NewJeans: K-pop group ordered to stop independent activities
Members of the K-pop party NewJeans are prohibited from engaging in any independent hobbies, from making music to entering marketing contracts, according to a South Korean court ruling.
After being accused of cruelty, NewJeans announced earlier last year that they were leaving their organization Ador. They renamed themselves NJZ and began planning their personal events.
Ador then filed a lawsuit to include NewJeans ‘ deals upheld, and he then filed an injunction against them in January after accusing the organization of trying to signal separate talks without its approval.
A Seoul judge granted Ador the lawsuit on Friday. The team’s new track, scheduled for Sunday, will face some doubt as a result of the ruling.
Additionally, it means they will now have trouble making a second appearance under the new name NJZ without facing significant contractual penalties.
Since August 2024, when Hybe, the parent firm of Ador, reportedly forced out NewJeans ‘ leader, Min Hee-Jin, into a serious debate, NewJeans and Ador have been at odds with one another.
The band issued an order and demanded that Min been reinstated. When Hybe refused, the band filed a number of grievances against the label, including the claim that it had purposefully harmed their careers.
Hanni, one of the team’s members, also alleges that she was subject to workplace harassment while working for the brand.
NewJeans made the announcement at a press event in November that they were leaving the business, claiming that Hybe and Ador had lost the ability to represent them as musicians.
Following that, they filed court documents requesting a constitutional separating from the organization.
Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, the band’s five people, have maintained their freedom and have since created a new Instagram account with the tag “jeanzforfree.”
They have also stated that they will fight to keep their name, their career, and” NewJeans at heart,” even if they fail to defeat Ador.
Due to a lively fusion of 1990s R&, B, and sugar-coated pop music, NewJeans were regarded as one of the brightest new songs in K-Pop.
They were the seventh biggest-selling work in the world in 2023, making it the eighth most popular single. They were nominated for best cluster at the MTV Awards last year.
Over 10,700 people evacuated in Johor due to severe floods; major roads in JB city centre affected
As of Friday ( Mar 21 ), over 10, 700 people in Johor have been evacuated due to flooding that has also created significant traffic congestion in the Johor Bahru city center.
The Disaster Management Committee of Johor announced in a statement on Friday ( Mar 21 ) morning that 3, 018 families had been sent to temporary flood relief facilities.  ,
According to local media outlet The Star, the 10, 763 persons who had evacuated as of 8am on Friday are more than twice the 5, 092 they had just been recorded 10 days earlier.  ,
According to Azmi Rohani, the president of the condition disaster management commission, Johor Bahru has the highest amount of storm survivors, with 4, 291 people living there.
He said on Friday day,” This is followed by Kluang with 2, 163, Kota Tinggi with 1, 762, Pontian with 1, 395, and Kulai with 1, 152,” he said.  ,
The state has been issued with a” severe-level” continuous rain warning through Friday, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.  ,
Kluang, Mersing, Pontian, Kulai, Kota Tinggi, and Johor Bahru are the places that are anticipated to become affected.  ,
The meteorologist has also issued an “alert-level” steady rain warning for various pieces of Malaysia, including Pahang and Sabah, as well as for Tangkak, Segamat, Muar, and Batu Pahat, as well as for other pieces of Johor, which includes various parts of Malaysia.  ,
Onn Hafiz Ghazi, the head of Johore, has urged residents of high-risk areas to remain diligent and follow the government ‘ orders.
He claimed that the position state is addressing the situation.  ,
Onn Hafiz stated in a speech on Friday night that” we have been and will continue to mobilize all attempts to coordinate support, ensure sufficient food items and provide basic necessities to protect the well-being of the victims.”  ,
He shared the day before that the Irrigation and Drainage Department has been given the order to finish flood mitigation jobs quickly to reduce the chance of repeat floods.  ,
China urges US to protect rights of Chinese students amid growing security scrutiny
After a congressional panel asked six American universities to provide a lot of detailed information on their Chinese students, citing national security concerns, Beijing on Thursday ( Mar 20 ) demanded protections for Chinese students in the US.
