World news digest of February 15, 2022

Some news around the world, in short:

• Singapore authorities blocked more websites in a phishing scam impersonating OCBC Bank last December. “The scammers were quick to create new websites over the course of their campaign”, the Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo said. More than US$10 million have been lost by consumers who gave their login details on fake websites. Singapore was able to recover $2 million so far from dozens of foreign bank accounts.
• A former Bangladeshi ambassador in Malaysia obtained an interim court order against his deportation from Malaysia. Bangladesh wants Mohamed Khairuzzaman back but he claims he is a refugee. He was arrested on February 10 for unknown reasons.
• If Lithuania wants to normalize relations with China, the country should change the name of the Taiwanese representation in the country in all languages by mentioning Taipei instead of Taiwan, according to the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires.
• Among other reforms, the Belgian government coalition agreed to offer more flexibility to workers, with the possibility of having a full-time contract over four weekdays instead of five.
• Five private universities in Nicaragua were brought under state control which critics perceive as the president’s latest move to tighten his power and crack down on one of the last pockets of contestation in the country.
• New Zealand officially made conversion therapies illegal a few weeks after Canada.
• A Spanish fishing boat sank in early Tuesday in eastern Canada, killing at least seven people. Three crew members were saved from a lifeboat. A maritime search was launched for the 14 other crew members still missing in heavy seas.
• Police arrested former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández at his home on Tuesday, following a request by the United States government for his extradition on drug trafficking and weapons charges.