What a $61 billion US aid boost could mean for Ukraine
Singapore sports round-up (15-21 April): Marc Brian Louis wins at S'pore Open, StarHub Football Festival at OTH
Almost half of all major Chinese cities are sinking, study says
Toxic: How the search for the origins of COVID-19 turned politically poisonous
Google fires more workers who protested its deal with Israel
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Russian deputy defence minister held over bribery accusations
A Russian deputy defence minister exposed in an investigation by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny's team was remanded in custody Wednesday on suspicion of taking large bribes.He faces up to 15 years in prison for bribe-taking "on a particularly large scale", it added.
3-min read - BusinessAFP News
Record-breaking London stocks spearhead global rally
London's stock market zoomed to another record peak Wednesday, in a broad-based global rally fuelled by easing Middle East tensions, bright earnings and hopes of falling interest rates as inflation slows.Hopes for a strong batch of earnings -- particularly from the crucial tech titans -- has been a key driver of the rally in stocks, helping to offset disappointment that the Federal Reserve will not cut interest rates as much as hoped this year.
3-min read - BusinessReuters
UK watchdog seeks views on Microsoft's and Amazon's AI partnerships
The Competition and Markets Authority said it was also seeking comments on Microsoft's hiring of former employees of Inflection AI and related arrangements. This forms the first part of its information gathering process and comes before the start of a formal investigation. "The CMA is also considering feedback received earlier this year on Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI and is currently waiting for information it has requested from the firms," it said.
1-min read - NewsAFP News
Iran cuts Syria presence after strikes blamed on Israel: monitor
Iran has reduced its military footprint in Syria after a succession of strikes blamed on Israel, a source close to Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and a war monitor said Wednesday.But Iran had already begun drawing down its forces after a January 20 strike that killed five Revolutionary Guards in Damascus, including their Syria intelligence chief and his deputy, the source close to Hezbollah said.
2-min read - PoliticsAFP News
Biden pledges swift weapons delivery to Ukraine
US President Joe Biden vowed to send fresh weapons to Ukraine within days as he prepared to sign on Wednesday an aid package including $61 billion meant to help Kyiv's forces push back against Russia.- Aid 'within days' - A Pentagon spokesperson told reporters Tuesday it could deliver fresh aid to Ukraine "within days."
3-min read - BusinessReuters
India's central bank bars Kotak Mahindra Bank from taking on new customers digitally
MUMBAI (Reuters) -India's central bank said on Wednesday it had barred Kotak Mahindra Bank from taking on new customers via its online and mobile banking channels, and from issuing new credit cards, due to information technology-related deficiencies. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it had taken action against the country's fourth largest private lender after its examination of the bank's IT systems in 2022 and 2023 raised concerns and the bank failed to address them adequately. The centra
2-min read - NewsAFP News
Blinken back in China seeking pressure but also stability
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned Wednesday to China on his second visit in a year, as the United States ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing.But Blinken is also seeking to stabilise ties, with tensions between the world's two largest economies palpably easing since his last visit in June.
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