SINGAPORE — Some residents at Block 131B Kim Tian Road woke up on April 17 to find that their water supply had been cut off. The disruption, which lasted at least six hours, was caused by a burst underground pipe, a spokesperson for the Tanjong Pagar Town Council said in response to queries. The spokesperson added that 16 units from the second to fifth floors of the block were affected by the incident. The other floors in the 30-storey Housing Board block, as well as the other blocks in the estate, were not affected. Shin Min Daily News reported that a resident noticed the outage at 5am on April 17. The town council spokesperson told The Straits Times that the water supply was restored by 11am that same day, after contractors made a «temporary connection» to the water supply for the affected units. PUB and town council staff distributed bags of water to residents from 8am, the spokesperson said, adding that contractors also installed water taps for residents to draw water near the rubbish chute area from the ground floor to the fifth.

The next time you're at a Kopitiam food court, the person preparing your order could be the big boss himself. We're talking about Henry Chu, the CEO of FairPrice Group's Food Services Business, which runs the Kopitiam chain and the Heavenly Wang eateries.  «To truly understand someone, you have to walk a mile in their shoes,» goes his mantra. To put himself in his employees' shoes, Chu, who became CEO in December 2022, works like a regular employee at one of the Kopitiam outlets once a month.  There are more than 100 Kopitiam food courts islandwide. And Chu is not afraid to get his hands dirty — he will wash the dishes and clear the tables if he has to. He also helps out at new stalls which are short-staffed. Speaking to 8world at the Kopitiam food court at FairPrice Hub in Joo Koon, Chu recounted his most memorable experience while working alongside his employees at a Heavenly Wang outlet right after the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A direct Israel-Iran war could drive oil prices up by $30-$40 per barrel in the second quarter, BofA’s research says, as quoted by CNBC Read Full Article at RT.com

Colombia wants to join BRICS as soon as possible and Brazil will promote its bid, a joint statement from the countries’ leaders says Read Full Article at RT.com

Nigerian Finance Minister Wale Edun says the African nation plans to shore up earnings through increased oil production Read Full Article at RT.com

Anglo-German investor Arnulf Damerau claims senior Ukrainian officials are trying to extort money from his online gambling empire Read Full Article at RT.com

In his latest gaffe, Joe Biden describes how he’d warned Israel against attacking itself, urging the Jewish state not to attack its own city Read Full Article at RT.com

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he still has not seen the legal advice which his deputy Angela Rayner claims exonerates her over the sale of her former council house in Stockport, Manchester.

The Juice, 76, died 'surrounded by his family' last Wednesday after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer and was cremated today, according to his lawyer.

Live updates from the 2024 campaign trail with the latest news on presidential candidates, polls, primaries and more.

Maria Zakharova stressed that Berlin would not be able «to take refuge in silence and avoid providing a response,» while Russia would continue working consistently to preserve the historical truth about the crimes of German Nazism

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

According to Kazem Jalali, Iran is also in favor of cooperation between universities of all countries of the association

Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

Maria Zakharova emphasized that the result of efforts by external actors as represented by NATO in the South Caucasus would inevitably lower the degree of trust in the region and escalate armed confrontation

A US Department of Agriculture report says Moscow has “captured” a large market share in Algeria – one of the EU’s top supply destinations Read Full Article at RT.com

Unemployment in India is set to fall due to the creation of opportunities in the service sector, according to a new report Read Full Article at RT.com

Police have evicted up to 450 people from France’s biggest squat, 100 days ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, media have reported   Read Full Article at RT.com

US-backed proposals to use frozen Russian assets in Ukraine could hurt the international order, the ECB president has warned Read Full Article at RT.com

Insurers say policies for the gas pipelines damaged by blasts two years ago don’t cover cases of ‘war,’ Kommersant reports Read Full Article at RT.com

