An early morning blaze, which broke out at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio on Tuesday (June 11), has ravaged about 10 stalls and the hawkers are worried about the huge sums of losses they may face. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were alerted to the fire at GHK 407 Food House at Block 407 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at about 2.40am. Eighteen residents living above the two-storey block were evacuated by the police and no injuries were reported. Preliminary investigations found that the fire likely originated from unattended cooking at one of the stalls.

Hungary may be expelled from the Bucharest Nine club of nations over Ukraine, insiders told The Financial Times Read Full Article at RT.com

South Africa’s president will not attend the upcoming G7 summit in Italy due to domestic priorities, his spokesperson has said Read Full Article at RT.com

BRICS should promote peace and oppose the instigation of a new Cold War, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukrainian and Western spy agencies have intensified the recruitment of agents to carry out attacks inside Russia, the FSB chief has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has condemned a US decision to allow Ukraine’s Azov Brigade to receive American weapons Read Full Article at RT.com

On the evening of March 22, four terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, just outside the Moscow city limits

«The New Development Bank finances infrastructure projects at reasonable interest rates,» Sergey Ryabkov noted

Dmitry Peskov stressed that Moscow intends to continue fostering relations with Tehran and enhancing the joint legal base

Birmingham Airport 's £700,000-a-year boss Nick Barton has come under fire after blaming passengers for huge queues.

Seychelles' Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, has expressed his strong support for Emirates Airline's announcement to introduce four weekly flights between Dubai and Madagascar, with a stopover in Mahe, Seychelles, starting September 3. Emirates announced on June 7 that it will launch flights to Madagascar in September and the flights will operate via a linked service with Seychelles. According to a press communique from the Ministry if Transport on Monday, Derjacques highlighted the significance of this new route and said, «The introduction of these flights marks a substantial advancement in our efforts to boost trade, commerce, and tourism. This development is poised to enhance Seychelles' connectivity with key markets, fostering economic growth and cultural exchange.»Derjacques also emphasised the importance of this initiative in the context of South-South cooperation in aviation. He said, «By linking Seychelles with Dubai and Madagascar, we are not only enhancing our own strategic position but also strengthening the ties between developing nations. This cooperation is crucial for mutual growth and development, paving the way for more collaborative efforts in the future.»The new Emirates flight route is anticipated to position Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, as a pivotal travel and trade hub within the region, offering enhanced opportunities for the business and tourism sectors.The Ministry of Transport of Seychelles said it is dedicated to improving the nation's transport infrastructure and services, aiming for sustainable growth and development within the sector. Through strategic collaborations and innovative initiatives, the ministry seeks to enhance connectivity and accessibility, benefiting both local communities and international visitors, according to the press statement.

Seychelles and South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish cooperation in the fields of fisheries and aquaculture. The MOU was signed by the Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jean-Francois Ferrari, and Do-Hyung Kang, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries of Korea, in the margins of the Korea-Africa Summit, which took place in Seoul from June 4 to 5. Th Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy said the agreement aims to enhance bilateral collaboration, facilitate knowledge transfer, information sharing, and capacity-building initiatives, and promote the trade of fish and fishery products. It will also increase private sector cooperation, as well as combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing within these vital sectors. According to the ministry, the MOU underscores the shared commitment of Seychelles and Korea to address global challenges such as climate change, overfishing, and marine pollution. It also highlights the mutual benefits of technological and scientific collaboration, and it paves the way for future projects that will strengthen the resilience and sustainability of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. Fisheries is the second top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, after tourism.  

«Before making decisions on the matter, we do not usually preliminarily say which kinds of changes might be introduced,» Sergey Ryabkov noted

The Russian presidential spokesman noted that holding drills was a normal practice

The article highlights that China has «the confidence, conditions and capabilities to ensure national financial and economic security»

According to Dmitry Peskov, Fidan was holding talks in Moscow and now will inform Putin about the «outcome of these talks»

Project 21631 small missile ships are armed with Kalibr missiles

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut criticized BJP for keeping important ministries and not satisfying NDA allies like Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu after the portfolio allocation in Modi cabinet 3.0. «There are two 'atrupta aatmas' (dissatisfied souls) in the Centre -- (Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar and (TDP chief) Chandrababu Naidu. You (BJP) should satisfy these two atrupta aatma,» Raut said.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule expressed concerns about violence in Manipur, questioning the treatment of the north-eastern state. She highlighted a terror attack in Jammu during Modi's third term swearing-in.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud has inspected the preparations of the security forces for this year hajj, the Saudi Press Agency said early Tuesday. During the hajj security forces annual celebration attended by the minister, Director of Public Security Mohammed Al-Bassami said that the security forces are fully prepared and ready to deal with everything that may disturb the peace of pilgrims, and to ensure that they perform their rituals with ease and comfort.

