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When was the last time that you regretted buying a beauty product? There is nothing worse than ordering something online only to get it delivered and it’s not the shade, texture or scent that you expected. Or worse - it just simply doesn’t work or even suit your skin type. And with us spending almost $90 billion a year on beauty products with $18 million a year of that being spent online, it’s no surprise that waste is such an issue too.
So how can we shop smarter so we don’t regret what we buy, waste our money and also add to the growing beauty product landfill?
I am often asked what makes me buy a beauty product. What are the things that entice me to invest in a pot of cream, lipstick, or shampoo? As a Beauty Editor, I am sent hundreds of new things to try every year so a product needs to be really good in order for me to buy it. And I have learnt during my years working in the industry and testing products for free, that a great beauty product doesn’t have to have a high price tag or fancy packaging in order for it to work.
And shopping for beauty can be so confusing too. WIth so much information available on social media, it’s hard not to get caught up in the fads and trends. And also how do you know who to trust when taking advice?
While it’s hard to compile a failsafe checklist to follow each time you go to add to basket, I believe that there are questions to ask yourself before buying something new.
These are the 3 things that I ask myself before buying:
1. Is there any evidence that it can work?
This is an especially important question when buying skincare. I’ve tried enough lotions and potions to know that a celebrity endorsement, marketing gimmick, fancy bottle or a high price tag doesn’t mean that a product will actually work! And for all the beautiful packaging and clever marketing in the world - if a product fails to deliver on what it promises, then it’s a big NO from me. Google it to see if it has any case studies or science-backed proof to back up its claims. Or find out if anyone that you trust has tried it and loved it. Sounds obvious, but it's so worth putting in the research!
2. Does it do more than one thing?
Again, like the first question, this is something that I mostly apply when shopping for skincare products as I believe that they should work really hard for your money. I am cautious about buying anything that is targeting just one area, like a neck or eye cream. I know! Controversial! But unless they are backed with some ground-breaking ingredients that have been scientifically proven to work, I greet them with scepticism and find that my regular cream is just as good for those areas instead.
3. Does it suit my budget?
I’ve tried some expensive products in my time - and while some are just hype and not as great as you would expect, others are actually worth the money and deliver brilliant results. But if that’s the case, I have to question whether the product is actually affordable for my budget and whether it's worth it to be a part of my beauty regime. Especially if it means I have to sacrifice another product in order to afford it. Most of the time you can find cheaper alternatives that won’t break the bank.
Obviously some products can’t tick all of these boxes. For example, a perfume can’t really do more than one thing apart from make you smell nice so there are exceptions to the rule. But in general most of my repeat buys say ‘yes’ to at least 2 of these questions.
Happy shopping!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/511493/tips-shopping-beauty-products/
| 2024-01-17T17:53:41Z
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Fans of the Danish royal family were caught off guard on New Year’s Eve when, after settling down to watch the royal’s live television speech, Queen Margrethe II announced her immediate plans to step down as the monarch, with her heir Prince Frederick being called up to take on the top job as King of Denmark alongside his wife, Mary.
In the speech, she said: "The support and assistance which I have received throughout the years, have been crucial to the success of my task. It is my hope that the new King and Queen will be met with the same trust and devotion which have fallen to my lot."
Just two weeks later, Margrethe was succeeded by King Frederik X and his Australian wife, Queen Mary, in a historic event witnessed by thousands of well-wishers braving the chilly conditions in Copenhagen to bid farewell to their queen and welcome in the new monarchs.
In the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast, hosts Andrea and Emmy kick off season three of the popular podcast to discuss Queen Margrethe’s decision while asking plenty of questions to a variety of experts on the topic including ITV News Royal Correspondent Chris Ship, Majesty magazine managing editor Joe Little, and Belgian royalty journalist Wim Dehandschutter, who gathered with the crowds to watch King Frederik X become monarch.
Of course, we were also joined by our very own royal editor Emily Nash, who gave us an insight into the Danish royal family.
So why did Margrethe II choose to step down? Did the surprise decision leave the people of Denmark somewhat blindsided? Was there a feeling of sadness or celebration saying goodbye to Margrethe but welcoming in the new King and Queen? And what does the royal’s exit mean for other royal families in Europe? We discuss it all in our latest episode, click above to listen!
