Singapore opposition leader, found guilty of lying to parliament, could face electoral ban

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Pritam Singh’s conviction is a blow to the city state’s struggling political opposition, which is seeking to challenge the entrenched ruling party in upcoming elections

Singapore’s opposition leader has been convicted of lying to parliament while helping a fellow party member to cover up a false witness account, in a case that could disqualify him from running in upcoming national elections.

Pritam Singh, 48, secretary-general of the Workers’ Party, was found guilty on Monday on two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee that was investigating a fellow MP.

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Australia news live: embattled casino operator Star offered $650m lifeline; name of next cyclone changed from Anthony to avoid using PM’s name

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Hume rules out working with teals if Coalition wins 70-72 seats

Jane Hume was asked whether the Coalition was in a position to form any alliances with the crossbench, amid new polling from YouGov showing neither party looks to be coming out with a clear majority.

That would cause chaos, and would cause chaos politically and economically as well.

On average, the teals have voted with the Greens around 78% of the time, with Labor around 75% of the time, and with the Coalition around 18% of the time.

I think it’s really important to look at what people do rather than what people say. We’re planning on going to this election to win the election, because Australians deserve better than what they’ve had for the last three years.

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‘Public policy failure’: number of public school students in Australia falls to record low – again

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Only states where enrolments to government schools grew in 2024 were Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia – all by less than 2%

The proportion of students enrolled in public schools has fallen to another record low, new data shows, placing Australia at risk of a “full blown flight” from the sector.

Of the 45,008 students who enrolled at schools in 2024, only 5,419 went to government schools while 39,589 went to the private sector.

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‘No safe place’: the BBC documentary showing Gaza through a child’s eyes

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BBC Two’s Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone gathers intimate footage of three children surviving in the besieged strip

“Have you ever wondered what you’d do if your world is destroyed?” asks 13-year-old Abdullah, speaking at the beginning of an intimate BBC Two documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, that airs on Monday night. “Most important, could you stay alive? After all this, you could say we’re experts.”

Abdullah, now 14 and heading back to his prewar home in the north of the shattered territory, is the English-speaking narrator – one of three children whose stories of hope and endurance are at the heart of an hour-long film, a distinctive and deliberate choice intended to make the film resonate after 15 months of war.

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Brazil asks UN to ditch proposed levy on global shipping

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Those supporting the deal hope it will raise billions to help poor countries deal with climate breakdown

Brazil has asked the UN to throw out plans for a new levy on global shipping that would raise funds to fight the climate crisis, despite playing host to the next UN climate summit.

The proposed levy on carbon dioxide emissions from shipping will be discussed at a crunch meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that begins on Monday. Those supporting the deal, including the UK, the EU and Japan, are hoping the levy will raise billions of dollars a year, which could be used to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate breakdown.

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Reeves warned UK inflation will push public sector unions to seek higher pay rises

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Plan for ‘reasonable’ 2.8% rises may prove insufficient, forcing chancellor to find billions in extra funding

Rachel Reeves has been warned public sector unions will demand higher pay increases to compensate for accelerating inflation, heaping pressure on the chancellor to find billions of pounds in extra funding.

The government made recommendations in December for a 2.8% pay rise for teachers, NHS staff and other public sector workers for the financial year beginning in April, saying it was a “reasonable amount” given forecasts for the economy.

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Trump policies make US ‘scary place to invest’ and risk stagflation, says Stiglitz

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Uncertainty created by tariffs and contempt for rule of law will deter investment, says top economist

Donald Trump’s tariff threats have made the US “a scary place to invest” and may unleash stagflation, the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has said.

“It risks the worst of all possible worlds: a kind of stagflation,” Stiglitz said in an interview with the Guardian.

