US President Donald Trump indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran on April 21, hours before it was set to expire, to allow the two countries to continue peace talks to end a war that has killed thousands of people and shaken the global economy.
In a statement on social media, Mr Trump said he had agreed to a request by Pakistan, which has mediated peace talks, “to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.”
Mr Trump said he extended the ceasefire, which began two weeks ago, until Iran’s “proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
It was the latest instance of Mr Trump backing down from his repeated threats to bomb power plants and other civilian infrastructure in Iran. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and others have said international humanitarian law forbids such attacks.
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ST PHOTO: JOYCE LIM
Social media has a profound impact on how children are growing up and Singapore must move to address the harms it is causing, with options that are not limited to a ban, said Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung.
Speaking to reporters on April 21 at the close of his trip to China, Mr Ong said the aspects of social media that pose harm to adolescents are features such as algorithmic feeds, videos that play automatically, and direct messaging by adults to young users.
This was an observation by an expert panel formed by Singapore’s Health Ministry to study the issue, and which is now finalising its report, added Mr Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies.
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PHOTO: PIXABAY
Both chambers of Britain’s Parliament have approved a Bill that would ban children aged 17 and under from buying cigarettes during their lifetime.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to stop anyone born after Jan 1, 2009 (now aged 17) from taking up smoking.
Health minister Wes Streeting called this a “historic moment for the nation’s health” that will lead to the “first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm”.
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PHOTO: ERICH MARTIN/NYTIMES
Florida on April 21 announced a criminal probe into whether ChatGPT artificial intelligence played a role in a deadly mass shooting at a university in the US state.
The decision to launch an investigation came after prosecutors reviewed exchanges between OpenAI chatbot ChatGPT and the suspected gunman, who opened fire at Florida State University in 2025, according to state Attorney-General James Uthmeier.
“If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Mr Uthmeier said in a release.
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Singapore’s Daren Tang was reappointed on April 21 for a second six-year term in charge of the United Nations’ patent and innovation agency.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO’s) 194 member states reappointed Mr Tang, who was the only nominated candidate, during the agency’s general assembly.
Established in 1967, Geneva-based WIPO helps creators and entrepreneurs protect their intellectual property (IP) across borders.
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