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511380/inside-queen-margrethes-retirement-and-why-king-mary-really-wears-the-trousers/
| 2024-01-17T17:53:48Z
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The Princess of Wales is recovering in hospital following planned abdominal surgery, Kensington Palace confirmed on Wednesday.
Kate, 41, likely to spend between two and three months recuperating and is not expected to return to public duties until after Easter based on current medical advice, the Palace said.
The royal mum-of-three was last seen publicly on Christmas Day when she and her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis attended church with the royal family.
Kate looked beautiful in a bespoke royal blue Alexander McQueen coat over a navy roll neck jumper and a matching hat by Juliette Millinery.
She accessorised with the late Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond earrings and a suede Emmy London clutch bag.
As the royals made their way to St Mary Magdalene church on the Sandringham estate, Kate held her daughter Princess Charlotte's hand.
Cameras also picked up a sweet moment between the Princess and her youngest son, Prince Louis, as they departed from the service.
Watch in the video below…
The Waleses were seen chatting with locals in the crowd who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the royals on Christmas Day, with Kate accepting bouquets of flowers.
Earlier in December, extended members of the royal family also stepped out to attend Kate's Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey.
Kate's third carol service was in honour of all those who work to support babies, young children and families in communities across the UK and a celebration of the golden opportunity that the birth of a new baby brings.
Kensington Palace also released footage of George, Charlotte and Louis helping their mother Kate out at a baby bank charity in Holyport near Maidenhead last month.
Kate – a future Queen – is expected to remain in hospital at the London Clinic for ten to 14 days.
The nature of the Princess's condition has not been revealed although Kensington Palace confirmed it was not cancerous.
Prince William has postponed a number of engagements to be by his wife's side and to care for their three children.
Kate marked her birthday just over a week ago, with the monarchy’s official social media accounts sharing a new behind-the-scenes photo of the princess at the King’s coronation.
The Princess usually enjoys good health but was previously admitted to hospital while pregnant after suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – severe morning sickness.
Buckingham Palace announced just an hour and a half after Kensington Palace’s shock news that Charles, 75, will be treated in hospital next week for an enlarged prostate.
The Palace said Charles’s condition was benign and he would be having a corrective procedure.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511498/kate-middleton-last-public-appearance-before-hospital-surgery/
| 2024-01-17T17:53:54Z
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News of Queen Margrethe's abdication sent shockwaves through Denmark (and the rest of the world!). But now that her son, Frederik, and his wife Mary have officially been pronounced king and queen after their accession last Sunday, the international community are beginning to cast a glance at other monarchs across the globe and posing the question: who could be the next to abdicate?
A Right Royal Podcast is back, and in this episode, this is the question on everybody's lips. Our hosts, Emmy and Andrea, are joined by Joe Little, royal editor at ITV News, alongside Wim Dehandschutter, royal reporter at DPG Media and Chris Ship, royal editor at ITV News.
While discussing the Danish royal family and Queen Margrethe's abdication, conversation moves to other European royals, and the likelihood that they could follow suit and abdicate in favour of a younger royal on the throne.
"I think certainly Norway is the prime candidate for an application but it's complicated," Joe said. King Harald of Norway is in his mid-80s and, according to Joe, "not in the best of health". However, that's not to suggest that his abdication is imminent — in fact, the situation is anything but straightforward.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has also been experiencing a number of health issues in recent years, and Joe discusses why this could put a spanner in the works when it comes to the prospect of a Norwegian abdication. "It's a very fine balancing test to have," Joe said.
Listen to the podcast below to find out exactly what Joe had to say about the prospect of a Norwegian abdication.
Other European royals came up in conversation, including King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. But, as Emmy and Andrea explain, all eyes are currently still on the Danish royal family, and much of the podcast centres around the dramas and events in recent days and months that have placed this family firmly in the spotlight.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511502/how-king-harald-of-norway-could-be-delaying-change-of-reign-due-to-crown-princess-mette-marits-health/
| 2024-01-17T17:54:00Z
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ITV's gripping new thriller, After the Flood, has had us glued to our sofas since it first premiered earlier this month. The series is set in a fictional Yorkshire town which is devastated following a flood. After a dead body is found in a lift at an underground car park, police assume he became trapped during the natural disaster. But PC Joanna Marshall thinks there's more to it and is determined to uncover what really happened.
