Month: February 2026

Nepal’s Lumbini has long anchored the Buddhist pilgrimage map as the Buddha’s birthplace. Nearby, however, stand the fortified ruins of Tilaurakot – believed to be the ancient capital where Siddhartha Gautam spent his princely years – a site of profound historical weight that draws only a fraction of the visitors.
A newly unearthed temple could change that, archaeologists say, offering fresh evidence that Tilaurakot once held far greater religious significance to Buddhists than its quiet present…

US President Donald Trump told Vietnam’s top leader To Lam he would “instruct the relevant agencies” to remove the country from a list restricted from accessing advanced US technologies, Vietnam’s government announced on Saturday.
The two leaders met in person for the first time at the White House on Friday, after Lam attended the inaugural meeting of Trump’s “Board of Peace” in Washington.
“Donald Trump said he would instruct the relevant agencies to soon remove Vietnam from the strategic…

Global businesses importing goods to the US on Friday face immediate uncertainty over the rate of tariffs that will apply to imported products following a major ruling by the US’ highest court, according to an expert in international trade.

Forthcoming planning reforms in England should be the most significant in years – but authorities need to be prepared for them now for them to have any immediate benefits, experts have warned.

New proposals by the European Commission to reform rules around devices used for medical and in vitro diagnosis could have significant impact for operators and procurement in the sector.

Singapore street performer Bryan Wong may have performed all around the world, but few gigs can compare to the one where Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong randomly turned up in the audience.
The 29-year-old acrobatics artist was performing his Circles In Circus act at Rainforest Wild Asia when he spotted Lee and his wife, Ho Ching, watching from the crowd.
In a video later posted to social media, Wong zoomed in to Lee’s face, joking: “Sir, I’m sorry, I’m going to zoom in to your face, thank you…

Twelve police officers have been arrested in Malaysia for allegedly extorting about 200,000 ringgit (US$51,000) in cryptocurrency from a group of Chinese nationals during a midnight raid on a house in Selangor, the country’s wealthiest state.
The arrests, announced on Thursday, came just days after Malaysia’s king had issued a blunt warning about corruption within the civil service and police ranks, cautioning that such practices were on his “radar”.
Selangor police chief Shazeli Kahar said the…

The recent dismissal of a foreign state’s claim related to commercial property illustrates the willingness of the English courts to enforce clear contractual rights, an expert has said.

When told that her taxi fare was S$24 (US$19), a woman said she had no cash and refused the payment options suggested by the cabby.
After the woman challenged him to take her to a police station, the elderly taxi driver did so – and she then slapped him.
Shalini Devarajan, a 36-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to two weeks’ jail on Thursday for one count of voluntarily causing hurt.
The court heard that the victim, a 73-year-old man at the time, was driving a taxi that was flagged down by…

Australian OnlyFans model Gemma Doyle has faced a torrent of online abuse and death threats after being caught stealing a bikini from a boutique “for fun” while holidaying in Bali.
Doyle, 26, apologised and admitted to shoplifting the garment from a boutique on the Indonesian resort island after CCTV footage of the incident circulated on social media.
“I am aware of the stories going around and it’s true, I was on one and I was being a bit silly and I stole a swimsuit,” she said in a video…