
Lower shipments to US, China weigh on Singapore August exports

Inside the hunt for the suspect in Charlie Kirk's killing

Junta accused of coveting power in crucial Guinea referendum

TV writer Hagai Levi: boycott risks hitting Israel's critical voices
Health
Botox under burqas: Cosmetic surgery in vogue in Afghanistan
Decked out with fake crystal chandeliers and velvet sofas, cosmetic surgery clinics in Afghanistan's capital are a world away from the austerity of Taliban rule, where Botox, lip filler, and hair transplants reign.
Economy
Asian stocks swing as traders bide time ahead of US rate decision
Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday as investors bided their time ahead of an expected US interest rate cut later in the day.
Last news

Oil giant BP surprises with better than expected earnings
Oil giant BP, which recently pivoted away from green energy, posted Tuesday better-than-expected quarterly earnings and announced a fresh review of costs.

India's top court to hear Kashmir statehood plea
India's top court will hear a plea for the restoration of Kashmir's federal statehood later this week, court officials said Tuesday, as the region marked six years under direct rule from New Delhi.

UK-France migrant returns deal takes effect
A "one-in, one-out" deal in which Britain can return some migrants who cross the Channel in small boats back to France came into force on Tuesday, the UK government announced.

Japan sets record temperature of 41.8C
Japan logged a new heat record on Tuesday, with the mercury hitting 41.8C, the weather office said, warning temperatures may rise further still.

Banned Russian media sites 'still accessible' across EU: report
Websites of banned Russian media can still be easily accessed across the EU in the "overwhelming majority" of cases, experts said Tuesday, slamming the bloc's "failure" to publish up-to-date guidance.

Bangladesh's Yunus calls for reform on revolution anniversary
Bangladesh's interim leader on Tuesday marked the one year anniversary since the overthrow of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina by calling for people to seize the "opportunity" of reform.

Russian strikes kill three in east Ukraine
Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine killed three people, including a mechanic at a railway station, and wounded at least 12 people, authorities said Tuesday.

Israel poised to order new Gaza war plan
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared Tuesday to unveil an updated Gaza war plan designed to destroy Hamas and secure the release of dozens of hostages, with Israeli media reporting he would order the total occupation of the Palestinian territory.

Dutch are first to buy US arms for Ukraine under NATO scheme
The Netherlands will buy 500 million euros ($577 million) of US weapons for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO member to fund a full package under a new scheme to speed deliveries from American stockpiles, the defence ministry said.

Oil giant BP returns to profit in second quarter
British energy group BP on Tuesday posted a net profit for the second quarter, in contrast to weaker results from energy rivals, as lower exceptional charges offset falling oil prices.
Saudi Aramco profit drops for 10th straight quarter
Oil giant Saudi Aramco announced its 10th straight drop in quarterly profits on Tuesday as a slump in prices hit revenues, putting more pressure on the key driver of the Saudi economy.

Beijing lifts rain alert after tens of thousands evacuated
Beijing lifted a severe weather alert on Tuesday but warned residents to stay vigilant against natural disasters after authorities evacuated more than 82,000 people over fears of deadly floods in the Chinese capital.

Record heatwave blasts northern Vietnam
Northern Vietnam is sweltering under a blistering heatwave, with 17 places across seven provinces reporting record highs for the month of August and electricity demand spiking as people try to stay cool, authorities said Tuesday.

Saudi Aramco profit drops 22 percent on lower prices
Saudi Aramco's profit slid 22 percent in the second quarter to 85 billion riyals ($22.67 billion) as a slump in prices hit revenues, the oil giant said on Tuesday.

Japan sets new record high temperature of 41.8C
Japan logged two new heat records in a day on Tuesday, with the mercury hitting 41.6C and then 41.8C, the weather office said, warning temperatures may rise further still.

Gabon forest cave reveals clues about prehistoric central Africa
In Gabon's sprawling forest, archaeologists dig for ancient clues that could unlock the secrets of how prehistoric humans lived and interacted in the changing landscape of central Africa.

Death of a delta: Pakistan's Indus sinks and shrinks
Salt crusts crackle underfoot as Habibullah Khatti walks to his mother's grave to say a final goodbye before he abandons his parched island village on Pakistan's Indus delta.