Starring alongside Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders) and Matt Stokoe (Jamestown) in the drama is actress Lorraine Ashbourne, who is a familiar face on our screens thanks to her roles in The Crown, Bridgerton, Sherwood and Unforgotten. But did you know that she's married to a Hollywood star?
Lorraine, 63, who hails from Manchester, is married to actor and filmmaker Andy Serkis.
Andy, 59, is famed for his impressive Hollywood career and is a pioneer of performance capture. He is perhaps best known for his motion-capture roles, including Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy and Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films.
The actor is also known for playing antagonist David Robey in the Netflix crime thriller, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Glen in the 2011 drama Wild Bill, and Alfred in the 2022 action film, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson.
The Middlesex-born star has won various accolades in recognition of his work, including an Empire Award and two Saturn Awards for his motion-capture acting, and a Daytime Emmy Award for his role as the Mayor of Mistrinaut in Netflix's adventure series, The Letter For The King. He also received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema in 2020.
Andy and Lorraine have been married since 2002 and share three children: Ruby, 26, Sonny, 24, and Louis, 19.
The two actors met whilst co-starring in a play and decided to go on a date whilst still in character. During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show last year, Andy explained how he first met his wife. "We got together in character - we'd both split up from other partners and we had started rehearsing this play where the couple we were playing were about to break up," he said. "We thought it would be good to improvise the moment they got together which was a failed excuse for getting off with each other.
"We agreed to meet at the back of Manchester Piccadilly Station at this pub. We sat down and started interacting as the characters and it went on, it carried on all night and we never broke character. We were immersed in our characters and it got to about 12 o'clock and had our first kiss in character."
Andy and Lorraine have clearly passed on their performing genes to their children, who are all actors. Viewers may recognise the couple's youngest child, Louis, for his starring role in the ITV miniseries, No Return, in which he played Sheridan Smith's on-screen son.
Meanwhile, Ruby, the eldest child, has appeared in the historical drama, Becoming Elizabeth, as well as the BBC crime drama, The Serpent. She also had a lead role in the Netflix series, The Letter for the King, starring alongside her dad.
As for Sonny, he's made appearances in Young Wallander, The Witcher, and is set to appear in Apple TV+'s upcoming World War Two drama, Masters of the Air.
Despite Lorraine and Andy's hugely successful careers, they're keen to keep their home life "normal". During a previous interview Red magazine, Andy spoke about the importance of keeping their children grounded.
"We've always explained to them that we're really lucky to do what we do, but at the end of the day, it's still a job," he said, per Yahoo! Life. "It was very important for us to ground them, keep them in school and teach them that nothing would be handed to them on a plate.
"You might have to audition for something ten times before finding out you didn't get it."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/511466/after-the-flood-lorraine-ashbourne-famous-husband-andy-serkis/
| 2024-01-17T18:37:20Z
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Shannen Doherty has been open about her ongoing battle with breast cancer, emotionally revealing that her cancer was terminal back in November and recently even opening up about funeral plans.
Many of her former colleagues and friends have shown their support, one of them being Jason Priestley, her co-star on Beverly Hills, 90210, from 1990-1994.
The actor, 54, opened up to Access Hollywood about his former co-worker and friend, 52, and how "brave" she was to not only tell her own story, but also empower others along the way.
"It's horrible for her, what she's been going through. And she's been going through it now for eight years," he said. "It's a great testament to how strong of a fighter she is. She's a very strong-willed young lady."
He continued: "When you have a platform to be able to deliver any sort of inspirational message to people, I think it's important and I think it's really awesome that Shannen is opening up about everything."
Jason also confirmed that he and Shannen kept in touch after playing twins Brandon and Brenda Walsh for four years on the hit Fox drama. Shannen left after the fourth season, while Jason remained on the show as a regular cast member till season nine, and then made guest appearances on the tenth and final season.
In a recent episode of her podcast Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, she opened up about her funeral plans, specifically talking about who she did not want there, saying: "There's a lot of people that I think would show up that I don't want there."
MORE: Shannen Doherty details 'whopper of a year' after brain cancer and divorce after 'betrayal'
She explained that she didn't want the space to be for people who didn't genuinely care about her, adding "I don't want people to be crying or people to privately be like, 'Thank God that [expletive] is dead now."
The Charmed star first revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2015, and after undergoing a round of chemotherapy, announced in 2017 that her cancer was in remission.
