Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. He acknowledged her significant contributions to Bangladesh's development and the strengthening of India-Bangladesh relations, recalling a warm meeting in 2015. Zia, a towering political figure and the first woman PM of Bangladesh, died at 80 after a prolonged illness.

Amidst severe fog and low visibility impacting North India's flight operations, the Civil Aviation Ministry has directed airlines to strictly adhere to passenger facilitation norms. Passengers are urged to check flight statuses and allow extra travel time as 118 flights were cancelled and 16 diverted at Delhi airport.

More than 80kg of rhinoceros horns, lion and tiger bones were seized in Johannesburg on Dec 1, following a joint operation between the National Parks Board (NParks) and South African authorities.In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 30), NParks said it was alerted to a suspicious shipment transiting through Singapore Changi Airport from South Africa on Nov 11.The cargo «bore similarities» to a previous shipment seized by NParks on Nov 8 and found to contain 35.7kg of rhino horns worth $1.13 million and other animal parts, it added.Following an assessment, NParks did not seize the shipment but instead coordinated with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and initiated a controlled return of the shipment to South Africa to enable further investigation. On Dec 1, the DPCI's Serious Organised Crime Investigation’s Wildlife Trafficking Unit launched an operation which traced the shipment to a storage facility in Johannesburg. There, four boxes containing 17 rhinoceros horns weighing 55.4kg, along with 26.2kg of lion and tiger bones, including skulls and claws, were seized.

Households will see lower electricity and gas bills from January to March, following a drop in energy and fuel costs. Electricity tariffs for households will go down by 0.84 cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while gas tariffs will decrease by 0.67 cent per kWh, before goods and services tax (GST).  PHOTO: SP Group In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 30), grid operator SP Group said the electricity tariffs, including for non-households, will decrease by 3.1 per cent from the previous quarter. Families living in four-room flats can expect a decrease by $3.17 before GST on their average monthly electricity bill. In another statement on the same day, gas provider City Energy said that the gas tariff for households will drop by 0.67 cent per kWh, from 22.35 cents to 21.68 cents, from January to March. 

SINGAPORE - The Hindu community now has a sheltered space to perform seaside rituals for their departed loved ones with the opening of a new facility at Changi Beach.Announced five years ago, Karma Kaariya Nilaiyam - a one-storey building with four private halls - was officially launched on Dec 29 and is located next to Carpark 2 of the beach.Families can book the private halls online to carry out post-death Hindu rites or Karumathi prayers, performed on the 13th or 16th day after cremation, said the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB), which funds and manages the facility.Previously, most families would place a mat on the ground at Changi Beach to prepare for and carry out the rituals, typically in the pre-dawn hours. This left them exposed to a dark environment, heavy rain and winds, HEB secretary Satish Appoo told the media on Dec 29.Families had to take along their own light sources, and the only sheltered spaces available were empty beach pavilions, he added.«This facility provides a calm, dignified and respectful environment. Families are still mourning, so they need privacy to focus on these rituals,» added Satish.

The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) has achieved regional accreditation for ten postgraduate programmes from the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Regional Accreditation Body. In a press statement LUANAR says this marks a major milestone in the University’s commitment to quality postgraduate education and regional academic excellence. LUANAR Vice Chancellor Prof. […] The post LUANAR Earns Regional Accreditation for 10 Postgraduate Programmes appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has challenged Malawi’s media to take greater responsibility in developing and disseminating accurate messages on public health emergencies, including cholera, measles and Mpox. Speaking during a capacity-building workshop for journalists and health officials on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), Africa CDC Team Leader Dr […] The post Africa CDC Challenges Malawi Media on Responsible Public Health Messaging appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) official Richard Chimwendo Banda has spent his first night at Maula Prison after a court ordered that he be remanded in custody pending a ruling on his bail application in a serious attempted murder case. Banda, the MCP’s Secretary General, was taken to Maula Prison to await the court’s decision, […] The post Chimwendo Spends First Night at Maula Prison as Court Denies Freedom appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has moved to clarify concerns surrounding its planned procurement of security services, stressing that there is nothing illegal, irregular or unprocedural about the process currently underway. MRA says it has only issued a formal notice of intention to award contracts, a mandatory transparency step under the Public Procurement and Disposal […] The post MRA Defends Security Procurement Process, Says No Contracts Yet Awarded appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Malawi’s staple crop is under direct attack, and the consequences could be devastating if farmers and authorities fail to act swiftly. The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has issued a stark warning that an outbreak of downy mildew disease in maize is spreading and could spiral into a national agricultural disaster. The disease, […] The post Maize Under Siege: Downy Mildew Outbreak Threatens National Harvest appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The Coral Adventurer was carrying 80 tourists into the remote reaches of Papua New Guinea when it came to an abrupt halt on a reef off the Pacific nation's coast.