Gen Z shift, high costs force UK nightclubs to reinvent
Is the party over? UK nightclubs are famed around the world, but Covid and inflation have hit the sector hard, forcing businesses to reinvent themselves to attract new generations to the dance floor.

Water shortages spell trouble on Turkey's tourist coast
Ali Alyanak and his neighbours in Turkey's tourist hub Izmir now have to draw water from a shrinking aquifer 170 metres underground even as hotel pools remain full -- a sign for many of the region's dire water crisis amid prolonged drought.

Dutch windmill village churned by overtourism debate
With its historic windmills and gabled wooden houses nestling by a meandering river, the picture-perfect and TikTok-famous area of Zaanse Schans is a must-see for any visitor to the Netherlands.

Malaysia tycoon pleads guilty in Singapore to abetting obstruction of justice
A Malaysian hotel tycoon who helped bring Formula One to Singapore pleaded guilty there Monday to abetting the obstruction of justice, in a case linked to one that saw a former minister jailed for accepting gifts as a public servant last year.

England face searching Ashes questions after India series thriller
England suffered an agonising six-run loss to India at the Oval on Monday as one of the most dramatic Test series of recent times ended in a 2-2 draw.

Zverev to meet Khachanov in ATP Toronto semi-finals
Alexander Zverev reached his 21st Masters 1000 semi-final on Monday by ending the Canadian title defence of Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8/10), 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Toronto Masters.

Swiss 'Mountain Tinder' sparks high-altitude attraction
Cathy and Patrick relish describing how they found each other: through a message left on a Swiss mountaintop.

Hong Kong hit by flooding after flurry of rainstorm warnings
Parts of Hong Kong were brought to a standstill by flooding caused by heavy rains on Tuesday, after the highest-tier rainstorm warning was issued for the fourth time in eight days.

Asian markets track Wall St rally on Fed rate cut bets
Stock markets rose Tuesday as investors grow increasingly confident the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month, despite concerns about the US economy and Donald Trump's tariffs.

Gaza war deepens Israel's divides
As it grinds on well into its twenty-second month, Israel's war in Gaza has set friends and families against one another and sharpened existing political and cultural divides.

Beijing lifts rain alert after evacuating over 80,000
Beijing lifted a severe weather alert on Tuesday but warned residents to stay vigilant against natural disasters after authorities evacuated more than 82,000 people over fears of more deadly floods in the Chinese capital.

Decision time as plastic pollution treaty talks begin
Countries were to start the clock Tuesday on 10 days of talks aimed at hammering out a landmark global treaty on combating the scourge of plastic pollution.

Zverev ignores fan distraction to advance to ATP Toronto semis
Alexander Zverev reached his 21st Masters 1000 semi-final on Monday by ending the Canadian title defence of Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8/10), 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Toronto Masters.

Remains of 32 people found in Mexico's Guanajuato state
Dismembered human remains found last week in an abandoned house in Mexico's violence-wracked Guanajuato state belong to a total of 32 victims, prosecutors said Monday.

Trump tariffs don't spare his fans in EU
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban promised that the return of his "dear friend" Donald Trump as US president would usher in a new "golden age".

Brazil judge puts ex-president Bolsonaro under house arrest
A Brazilian judge on Monday placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for breaking a social media ban, escalating a dramatic standoff between the court and the politician, who is accused of plotting a coup.

With six months to go, Winter Games organisers say they'll be ready
Six months before the start of the Winter Olympics, Italian organisers say that, after years of ups and downs, they are on schedule.
Rybakina to face teen Mboko in WTA Canadian Open semis
Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, and Canadian teen Victoria Mboko advanced to a WTA Canadian Open semi-final matchup with triumphs on Monday in the Montreal hard court event.

Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan
Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday.

Five years after Beirut port blast, Lebanese demand justice
The loved ones of those killed in a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port five years ago gathered to demand justice on the anniversary of the blast Monday, as Lebanon's president vowed to hold those responsible to account.

Stella Rimington, first woman to lead UK's MI5 dies at 90
Stella Rimington, the first woman to head the UK's domestic secret service MI5, has died at the age of 90, the spy agency announced on Monday.

Trump admin to reinstall Confederate statue toppled by protesters
The US National Park Service (NPS) announced Monday that it will reinstall a statue in Washington of a Confederate general that was torn down amid the racial justice protests of 2020.