Seychelles' authorities are offering a reward of SCR 100,000 ($7,425) to anyone having credible information on the recent suspected gas attacks and pledge to investigate the incidents. The Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, made the statement when answering an urgent question by Wallace Cosgrow, a proportionate member of the United Seychelles party in the National Assembly. Since Monday, April 8, an unknown substance in gaseous form has affected people in contact with it at several primary and secondary schools and the staff of the judiciary, also closing down the parliament. Fonseka passed on a message from President Wavel Ramkalawan, who has been on an overseas mission since April 10 - attending the United Nations Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona, Spain, and the Our Ocean conference in Greece. «He feels for those who have been affected, especially the children who have breathed in the unknown substance and have fallen ill,» said Fonseka. He added that the President has pledged to do everything to ensure that the authorities get to the bottom of the situation. «There are no agencies that use chemicals in their operations such as Seypec, PUC and who have reported having an accidental discharge,» said Fonseka. He added that none of the agencies were operating in the areas where the incidents occurred and initially the authorities believed that «the marine sediments found in lagoons could be responsible for releasing a gas called balsamic methane.» «We are now treating this as a criminal case, and after the two incidents of yesterday (Monday) and today (Tuesday) all indications point to criminality. I also want to inform the National Assembly that the police is intensifying its work on all levels,» said the minister.   Fonseka asked people to be vigilant as such attacks are mainly aimed at spreading fear. In the latest figures presented by the Minister, 353 people, both children and adults reported their respective health centres. «They are experiencing symptoms of headaches, itching and stomach pains among others,» explained Fonseka and added that the «Beau Vallon and Bel Eau school incidents have forced us to look into other areas.» Meanwhile, in a press release statement on Wednesday, United Seychelles (US) said it is truly disgraceful that children are deliberately being targetted. «We, the United Seychelles Party, firmly believe that every individual has the right to live in a safe and secure environment, free from harm and fear and It is truly disheartening to witness such acts of malice, especially when they target educational institutions and workplaces,» said United Seychelles. The party added «It is truly astounding that, despite the presence of numerous security apparatuses in the country, the culprits are still able to operate with impunity.  We sincerely hope that the individuals responsible for these heinous acts will be apprehended and brought to justice the soonest.» «We demand that the authorities in Seychelles take immediate and decisive action to bring the culprits responsible for these atrocious deeds to justice, we strongly urge the government to implement effective measures in order to put an end to these acts of terror,» said United Seychelles.  Furthermore, the Seychelles Inter-Faith Council's (SIFCO) managing committee issued a statement also expressing concern over the incidents.   «We are concerned because the incident is causing fear among the population especially school children. We hope and pray that all concerned can bring the situation to its finality soon, » said SIFCO. 

Seychelles celebrated Chinese Language Day through a cultural event with the participation of students from the Chinese language programme of the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) on Wednesday. Held in the presence of staff, students of the STA, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Seychelles (UniSey), the event featured various activities, such as the singing of Chinese songs, a Taiji demonstration, calligraphy and Chinese dances, among others. The event was organised by the Chinese Embassy in Seychelles, along with the STA and the Confucius Institute, to commemorate the Chinese Language Day, which is observed annually on April 20. Jianmei Zhang, the new director of the Confucius Institute, said, «I feel extremely honoured to gather together with you on this special event. Chinese Language Day is a significant moment to inherit and promote Chinese culture, as well as a grand occasion for us to learn and communicate together, just as the theme of the event 2024 indicates: »Chinese Language: Connecting Cultures through the Bridge of Mutual Learning.« The learners do not only learn the language but there is also the exchange of cultures. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  »The Confucius Institute at Unisey is committed to promoting Chinese education, facilitating cultural exchanges between China and Seychelles, and cultivating talents with an international perspective and a deep understanding of Chinese culture. Through our efforts, we hope to help more Seychellois, especially the youth, understand and love Chinese, making it a bridge leading to a larger world and a brighter future,« added the director. She thanked the STA not only for its full support for the activity but also for six years of sincere collaboration since 2018 as one of the most important partners and largest teaching site of the Confucius Institute at UniSey with more than 200 students learning Chinese each year. The director of the STA, Terrence Max, explained that Mandarin, one of the many Chinese languages, has been part of the curriculum at the academy since 2019. »During the first year, our learners have the opportunity to learn the very basic component of the Chinese language,« said Max. He added that in the second year, students learn about words and phrases that relate specifically to their respective programmes at the school, such as restaurant and bar, and wellness and spa.   »The learners do not only learn the language but there is also the exchange of cultures. We are involved in various activities, be it educational or cultural, such as the spring festival and the Chinese Bridge competition," added Max.  

[allAfrica]

Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP of instigating violence during Ram Navami celebrations in Murshidabad, claiming it was pre-planned. Eighteen people, including two minors and several police personnel, were injured and a number of shops damaged as violence erupted Wednesday evening after a Ram Navami procession went past a mosque in Beldanga town in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.

BJP accuses Congress of supporting Naxals for votes, criticizing security forces' actions. Shehzad Poonawalla highlights Congress' sympathy for Naxals. The encounter in Chhattisgarh reveals the ongoing battle against Left Wing Extremism.

In our second episode, the crew discusses the jurors selected during the first two days of former president Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal trial – and why plenty of other prospective jurors were dismissed. Washington Post reporter Devlin Barrett joins to discuss what it's like covering the trial from inside the courthouse.

Behind the scenes, researchers working for Trump’s legal defense are scouring prospective jurors’ online lives, hunting for bias.

WESTERN BUREAU: Senior clergyman Reverend Dr Howard Gregory is urging Christians to resist the temptation from elected officials to trample and smear the integrity of the Auditor General’s Department and the Integrity Commission. Gregory said...

Earlier this month, Jamaica’s Taino chief, Kasike Kalaan Nibonrix Kaiman, gave a presentation titled, ‘Stories as medicine: Taino and African Healing and the Environment in Jamaica’, at Northeastern University, a private university with its main...