Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has revoked the appointment of his astrologer, Radhan Pandit, as Officer on Special Duty (Political) following opposition criticism. The decision came a day after the appointment, which had drawn objections that personal beliefs should not influence governance. Pandit, a close aide and party spokesperson, was to assist in political coordination and advisory functions.

A total of 473 people screened for tuberculosis in Bedok have tested positive for the bacteria, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Wednesday (May 13).They make up 14.9 per cent of the 3,169 people who underwent blood tests by the CDA, which said in a statement that the positivity rate is «within expectations».Those who have tested positive will receive a phone call from the agency to arrange for a chest X-ray appointment, which will determine if they have active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI).LTBI refers to when a small number of inactive TB bacteria is present in one's body. Patients are not sick, but have a chance of contracting the disease if the bacteria becomes active.CDA stressed on Wednesday that a positive blood test result does not mean that a person has the active disease.«The vast majority of these individuals are expected to have LTBI, which means they do not exhibit symptoms of TB, are not infectious, and therefore do not pose a public health risk,» it said.

If you were in vicinity of the National University of Singapore (NUS) or the National University Hospital (NUH) on Wednesday (May 13) morning and saw a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) helicopter landing at NUS' multi-purpose field, don't worry —no one was injured.The RSAF CH-47 Chinook helicopter's landing was part of a medical evacuation exercise involving the air force, NUH and NUS.Earlier on May 7, campus authorities, in an email seen by AsiaOne, had informed students of the «controlled helicopter test landing». «This exercise is part of the efforts to validate ground safety measures and procedures to support time-critical medical evacuations to NUH,» campus authorities explained in their email.The helicopter came into view just after 10am, and landed uneventfully — amidst heavy rain — at about 10.05am 

The former First Lady, 62, looked noticeably gaunt and skinny as the Daily Mail snapped exclusive pictures of her arriving at celebrity hotspot Funke flanked by Secret Service agents.

I remember many things from my days and nights working as a junior doctor in A&E, but some are more vivid than others.

The Eurovision Song Contest returned on Tuesday night but it was bad luck for Boy George as he was knocked out while Israel qualified. 

Amid scenes of traditional pomp and ceremony, the monarch will conduct the State Opening of Parliament.

[allAfrica]

Depuis le 7 avril, date limite du dépôt des recours, le tribunal administratif de Papeete a enregistré 102 contestations électorales. Une vingtaine ont déjà été rejetées pour des questions de forme, mais plus de 80 dossiers restent encore en cours d’instruction.

Nouveau revers politique pour le gouvernement. A l'assemblée aujourd'hui, le projet de loi sur l’itinérance mobile — qui devait encadrer l’utilisation des réseaux entre opérateurs locaux dans les zones peu couvertes — a été rejeté faute de majorité absolue, après l’abstention surprise de huit élus du Tavini. Conséquence immédiate : le second texte sur l’ouverture encadrée des télécommunications satellitaires, notamment autour de Starlink, a été retiré par l’exécutif.

[Daily Trust] A military airstrike on Tumfa market in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State has reportedly killed at least 117 people and injured several others. Residents said the casualties included both bandits and civilians.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The National Assembly Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has launched investigations into the handling and whereabouts of more than 27,000 metric tonnes of imported sugar deemed unfit for human consumption.

[allAfrica]

A woman who stole 19 bottles of wine from a Sheng Siong outlet pleaded guilty to an amalgamated charge of theft and was sentenced to eight days' jail on Tuesday (May 12).An amalgamated charge is a combined charge consisting multiple instances of similar offences put into a single charge, which can result in heavier penalties.Catherine Tan Li Eng, 51, a salesperson, was flagged by the supermarket's facial recognition system after she had committed theft across seven separate occasions between Sept 2 and Sept 11 last year.She had frequented the outlet at 622D Punggol Central and stole 19 bottles of Jacob's Creek wine, with price ranging from $28.52 to $85.56.In total, they were valued at more than $555, according to the charge sheet.Sheng Siong discovered the theft following an inventory check on Sept 10, 2025. Staff then reviewed security camera footage and saw Tan leave the outlet without paying for bottles that she put in a reusable bag, The Straits Times reported.She had used the self-checkout kiosk to scan items of less value, but did not scan the bottles, CNA reported.