MORE: Shannen Doherty's terrifying cancer battle in the midst of heartbreaking divorce – what to know
However, in 2020, she shared that her cancer had returned a year prior and had progressed to stage four, adding in late 2023 that the disease had spread to her brain and bones and was terminal.
"I don't want to die," she told People in November. "I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating. I'm not done with hopefully changing things for the better. I'm just not – I'm not done."
MORE 90210: Tori Spelling talks regrets with 90210 co-star Jennie Garth as she looks back at 'toxic' time
She affirmed, however, that despite her diagnosis, she was going to continue working and creating more content that she was proud of, adding that she was ready to "embrace life." "People just assume that it means you can't walk, you can't eat, you can't work.
"They put you out to pasture at a very early age – 'You're done, you're retired,' and we're not. We're vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We are people who want to work and embrace life and keep moving forward."
Get the lowdown on more celebrity news, features, and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/511513/shannen-doherty-former-90210-co-star-jason-priestley-shares-message-amid-cancer-battle/
| 2024-01-17T18:37:26Z
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Congratulations are in order for Jenna Dewan, who is pregnant with baby number three!
The Rookie actress, 43, is expecting her second child with her fiancé Steve Kazee, 48, with whom she also shares son Callum, three. She is also a mom to daughter Everly, ten, who she welcomed with ex-husband Channing Tatum.
The soon-to-be mom-of-three shared the happy news with an adorable video on Instagram, in which her fiancé is serenading her with a guitar while she enjoys a bath, and she shows off her growing bump at the end.
Jenna captioned the video, which is dated January 17, with: "Think if I make @stevekazee serenade me every night the baby will get his voice??"
The Step Up star simultaneously announced her pregnancy with a cover story for Romper, in which she opened up about her wishes for her third pregnancy, which she said is most likely her last.
Her first son with Steve – a Broadway actor and producer who she has been engaged to for four years – was born in March 2020, the month the world changed forever with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, so this third pregnancy already feels far different.
Moreover, before Callum's pandemic arrival, her daughter Everly's was similarly unexpected. She was in London with then-husband Channing while he was filming Jupiter Ascending, and her plans for a calm water birth quickly shifted into an unexpected C-section.
MORE: Jenna Dewan looks phenomenal in tiny hot pink bikini – wow!
MORE: Channing Tatum details 'terrifying' divorce from Jenna Dewan
Now, she is taking things day by day, despite her toddler's urge for his baby sibling to come already.
Jenna, recalling her son's non-stop questions about the baby's arrival, shared: "[I told him] when the baby is ready, the baby comes out. And he's like, 'I want the baby right now. Can you just pull it out of your mouth?' Steve and I died laughing. I said, 'I wish, baby. That would be amazing if we could pull it out my mouth. But no, it definitely goes a different way.'"
MORE: Jenna Dewan shares relatable Halloween photos with her children
This time around, she and Steve opted to not find out the sex of their baby until they're born, and explained: "You don't race to the end because this is the last time," before confessing: "There's a bit of joy and a little sadness. I'm really trying to enjoy it all and not try to just get through the days."
Little Callum's birth in 2020 also marked the moment her fiancé first became a father, and Jenna had nothing but admiration for how he has stepped up to the role ever since.
She gushed: "He's so naturally domestic and nurturing, and he's so loving, and he's funny, and he's really… he's just incredible," adding: "It's one of those things where people just have a natural ability for parenting. I'm so excited to see him with a little baby again."
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511512/jenna-dewan-pregnant-third-child-steve-kazee/
| 2024-01-17T18:37:32Z
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Earl Spencer moved his many followers when he revealed he'd written a book about his childhood and his experience of boarding school, which his wife Karen said "breaks my heart".
On Instagram, he shared an image of himself behind a microphone, reading the audiobook, which he paired with a caption about what he described as "an uncompromising book," sharing the sadness that many of his contemporaries have felt for half a century.
In an emotional caption, the father-of-seven wrote: "In the studio today, narrating the audiobook of A Very Private School, for publication day - 12 March, by @gallerybooks, in the USA, and 14 March, by @wmcollinsbooks, in the UK. A relief to hear my words. And know that every sentence rang true, about the school I attended when aged 8 to 13."
He went on: "It's an uncompromising book - the saddest parts come not from me (I'm just the way in to the tale), but from my contemporaries, who've suffered in silence for 50 years.
