NewsLite

BEIJING — China will safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its overseas students and scholars, the foreign ministry said on Friday, responding to the Trump administration's decision to block Harvard University from enrolling foreign students.

US actions will undoubtedly affect its image and credibility, said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the ministry, during a regular press briefing, adding that educational co-operation between China and the US benefits both parties.

HAVANA — The US has more sanctions in store for Cuba, the US top diplomat in Havana said on Friday (May 23), just days after the US punished several Cuban judicial officials for their roles in jailing political dissidents on the island nation.

"The sanctions announced this Wednesday were just the beginning," US embassy chief of mission Mike Hammer told reporters at a press conference in Miami.

Hammer told reporters on Friday that those Cubans he had spoken with in his travels disagreed that the US was to blame.

Hammer told reporters he would continue his work on the island.

Veteran local actress Zoe Tay met veteran Hong Kong actor Damian Lau during her recent visit to China, a decade after they last worked together in local drama The Dream Makers II (2015).

In an Instagram post on Tuesday (May 20), the 57-year-old actress shared three photos she had taken with him, writing: "I travelled across the ocean to meet you.

Zoe told Lianhe Zaobao in a report published yesterday (May 23) that she had made a trip to Hong Kong specially to visit Damian during her vacation in China this time round.

He is very healthy and lives a carefree life," she said, adding that they chatted at a restaurant for more than two hours on topics about life, philosophy of life and acting.

German, French, Dutch, Danish, British, American and Canadian authorities joined forces this week against the world's most dangerous malware variants and the perpetrators behind them.

Over 300 servers worldwide were taken down, 650 domains were neutralised and 3.5 million euros (S$5.12 million) in cryptocurrency were seized.

The malware taken down this week is known as "initial access malware."

The German authorities will include eighteen of them on the EU Most Wanted list on Friday (May 23).

According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, 3,047 food and beverage (F&B) businesses shut down in 2024.

While several F&B businesses have managed to overcome the odds and stay afloat, some admitted that they've considered giving up.

Though the number of closures is high, Debbie said she doesn't really find the data surprising.

But it's not entirely on F&B businesses either — consumers play a crucial role too.

BOSTON — A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Friday (May 23) to facilitate the return of a Guatemalan man who said he was deported to Mexico despite fearing he would be persecuted there, after officials acknowledged making a mistake in his case.

The ruling marks the latest instance of a judge ordering president Donald Trump's administration to facilitate the return of a migrant swept up in the Republican's efforts to carry out mass deportations as part of his hard-line immigration agenda following a mistake in an individual's case.

He remains there, despite a judge ordering the administration to facilitate his return.

An immigration judge in February granted him protection from being deported to Guatemala after an asylum officer found he had a reasonable fear of persecution there.

Barry Keoghan says he's an addict.

Speaking to Hollywood Authentic, Barry said: "I'm not in denial anymore.

I understand that I do have an addiction, and I am an addict.

I've lost two uncles and a cousin to drugs.

Two men and a woman were arrested on Thursday (May 22) for their suspected involvement in a government official impersonation scam.

The suspects involved were a 38-year-old man, a 22-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman.

The woman had arrived at the location together with the 38-year-old man, but she was not present when he met the victim.

The 22-year-old man will be charged in court on May 24, while investigations against the other two are ongoing.

Billy Joel has cancelled his upcoming tour because of a brain disorder.

A statement posted on the 76-year-old musician's Instagram said: "Billy Joel has announced that he will be cancelling all scheduled concerts following a recent diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).

Billy is currently undergoing treatment and doctors have advised that performing would have an adverse effect on his health at this time.

The statement continued: "Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.

PARIS — A French court on Friday convicted the jewel thieves who in 2016 tied up US reality TV star Kim Kardashian at gun point before making off with her US$4 million (S$5.14 million) engagement ring and other booty.

Ten people were in the dock, accused of involvement in the Paris heist.

Kardashian travelled to Paris to testify earlier this month, telling the court she had thought she was going to die.

The thieves were dubbed the "grandpa robbers" by the press as many were of or near retirement age.