A email sent to Stanford and Carnegie Mellon, among others, claimed that the Chinese government was putting researchers in major American universities to get immediate access to sensitive technologies.
According to Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, about one-quarter of all international pupils in the US study there, and their activities have “promoted the US’s financial growth and industrial development”
At a regular presentation, Mao said to writers,” This is in the interests of both parties. We urge the US to prevent overstretching the boundaries of Chinese individuals ‘ rights and freedoms, properly defend Chinese students ‘ legitimate rights and interests, and refrain from enforcing any unfair restrictions on Chinese learners.
The Chinese Communist Party’s chairman, John Moolenaar, sent a notice to six institutions asking for details on Chinese students who were enrolling in innovative science and technology programs the day before. He claimed that institutions were offering financial incentives to risk British study.
Carnegie Mellon University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of Illinois, the University of Maryland, and the University of Southern California were the schools that were named in Moolenaar’s text.
In a letter to Farnam Jahanian, chairman of Carnegie Mellon University, Moolenaar wrote that the Chinese Communist Party had established a well-documented, organized pipelines to embed experts in renowned US corporations, giving them direct access to sensitive technologies with dual-use military uses.
The student visa system in America has evolved into a Trojan horses for Beijing, granting unlimited access to our top research institutes and putting a direct risk to our national security, it continued.
This trend, if left unanswered, will continue to obliterate British talent, undermine research integrity, and contribute to China’s technical ambitions at our expense.
The letter requested details such as the names of the Chinese students ‘ sources of funding, the types of study they are involved in, the schools they have previously attended, and” a country-by-country break of applicants, admittances, and attendance at your school.”
Life-threatening warnings target defence volunteers in South
PUBLISHED: 21 Mar 2025 at 11: 41
PATTANI — Insurgents have warned Muslim defense volunteers in the southern boundary region to resign or face lethal consequences.
Authorities discovered a brochure at a mosque in the Kapho area shortly after midnight on Friday that threatened the lives of Muslim defense volunteers. Two young men riding motorcycles left the report, which was written in Thai Malayu, and they then fled the scene.
Due to the rising violence in the southern provinces, dissident insurgents have recently targeted defense volunteers. The most recent incident occurred on Monday when a , weapon went off in a vehicle driven by Suyanee Seeba, a volunteer for defense, who was seriously hurt.
Lt. Gen. Paisal Noosang, the captain of the Fourth Army Place, visited Cho Airong region in Narathiwat to raise the confidence of safety workers.
Lt. Gen Paisal emphasized the importance of legislation police without violating human rights, stating that activities are geared toward militants and vulnerable groups.
Two defense volunteers were killed and 14 other individuals injured when the Sungai Kolok city company in Narathiwat state was attacked on March 8 with many bombs and gunfire.  ,
Between January 2004 and January 2025, Deep South Watch recorded 22, 962 safety situations, resulting in 14, 415 wounds and 7, 683 fatalities.
TCM massage therapist given jail, caning, for molesting female customer
A massage therapist at a Tanjong Pagar traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic was jailed for a year on Friday ( Mar 21 ) for molesting a female customer.  ,
Tan Lok Kiang, a 31-year-old Malaysian, entered a guilty plea to one of three counts of rape earlier this year. For his punishment, the additional charges, including those that involve him touching the similar prey on other parts of her body, were taken into account.  ,
Due to a joke order, the victim’s information, such as her years and name, may be made public.
Tan worked at Sin Kang TCM’s 100AM store when the tragedy occurred.  ,
The victim allegedly went to the clinic on December 22, 2022, for an afternoon of brain rub at noon, according to court records.  ,
She was given a job at Tan because the therapist she needed was absent.
The target put on a pair of white clothes in the treatment area before lying face down on the care sleep. She then removed her underwear and clothing. Before Tan entered the room, she washed herself with a blanket.