"Last week one of my friends there told me that my writing this book had prompted him to tell his wife of 38 years, for the very first time, what he went through as a boy. They cried together, for an hour. #memoir #averyprivateschool #childhoodmemories #boardingschool #englishtradition #nonfiction #newbook."
Charles' followers were full of compassion and shared their encouragement about the book, with one commenting: "I am so sorry for what you and your friends endured… Thank you for sharing this important story. I look forward to reading it [heart emoji]."
Others added, "Bravo Charles - such courage. X," and: "Congratulations on getting your story out there, not just for you but for your fellow students," with the Earl responding to the latter comment: "And that’s the point! Thank you."
The popular author and historian has previously spoken about how difficult he found it to be sent to boarding school at the age of just eight. The cover of this book will feature a photograph of himself at that age, alongside his school trunk and suitcase.
When he first publicly shared the cover image, Karen re-posted it to her Instagram account, commenting: "My husband Charles has written a book about his experience at the boarding school he was sent to at age 8. It's titled 'A Very Private School' it's being released in March, but you can preorder now. As a mother, this photo of him, aged 8, about to leave his home just breaks my heart."
Karen continued: "I can't even begin to express how proud I am of him for writing this book. It was hard even watching him write it. Reliving it in order to write it and connecting with his contemporaries who shared the experience and living their trauma has made for a very challenging 5 years. But it's worth it.
"This is a story that needs to be told, and there is no one better to tell it. His history-author brain, obsessive with detail and facts, his ability to put the whole madness of sending children away at 8 into a [historical] context, and his painfully beautiful writing combine so wonderfully to make this difficult subject absolutely riveting…"
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511507/charles-spencer-supported-fans-uncompromising-childhood-book-heartfelt-post/
| 2024-01-17T18:37:38Z
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ASTANA – Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary national company and Japan’s Synscpective agreed on joint research and development of new apps using radar satellites for monitoring natural hazards, reported the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry on Jan. 16.
The companies signed a memorandum of understanding during a Jan. 12 Kazakhstan-Japan business forum in the Kazakh capital. New apps will allow monitoring territories from space even in the dark and cloudy weather.
“Japan mostly possesses and operates technologies for processing radar space images. Our specialists have the skills to work with radar technologies, and we are ready to start working on new projects with a Japanese company,” said Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary Chair Aidyn Aimbetov.
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https://astanatimes.com/2024/01/kazakhstan-japan-to-develop-applications-of-satellite-based-monitoring-of-hazards/
| 2024-01-17T18:40:48Z
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MUNICH, Germany - Hollywood action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger was held at Munich airport on Jan 17 for failing to declare an expensive watch, a customs spokesman told AFP.
The Austrian-born actor and former governor of California, 76, was detained in the customs area on Jan 17 afternoon after arriving from the United States, spokesman Thomas Meister said.
Schwarzenegger was expected to be able to continue his journey later in the day but “the watch will probably have to stay”, Meister said.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against the Terminator star and former bodybuilding icon for tax evasion, he said.
Tax should have been paid on the watch because Schwarzenegger was intending to sell it in the European Union, according to Meister.
The luxury timepiece was due to be auctioned at a fund-raising dinner for Schwarzenegger’s climate initiative in Kitzbuehel on Jan 18, the Bild daily reported.
Items typically auctioned at such dinners include works of art and signed memorabilia, according to the initiative’s website.
The bespoke timepiece was made specially for Schwarzenegger by luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, according to Bild. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/action-hero-arnold-schwarzenegger-held-over-luxury-watch-at-munich-airport
| 2024-01-17T18:56:54Z
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Al-Hilal have signed Brazil defender Renan Lodi from French side Olympique de Marseille, both clubs said on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Lodi agreed a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2027, with French media reporting that Al-Hilal paid 23 million euros ($24.97 million) for the transfer.
Lodi has earned 19 caps for Brazil.
Al-Hilal top the Saudi Pro League standings with 53 points, seven ahead of second-placed Al-Nassr.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project involving Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.
PIF owns 75% of each of the four clubs, while their respective non-profit foundations own 25% of each. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/saudi-club-al-hilal-sign-brazils-lodi-from-marseille
| 2024-01-17T18:57:04Z
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Sebastien Loeb slashed Carlos Sainz's Dakar Rally lead to 13 minutes on Wednesday after the two rivals both suffered multiple punctures on stage 10 in Saudi Arabia.