JAZAN: Border Guard officers in Jazan’s Al-Ardah governorate have arrested several people suspected of attempting to smuggle 80 kg of qat into the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. Qat, a shrub native to the Arabian Peninsula, is a mild stimulant, with less intense effects than cocaine and methamphetamine.

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief continues its food security support project in Sudan, reported SPA. The agency distributed 581 food packages to displaced and needy families in the Beheira locality of River Nile State, benefiting 3,340 individuals. In Sennar, 500 food packages were provided to displaced families, or about 2,830 individuals benefiting from the aid.

RIYADH: Saudi spokesperson warned of rising temperatures reaching 48ºC as pilgrims gear up for Hajj this week, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, the health ministry’s spokesperson, said high temperatures pose “a major challenge” in this year’s Hajj season, set to begin on June 14. He urged pilgrims to follow the ministry’s health guidelines to keep safe from the heat. Carrying umbrellas, maintaining hydration and taking rest periods between rituals are necessary to avoid heat fatigue.

Before the meeting, the ministers warmly greeted each other

«It is a meeting of special representatives on Afghanistan initiated by the UN Secretary-General,» Zamir Kabulov said

«The Eritrean leadership calls on Russia to join in ensuring security and maintaining peace on the African continent, to restore the role and influence that the Soviet Union had here,» Igor Mozgo noted

Candidates put in their bids for president of the Islamic republic from May 30 to June 3

A source in the Russian space industry later told TASS that the incident involving the duo of French tourists occurred outside the Baikonur spaceport

On 24 April 2024, the European Parliament adopted its first reading position on the proposal for a regulation on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material (PRM). Put forward by the European Commission on 5 July 2023, the proposal would replace the 10 PRM directives that currently lay down the rules for seeds, tubers, cuttings, seedlings and young plants. The proposal would introduce sustainability requirements for registering new varieties of agricultural plants, vegetables and fruits intended for professional users, while PRM intended for amateur gardeners and conservation organisations – such as seed banks – would be exempt from many of the requirements. There would be less stringent conditions for registering conservation varieties that are adapted to specific local conditions, and the requirements for organic PRM would be adjusted and tested under organic conditions. Exchange of seed in kind between farmers would be allowed in small quantities. Parliament proposes several changes, including exempting gene banks from the rules and allowing farmers to sell their seeds. The work in the Council is ongoing. Second edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

With the help of an anonymous donor, one hawker at Chinatown Complex is now selling a bowl of Katong laksa for just $2 — half the usual price. Bobby Lee, 71, a graduate of social enterprise Project Dignity, has been running The Asian Makanstall for the past eight years, reported Shin Min Daily News. The stall has a rotating menu of dishes and started selling laksa — priced at $4 a bowl — about six months ago. Three weeks ago, Lee slashed the price by half at the request of a customer who donated a sum of money to the stall. «He said he hopes to let more people enjoy tasty and affordable food, especially the elderly or those in need,» the hawker said. He added that the customer frequently does charity work, including making donations to temples and elderly care homes. The donor prefers to keep his identity and contribution amount private, Lee said.

SINGAPORE — Media portal Gutzy Asia and its social media pages on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, have been designated as Declared Online Locations (DOLs) under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma), after its online accounts were issued three Pofma correction directions within six months. The declaration by Minister for Communications and Information (MCI) Josephine Teo on June 11 will last for two years, from June 12 until June 11, 2026. During this period, Gutzy Asia’s website, Facebook page and X account page are each required to carry a notice stating that they have been declared as DOLs. This is to warn visitors that it has a history of communicating falsehoods on these online locations, and to advise them to fact-check the information published. Owners of DOLs cannot derive financial or other material benefit from operating the sites. This means that service providers and digital advertising intermediaries must ensure that paid content are not communicated in Singapore.