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Netanyahu vows to ‘finish the job’ against Iran with support from Trump – Yahoo

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  1. Netanyahu vows to ‘finish the job’ against Iran with support from Trump  Yahoo
  2. Rubio, Netanyahu affirm 'common strategy' for Gaza, set sights on Iran in joint statement  Fox News
  3. News Wrap: Rubio reaffirms Trump’s Gaza takeover plan on trip to Israel  PBS NewsHour
  4. Rubio says Hamas 'must be eradicated': 'It sounded as if, almost, the war still had to begin'  FRANCE 24 English
  5. Rubio Came to Israel to Save Netanyahu. But What Does Trump Get Out of It?  Haaretz
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U.S.-Russia meeting on Ukraine war expected on Tuesday, sources say – Axios

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  1. U.S.-Russia meeting on Ukraine war expected on Tuesday, sources say  Axios
  2. Rubio arrives in Saudi Arabia before Russia talks to end Ukraine war  Reuters
  3. U.S. and Russian officials to discuss how to end Ukraine war  The Washington Post
  4. Trump says he could meet Putin ‘soon’ as Ukraine, Europe reel from outreach  Al Jazeera English
  5. US-Russia Talks Set for Saudi & Europe's Leaders Urgent Ukraine Talks | Daybreak: Europe 02/17/2025  Bloomberg
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Friends of Russian anti-war singer cast doubt on official version of his death

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Vadim Stroykin reported to have killed himself by jumping from a ninth-floor window during visit by security services

No one knows exactly what happened in the final moments of Vadim Stroykin’s life.

The 59-year-old Russian singer-songwriter’s vibrant career came to a sudden end on 5 February when a team from Russia’s security services arrived at his cramped ninth-floor St Petersburg flat at 9am. They were investigating him for what has become one of the gravest offences in today’s Russia — donating to the Ukrainian army.

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Badenoch and Farage to vie for attention of Trump allies at London summit

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Event co-founded by Jordan Peterson will bring together global rightwing figures including senior US Republicans

Influential rightwingers from around the world are to gather in London from Monday at a major conference to network and build connections with senior US Republicans linked to the Trump administration.

The UK opposition leader, the Conservatives’ Kemi Badenoch, and Nigel Farage of the Reform UK party, her hard-right anti-immigration rival, will compete to present themselves as the torchbearer of British conservatism.

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Pritam Singh: Singapore opposition leader guilty of lying to parliament – BBC.com

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  1. Pritam Singh: Singapore opposition leader guilty of lying to parliament  BBC.com
  2. Singapore Opposition Leader Convicted of Lying as Poll Looms  Bloomberg
  3. Singapore opposition party leader Pritam Singh found guilty of lying to parliament  Reuters
  4. Singapore opposition leader, found guilty of lying to parliament, could face electoral ban  The Guardian
  5. Live: Pritam Singh handed maximum fine of S$7,000 on each charge of lying to parliament  CNA
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Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy travels to United Arab Emirates as momentum grows for war peace talks – The Associated Press

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  1. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy travels to United Arab Emirates as momentum grows for war peace talks  The Associated Press
  2. Zelensky lands in UAE as US and Russia prepare for Ukraine peace talks  FRANCE 24 English
  3. Zelenskyy Arrives In Middle East, But Kyiv Says Peace Talks Not On Agenda  Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
  4. Zelenskyy begins visit to UAE to secure release of more Ukrainians from Russian captivity – video  Ukrainska Pravda
  5. UAE offers to host talks aimed at ending Ukraine war, sources say  Reuters
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Police investigate potential Islamophobic assaults at Melbourne shopping centre

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Two women in hijabs allegedly attacked in Epping last week while racist graffiti reported in western Sydney

Police are investigating if two alleged assaults in Melbourne were Islamophobic incidents after women in hijabs were attacked during the day.

Victoria police said two women, a 30-year-old from Lalor and a 26-year-old from Wollert, were allegedly attacked by the same assailant at Epping shopping centre on High Street between 1.10pm and 1.20pm on Thursday.

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Cook Islands PM defends signing of wide-ranging deal with China

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Mark Brown says Beijing deal that covers trade, investment, oceans, infrastructure and transport complements ties with New Zealand

The Cook Islands says it has signed a deal to expand relations with China, stressing that the accord does not impinge on ties with former colonial power New Zealand.

Prime minister Mark Brown said he signed an “action plan for the comprehensive strategic partnership” with Chinese premier Li Qiang in the northern city of Harbin during a five-day state visit to China last week.

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