Nine-times world rally champion Loeb had two punctures on the left side of his Prodrive Hunter and wrestled with a broken hydraulic jack before finishing 16th on the 371km loop around Al'Ula that was won by Toyota's Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit.
Sainz, who was 22nd in the stage, had three punctures but was rescued by Audi team mate Mattias Ekstrom providing a spare wheel.
With two stages remaining before Friday's finish in Yanbu, 61-year-old triple Dakar champion Sainz leads Frenchman Loeb by 13 minutes and 22 seconds.
"It was a hard day for us. We had a problem with the (jack) of the car and we had two punctures, so we needed to climb the rocks to find a way to lift the rear tyre to be able to change it," said Loeb, who is chasing a first Dakar win.
"We lost about 15 minutes like this. For sure, it's a bit frustrating, but okay. The stages are hard, it seems Carlos is still losing some time, so at the end, we'll see where we are tonight."
Last year's overall winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, driving a Prodrive Hunter, retired after Tuesday's stage with his hopes of a sixth career win long gone in a spate of mechanical problems.
"Sorry, I don’t want to jump back into this car," he declared before leaving the bivouac. "This year on Dakar, I learned something in my life. It will never happen again."
In the motorcycle category, American Ricky Brabec took the stage win and increased his lead over Botswana's Ross Branch to 10 minutes and 54 seconds, with a second Dakar title looking more and more likely.
"Two days left, the team's looking really strong and I'm 100% right now," he commented.
"Tomorrow, in the big stage... I'm going to use some energy and try and secure something a little bit more so stage 12 is a bit more relaxing for me."
Fellow-Californian Sara Price joined a very short list of female stage winners when she finished fastest in the SSV category.
Price is second overall, 20 minutes behind France's Xavier de Soultrait. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/rallying-loeb-takes-another-chunk-of-time-out-of-sainzs-dakar-lead
| 2024-01-17T18:57:15Z
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was briefly stranded in Davos on Wednesday after his plane experienced a "critical failure" related to an oxygen leak and another plane is being flown to Switzerland to pick him up, according to a member of his traveling press pool.
The top U.S. diplomat had traveled to Davos on Monday and was scheduled to fly back to Washington on Wednesday.
A Bloomberg report said the aircraft was a Boeing plane. Reuters could not immediately confirm what aircraft Blinken was using. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/blinken-briefly-stranded-in-davos-after-his-plane-breaks-down
| 2024-01-17T18:57:26Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has travelled nearly incessantly since the Israel-Hamas war, was forced to delay his return from Switzerland on Jan 17 due to aeroplane trouble.
Mr Blinken, who spent a day and a half at the Davos mountain resort for the World Economic Forum, was unable to leave Zurich due to what a US official called “critical failure” of the plane due to an oxygen leak.
A separate plane was sent to retrieve Mr Blinken, who had flown from Davos to Zurich by helicopter, with aides returning to Washington by commercial flight.
Plane trouble is not uncommon for the US secretary of state, who relies on an ageing fleet of planes, as Congress is reluctant to fund new jets for government travel.
Mr Blinken has made four trips to the Middle East, often visiting multiple countries a day, since the bloody Oct 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which responded with a major military campaign in Gaza. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/blinken-flight-out-of-davos-delayed-by-critical-failure
| 2024-01-17T18:57:36Z
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PARIS - President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to revive France’s sluggish birth rate sparked an outcry on Jan 17, with feminists and left-wing politicians accusing him of seeking to control women’s bodies.
During a press-conference on Jan 16, Mr Macron said France needed to pursue what he called “demographic rearmament”.
The president pledged to offer a better parental leave and combat infertility – which he called “the taboo of the century”.
“Leave our uteruses alone,” Ms Anne-Cecile Mailfert, head of the Women’s Foundation, said on X, formerly Twitter.
The CIDFF, an association that helps women and families, expressed “deep concern.”
“The implementation of natalist policies, profoundly contrary to the autonomy of women, constitutes a worrying political and social regression,” the association said.
Left-wing politicians also slammed the proposals.
“Women’s bodies are not a weapon,” said Mr Alexis Corbiere, a lawmaker with the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party.
