French prisons hit by wave of overnight attacks

Several prisons in France have been hit by a wave of attacks overnight, the justice minister has said. GĂ©rald Darmanin said prisons had faced “intimidation attempts” ranging from vehicle burning to automatic weapon fire. La Parisien reports that vehicles were set on fire in several prison car parks, while a prison in Toulon was targeted … Read more

Singapore to hold general election on X May

Singapore will head to the polls on 3 May, in what will be the first electoral test for its new prime minister Lawrence Wong. The election campaign, which lasts just nine days, is expected to be the campaign dominated by the rising cost of living, housing needs, jobs, and a growing demand for healthcare amid … Read more

Iraq sandstorm leaves 1,800 with breathing problems

Alfie Tobutt BBC World Service Getty Images The sandstorm blanketed parts of southern Iraq in an orange haze More than a thousand people have been left with respiratory problems after a sandstorm swept across Iraq’s central and southern parts of the country, health officials said. One official in Muthanna province reported to the AFP news … Read more