About half an hour into the treatment, Tan instructed the patient to reduce her clothes before leaving the room.  ,
The girl complied and sat back down on her stomach, towel-dying, and went to bed as instructed.  ,
Tan then asked the sufferer to turn over after the treatment continued.  ,
His hands touching her secret components at least once as he massaged her inner thighs, shocking the target and leaving her traumatized.  ,
The victim’s method of reporting the affair was not specified in court records.  ,
Molesting is punishable by a three-year prison sentence, a good, and punishment.
Zelensky’s bow to Trump tries to turn tables on Putin – Asia Times
All eyes were on Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, after Donald Trump’s “very fine and successful” phone contact with Vladimir Putin earlier this year.
Did it turn into acrimonious rage, as it did when they last met in person on February 28 at the White House? Or do Zelensky be able to co-operate with the US president to encourage him to perceive Ukraine and its leader in a more positive lighting?
The former, it appears. Trump mentioned their “very good phone call,” which in a blog on his Truth Social website, brought the two frontrunners “very many on track.” Zellensky, for his part, described a “very good” and “frank” telephone call and appeared to agree with everything the US senator had to say while making an effort to praise and defend Trump and his leadership.
Zelensky has refocused focus on Putin with his fervent support for Trump’s tranquility proposal. By adhering to the recommendations of the US president, he obviously wants to appear to be the more acceptable negotiating partner.
Zelensky has agreed to a limited ceasefire with Russia on energy infrastructure despite his doubts about how reliable Putin is ( while he also points out that he supports Trump’s plan for a total ceasefire ).
Given Ukraine’s growing capacity for long-range drone strikes, Zelensky is well aware that Russia has a lot to gain from a delay in electricity grid and oil refineries. Additionally, a maritime peace may, if agreed, favor Russia.
Zelensky has exposed Putin’s apathy in halting hostilities by publicly expressing support for Trump’s peace plan to Ukraine.
Zelensky stated in the phone that Ukraine was content to back the US’s request for a ceasefire without problems. However, Putin made a number of blatantly unreasonable demands in a visit to Trump.
These included the total cessation of Ukraine’s allies ‘ military help and sharing knowledge, including the US. Additionally, he pleaded for a full stop to the participation and rearmament of Russian troops.
The requirements were so absurd that they were intended to compel Ukraine to accept them. Interesting is that Trump and Putin had a telephone conversation and that they had discussed support when he was interviewed afterward. He didn’t, obviously, specify whether he would consent to this.
However, the fact that the two leaders discussed prospect of a sports fit between their respective nations demonstrates how Putin can change the US president with flattery. Trump has repeatedly stated that he trusts the Soviet leader, which is a plus.
Has Putin gotten too much of his hands?
However, there might be a time limit for this. Trump may grow weary of the fact that Putin hasn’t made any concessions to help the negotiation to advance, which Trump wants to crown as the best of.
The Russian president is undoubtedly hoping that Trump will stay on his part by appearing to be “peace”-making while also dangling the possibility of doing business with Russia, for instance, by giving the US the chance to explore Russia’s personal reserves of rare earth materials.
Trump’s marriage with Zelensky appears to have improved, despite his continuing support for Putin. The Russian president appears to have learned from adulation that Trump has a long history and that flattery is appropriate for the US president.
Trump, however, has stopped halting US military assistance or knowledge to Ukraine and is no more calling Zelensky a dictator. In fact, the US has stated that it will assist in finding more Soldier weapon security systems after Zelensky claimed that they were desperately needed.
Zelensky is putting the ball in Russia’s judge by apologizing Trump for the peace action. Trump’s contextual instincts will appeal to him, and his apparent receptivity to Trump’s suggestion that the US would buy Ukraine’s nuclear power plants will do so. Zelensky is then regularly praising Trump for his peace efforts in addition to offering him company offers.
