressures of climate change on agriculture production.

[RFI] In almost three years of civil war in Sudan, the country's museums have been ravaged, with thousands of its archaeological treasures looted and feared trafficked. Researchers in Sudan and beyond are racing to catalogue and recover the losses, estimated at $110 million.

[Nile Post] The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has strongly condemned the violent home invasion and assault on Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi at her residence in Magere, Wakiso District, describing the incident as a grave abuse of state power and a violation of fundamental human rights.

Senior Government sources told the MoS they expect each seized tanker in Russia's sanctions-busting 'shadow fleet' would raise tens of millions.

Moscow was invited to join the US president’s new Board of Peace, but Putin’s reply has left Washington with a political puzzle Read Full Article at RT.com

The last two pandas have left Tokyo zoo as China protests the Japanese PM’s stance on the Taiwan issue Read Full Article at RT.com

The EU should end arms deliveries to Kiev if it really wants peace, Italian lawmaker Rossano Sasso has said Read Full Article at RT.com

President Donald Trump’s comments belittling the role of NATO allies in Afghanistan sparked outrage in Britain, which lost 457 soldiers in the U.S.-led war.

The victim in the shooting was identified as Alexander “Alex” Pretti, 37, of Minneapolis.

US Vice President J.D. Vance has blamed activists and local officials as demonstrations follow a second federal shooting this month Read Full Article at RT.com

In the face of possible rotating power outages, residents are doing their best to conserve power as N.L. Hydro crews work to restore service at Bay d'Espoir plant choked with ice.

Icelandair has cancelled some of its flights to the United States today, as well as arrivals from the US scheduled for tomorrow morning. Several flights are still operating as planned.

European politicians are unable to withstand US President Donald Trump’s assertive style, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukraine is not a friend of Germany, the right-wing AfD’s Alice Weidel has said Read Full Article at RT.com

The real playwright is identified as the historical figure Emilia Bassano in a newly published book called The Real Shakespeare.

Friends of the Prevent practitioner were left shocked after the 48-year-old was taken to hospital with a headache, but died two days later.

Chisinau wants to finish off the autonomous region of Gagauzia that it couldn’t break in the 90s Read Full Article at RT.com

The US president has said Ottawa would face sweeping tariffs if it proceeds with a trade agreement with Beijing Read Full Article at RT.com

​The appointment coincided with visible signs of internal disquiet within the party. Hours ahead of the RJD’s national executive meeting in Patna on Sunday, Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya alleged that the party’s control had slipped into the “hands of infiltrators and conspirators” whose sole aim, she claimed, was to destroy “Laluvad”.

TVK chief Vijay on Sunday said that the party has strength and resolves to defeat 'evil and corrupt' forces ahead of Tamil Nadu elections which are scheduled in 2026. During the part meeting, he also launched his party symbol 'whistle'. Vijay who launched the party in 2024 sets TVK as an alternative rival to DMK and AIADMK.

Gowda, a former bus conductor from Karnataka, founded Pustakamane with the aim of making books accessible to people from remote and marginalised communities. Over the years, the initiative has grown into a vast repository of more than two million books in over 20 languages, including rare manuscripts and historical texts.