[Capital FM] The FBI has intensified its investigation into a massive Minnesota fraud scheme that allegedly misappropriated federal aid meant for vulnerable children, with financial links extending to Kenya.

Two in five jobs advertised in the UK are roles that also allow home-working - the highest share in the Continent, data reveals.

A Malaysian man linked to an organised criminal group in Cambodia that scammed Singaporeans was arrested on Sunday (Dec 28). The 24-year-old is purportedly involved with the 27 Singaporeans and seven Malaysians wanted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) over their alleged involvement with that group.The police said in a news release on Dec 29 that Eugene Goh was arrested while trying to enter Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint.Checks by AsiaOne against the list of 34 persons wanted by SPF indicate that Goh's name was not among those listed.According to the police's statement, Goh's involvement was established through ongoing investigations against the 34-man organised crime group. Goh is the second Malaysian to be arrested in relation to the scam ring. 

Two teenagers riding a personal mobility device (PMD) were taken to hospital following an accident in Yishun on Sunday evening (Dec 28).Dashcam footage of the accident, shared on the Facebook group SG Road Vigilante, showed the two 13-year-olds dressed in black riding a black PMD, with one riding pillion. The PMD did not have its headlights switched on.The car was believed to have been making a right turn when the collision occurred, sending both riders flying. The impact also scattered debris across the road.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said that they were alerted to an accident involving a PMD and a car at the junction of Yishun Ring Road and Yishun Avenue 2 at about 11.10pm. A 13-year-old male PMD rider and his 13-year-old male pillion were taken conscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.Under the Active Mobility Act, motorised personal mobility devices are not allowed to be used on roads. First-time offenders face a fine of up to $2,000 and/or a jail term of up to three months.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) announced it will seek a new operator for One Punggol Hawker Centre in January 2026 after the current operator cut its tenancy short.In a statement on Monday (Dec 29), NEA said that One Punggol Hawker Centre's current operator, Timbre + Hawkers, will conclude its tenancy on Aug 14, 2026 — one year before its current term was scheduled to end.Timbre is in its second term, having completed two of the three years.«Timbre had indicated that the tenancy posed challenges for its ongoing operations at One Punggol Hawker Centre,» the agency said, adding that it came to a mutual agreement with Timbre on its end date.In a separate statement, Timbre said that the decision was made after «taking into account overall operational considerations and prevailing market conditions».One Punggol Hawker Centre opened in 2022 and current has 31 hawkers, according to its website.New operator will retain existing stallholders: NEAAccording to NEA, Timbre has committed to upholding the vibrancy of One Punggol Hawker Centre until the conclusion of its tenancy.

The two-time heavyweight world champion was a passenger in a black Lexus when it ploughed into a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, Nigeria.

The Tories have identified 2,000 crime hotspots across the UK where crime is most likely to occur

Tens of thousands of tonnes of rubbish have been deposited at the illegal tip, which is situated between the adventure park and the River Leadon, a tributary of the River Severn.

The revolving door of being Harry and Meghan's publicist continues to spin with the confirmed departure of James Holt. Here, the Mail looks at the most recent departures from Team Sussex.

No 10 defended Keir Starmer's handling of the case of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, amid calls for him to be stripped of his British citizenship over vile outbursts about Jews, the police and white people.

Passengers of an Australian cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Papua New Guinea have begun their journey home, as efforts to free the ship remain unsuccessful.

Police have charged a 25-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of 27-year-old Rohan 'Alvin' Smith at his home in Kingston in March. The accused is Nicoye Waldron, otherwise called 'Bundog,' of Walker Crescent, Kingston 11. Waldron...

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says 72 specialised vehicles, including bucket trucks, diggers, pole trailers, and pick-ups, have arrived in Jamaica to boost electricity restoration after Hurricane Melissa. The vehicles were offloaded...

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is seeking to assure the public that chemicals being used in fogging activities are safe for human health. Fogging is being conducted in several communities to control the increase in the...

A 41-year-old security guard has been charged over the seizure of a firearm during a police operation in Zaidie Gardens, St Andrew on December 26. The accused, Keven Smith, from Seaview Gardens in St Andrew, is charged with possession of a...