And it’s obvious from the voice of Karoline Leavitt’s presentation that the US was content with how things turned out, as the White House press secretary put it. Lake repeatedly emphasized Zelensky’s praise of Trump’s management.
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Zelensky has even succeeded in drawing attention to the 35, 000 children who have been deported from Ukraine to Russia during the battle. Trump is then vowing to gain the kids home after the US State Department stopped tracking them and deleted the information it had gathered.
Putin is typically thought to be holding these negotiations as long as possible to increase the size of the Ukrainian place his army controls. This approach might be difficult.
One of Trump’s repeated plan promises was to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. So the question is how much Trump may stay obstinate or irritated by Putin’s fabricated involvement in the harmony process.
The British leader appears to be changing his mind more recently about Ukraine. Some saw his fatal press conference with Zelensky as a plot to show Ukraine as a challenging and unhappiness partner in comparison to Russia, which he claimed was only concerned with putting an orderly end to the conflict.
It’s now more difficult for Zelensky to accept Trump’s statement because he appears to agree with it. At least for the moment, Putin is under more stress.
Natasha Lindstaedt is a professor at the University of Essex’s Department of Government.
The Conversation has republished this post under a Creative Commons license. Learn the article’s introduction.
Woman charged over alleged chopper attack at People’s Park Complex food stall
Prior to this, officers claimed in response to CNA’s questions that they had been made aware of the incident at around 8.45pm on Wednesday.
Two people, 41 and 30, were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation. The Singapore Civil Defence Force evaluated a 42-year-old gentleman for small injuries, but he chose not to be taken to the hospital.
According to 8World, the front of the barn and the courtyard that followed on Wednesday evening were cordoned off.
The ground near the counter was bloody, and plastic bags, food container caps, and other products were scattered all over the surface.
As a middle-aged person spoke, a police officer spotted him and a police officer in the store, and they both pointed to the body on the spot.  ,
Deliberately inflicting harm with any kind of weapon is punishable by a prison term of up to seven years, a fine, a punishment, or any mixture of the sanctions.
Trailer accident disrupts morning traffic along Balestier Road
A large pipe slammed into a trailer on Friday morning ( Mar 21 ), preventing traffic and creating a traffic jam along Balestier Road.
Around 9am, the police claimed they received an alert about the accident along Balestier Road and Thomson Road, adding that it was thought the video had skidded.
No accidents were reported.
The truck driver, a 31-year-old gentleman, is assisting with studies.  ,
A truck is seen blocking two out of three roads in pictures. A huge pipe had partly fallen onto the street.  ,
Flights from Bali cancelled after Indonesia volcano eruption
A volcano in the archipelago’s east erupted, sending dark ash 8 kilometers into the sky, forcing an airport official to cancel at least seven international flights from Indonesia’s resort island Bali on Friday ( Mar 21 ).
Authorities said the supervolcano call standing on the holiday island of Flores increased to the highest level after it erupted for 11 minutes and nine seconds late on Thursday, raising the supervolcano 1, 703m twin-peaked volcano to its highest degree.
According to Andadina Dyah, a spokeswoman for Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport,” seven international airlines had been cancelled as of 9 a.m. native time on Friday, six of which were Jetstar flights scheduled to depart from Australia and one from Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur.”
There have been delays for a number of different flights, both domestic and international, including those to Thailand, Singapore, and Australia, according to the report.
According to the travel ministry, the ash has not been a problem for the local airport in Maumere, which is located closest to the mountain, Flores.
Indonesia’s geological company reported in a speech about the volcano, which started at around 11pm on Thursday, that the dust column was “observed gray to black with heavy intensity.”
South Korea opposition to bring motion to impeach acting President Choi, notice says
In a move likely to exacerbate the country’s recent political unrest, South Korean opposition parties will file a motion to remove acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday ( Mar 21 ), according to the majority Democratic Party’s notice to reporters. Although the vote’s location was not immediately known, the noticeContinue Reading