SINGAPORE — A former chief of air force who is accused of colliding with a stroller in May 2024 while driving a car without considering other road users has had his case adjourned to Thursday (May 14).Goh Yong Siang, 74, appeared in a district court on May 13. A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority reveals that he is a director at Temasek Management Services.Temasek Management Services' website states that he is its chairman and that he was a fighter pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force.He retired as the chief of air force in 1998.According to the same website: «He then joined private equity firm Beta Capital Group in Dallas, Texas, until 2005. In 2006, he joined Temasek International as a senior managing director until 2013.»Goh was driving a car when it allegedly hit a woman pushing a stroller at a signalised pedestrian crossing in Pasir Panjang Road, causing hurt to a two-year-old boy.The woman, who was crossing the road when the green man signal was on, was also injured in the accident, but court documents did not disclose details about her injuries or those of the boy.

The British Government has begun to look chaotic, changing leaders with alarming frequency. If Starmer is replaced before July, we will have cycled through seven prime ministers in a decade.

He gathered his Cabinet ministers around the table at No 10 for what was expected to be a high-stakes meeting, with some of his closest allies ready to tell him his time was up.

The Eurovision Song Contest returned on Tuesday night but it was bad luck for Boy George as he was knocked out while Israel qualified. 

Keir Starmer was locked in an extraordinary standoff with his MPs last night after he brushed aside calls to quit and told rivals Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner to put up or shut up.

Downing Street was a scene of farce, inside and out. Inside No 10, the Cabinet was informed by Sir Keir Starmer that it could not discuss the one thing gripping City markets and the country at large.

[UN News] Many women in eastern Chad are being forced to give birth in overcrowded clinics with limited medicine, minimal equipment and severe shortages of anesthesia, as a worsening humanitarian crisis overwhelms the country's fragile healthcare system, the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, warned on Tuesday.

Shanghai International Studies University professor Yang Cheng emphasized that although this is not a direct dialogue between these three countries, some indirect dialogue will still take place

«The situation in the Middle East is currently at a turning point between war and peace,» Zhang Hanhui said

Singapore needs to create new opportunities for itself while leveraging on existing strengths to build resilience amid an increasingly fragmented world, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.Speaking at the Singapore Business Federation's Future Economy Conference on Wednesday (May 13), DPM Gan highlighted several ways that Singapore can sustain economic growth and stay globally competitive over the longer term, in line with the release of the Economic Strategy Review's (ESR) final recommendations today.The ESR's final recommendations build on their mid-term update in January and are a culmination of engagements by five committees — targeting global competitiveness, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, human capital and managing the impact of restructuring — which began in August last year.

Even as the rule of law has helped keep Singapore trusted in an increasingly turbulent and uncertain world, it must be adapted and strengthened to remain relevant for the challenges ahead, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (April 13). He made these points at the SGLaw 200 Youth Forum held at the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law on Wednesday morning.Organised jointly by the Ministry of Law and the Institute of Policy Studies, the forum — held as part of activities to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Singapore's legal system —  is intended to spotlight the role of youths in shaping the future of the rule of law. In his opening address, PM Wong asked participants to consider the meaning of the rule of law and how it plays out in real life.Citing 17th-century French philosopher Blaise Pascal, who once said that justice without force is powerless, while force without justice is tyrannical, the prime minister pointed out that the rule of law is not merely about order or efficiency, but also, legitimacy.

The fees that government agencies have been collecting from the public are legal and proper, the Ministry of National Development (MND) has said.In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 12), the ministry said the charges such as expediting temporary occupation permit inspections by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and processing resale flat applications by HDB were publicly known and properly administered to recover at cost the services provided.The other charges include expedited processing of certain licences and permits, fees for species certification by the National Parks Board (NParks), as well as the recovery of expenses by HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for illegally parked vehicles.MND pointed out that a new law passed in Parliament last week is meant to put the legal position beyond doubt and set out the fees and charges more explicitly in legislation. «This aligns our laws with long-standing practices and provides greater clarity, transparency and certainty for future transactions,» the ministry added.

'I didn't have time, Mum!' His mother Erin*, however, isn't complaining. She's relishing every moment. Because until last November, Erin hadn't seen her son for six years.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that 46-year-old China-born Changli 'Sophia' Luo has been charged with four counts, including blackmail, extortion and destruction of records, in federal court.

The aspiring model testified before Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee Tuesday as part of the congressional probe into the handling of the Epstein files.

D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, sat stone-faced on Tuesday as his murder trial was once again delayed so that both sides can continue sifting through mounds of evidence.

Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, has passed away after a harrowing battle with a brain tumor. He was 47-years-old and just one year removed from his wedding.