NewsLite

BRUSSELS — The name of late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar cannot be registered as an EU trade mark, the European Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday (April 17), after his brother tried to lay a claim.

The court upheld the decision of the EU's intellectual property office (EUIPO) that refused a trade mark application by Escobar Inc. in 2022.

The company currently sells a crypto currency called Escobar Cash, according to its website.

Pablo Escobar led one of the world's most powerful criminal organisations, the Medellin cartel.

SINGAPORE — Cordlife's board of directors has lodged a police report on April 17 over potential wrongdoings, amid an internal probe.

In one of the seven tanks, 2,200 cord blood units were rendered unsuitable for stem cell transplants.

In the filing, the board said the police report was made without two directors — Zhai Lingyun and Chen Xiaoling.

As it stands, damage to 7,500 cord blood units from two tanks and a dry shipper has been confirmed.

SYDNEY — An Assyrian bishop who was stabbed during a service at his Sydney church said on Thursday (April 18) he was recovering quickly and that he had forgiven his attacker.

"I am doing fine, recovering very quickly.

Bishop Emmanuel, in his message, urged his congregation to remain calm and respect the law.

A candlelight vigil will be held on Sunday, she said, as flowers and bouquets pile up at a makeshift memorial.

GAZA — When an Israeli airstrike destroyed his family's home in November, Zein Oroq was pinned under rubble.

He was wounded but survived, while 17 members of his extended family died.

But Zein, 13, would later suffer a cruel fate in Gaza, where Palestinians face severe shortages of medicine, food and water in a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The population of the tiny enclave, where Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have been fighting for more than six months, is at risk of famine.

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders decided on Wednesday (April 17) to step up sanctions against Iran after Tehran's missile and drone attack on Israel left world powers scrambling to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.

EU leaders condemned the Iranian attack, reaffirmed their commitment to Israel's security and called on all sides to prevent more tensions, including in Lebanon.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was important that Israel "does not respond with a massive attack of its own.".

Tel Aviv started its broader military offencive in Gaza after Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on Oct 7.

DUBAI — Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Wednesday (April 17) it launched missiles and drones at a military facility in northern Israel in retaliation for Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah members, an incident that the Israeli military said left 14 soldiers wounded.

On Tuesday, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed three people, including a Hezbollah field commander, Lebanese security sources said.

Those concerns have mounted following Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel, with hundreds of explosive drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles launched on Saturday night, to which Israeli officials have vowed to respond.

Eighteen Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed.

He chastised House Republicans for staging "baseless political stunts while killing real bipartisan border security reforms.".

The House effort to impeach Mayorkas was tumultuous, as an initial vote narrowly failed.

2 House Republican Steve Scalise back from cancer treatment, Republicans won approval of the two articles impeachment on a 214-213 vote.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell earlier had called for a "thorough consideration" of the charges against Mayorkas.

The Google spokesperson said the layoffs are not company-wide and that affected employees will be able to apply for internal roles, but did not specify the number of employees impacted nor the teams involved.

Employees across several of Google' teams in its real estate and finance departments have been affected, according to a Business Insider report on Wednesday.

The finance teams affected include Google's treasury, business services, and revenue cash operations, it added.

Company CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly told employees at the start of the year to expect more job cuts.

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean man has been arrested in Spain after the body of 39-year-old missing Singaporean woman Audrey Fang Dirou was found with stab wounds, according to Spanish media.

Ms Fang had travelled alone to Xabia, Spain, and had been uncontactable since April 10.

When contacted by The Straits Times, the police confirmed a report has been lodged.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

For their efforts contributed on air, radio DJs are now eligible to be nominated in Star Awards, in categories such as Top 10 Most Popular Male and Female Artistes.

Speaking to AsiaOne during Star Awards Gala Night on Monday (April 15), radio DJs from Love 972 and Yes 933 shared their thoughts on this.

"Why are radio DJs nominated for Top 10?

The radio stations should conduct their own Top 10 Most Popular Radio DJs," a netizen wrote.