In her criticism of Mr Macron’s plan, Green party leader Marine Tondelier evoked Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which portrays a dystopian future in which women are enslaved by men.
The spokesman for the Socialist party in parliament, Mr Arthur Delaporte, denounced “natalist injunctions”.
By contrast, the far-right National Rally (RN) welcomed the pledge to boost birth rates, with spokesman Philippe Ballard calling for a “family ministry” in France.
In 2023, France registered 678,000 births, a drop of 6.6 per cent from the previous year. It was the lowest annual rate since World War II.
French lawmakers on Jan 17 took a first step towards anchoring access to abortion in the French constitution. The legislation would offer women a “guaranteed freedom” to end pregnancies – stopping short of a full right to abortion. AFP
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| 2024-01-17T18:57:47Z
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WARSAW - A Polish court has ordered that an ex-minister who is on hunger strike in prison be force-fed, the president said on Wednesday, a case that has stirred raw emotions amid a conflict between the old and new administrations over the rule of law.
Poland's former Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik were detained at the presidential palace in Warsaw last week and sent to prison after being convicted of abuse of power in former roles.
The two members of the former Law and Justice (PiS) government - of which President Andrzej Duda is an ally - announced they were going on a hunger strike after their imprisonment.
It couldn't immediately be determined which court Duda was referring to, and the order could not immediately be confirmed by Reuters.
The case comes as a new pro-European government is attempting to roll back reforms implemented by the previous administration that critics say increased political influence over the courts while also holding those it accuses of wrongdoing to account.
Rolling back the previous government's judicial reforms is essential to unblock billions in European Union funds.
PiS has sought to portray Kaminski and Wasik as political prisoners, a description that has been rejected by the government and human rights activists.
"Today I received information from the wife of Mariusz Kaminski that... a court order has been made that he should be force-fed," Duda told reporters at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
"I again call on (Justice) Minister Bodnar, the prosecutor general, in whose hands lies the ability to end the prsion sentence of Mariusz Kaminski and Maciej Wasik, he can do it at any time."
Justice Minister Adam Bodnar has questioned why Duda does not use his own right as president to pardon the pair, instead initiating a longer procedure to help secure their freedom.
Kaminski and Wasik were first convicted of abuse of power in 2015 for allowing agents under the former's command to use entrapment in an investigation. They denied wrongdoing and were pardoned by Duda, allowing them to take up their government posts.
In that case, lawyers questioned whether Duda had the power to pardon Kaminski before an appeals court issued a final ruling.
Last year, after Prime Minister Donald Tusk came to power, the Supreme Court said the case should be reopened and Kaminski and Wasik were sentenced by a lower court in December to two years in prison.
They were not immediately sent to prison amid a legal dispute over whether they had lost their immunity to prosecution as members of parliament. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/polish-court-orders-that-hunger-striking-politician-be-force-fed-says-president
| 2024-01-17T18:57:57Z
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WARSAW - Poland's parliament has voted to remove the immunity from prosecution of a lawmaker who used a fire extinguisher to put out Jewish Hanukkah candles in the country's parliament in December, an incident that caused international outrage.
The vote opens the way for prosecutors to press charges against Grzegorz Braun from the far-right Confederation party for seven acts committed during 2022 and 2023, including the incident involving the candles.
"There is no reason to protect him using immunity... We know what he did and it was not acceptable," said Agnieszka Pomaska, a lawmaker from the largest grouping in Poland's coalition government, Civic Coalition (KO).
The largest opposition party, the nationalist law and Justice (PiS), also voted in favour of removing Braun's immunity.
Warsaw District Prosecutor Mariusz Dubowski had told a parliamentary committee that Braun would face charges including destruction of property, violation of bodily integrity and insulting objects of religious worship, the state-run news agency PAP reported.
After extinguishing the candles in the parliament on Dec. 12, Braun took to the podium where he described Hanukkah as "satanic" and said he was restoring "normality". Asked later if he was ashamed of his action, he said: "Those who take part in acts of satanic worship should be ashamed."
Braun, who has also made pro-Russian statements in the past, had gained notoriety even before the Hanukkah incident with stunts such as dumping a Christmas tree decorated in the colours of the European Union and Ukraine in the bin and damaging a microphone during a talk by a Holocaust historian.
He rejects the prosecutor's accusations against him and said on Wednesday they were "inconsistent with the actual situation and the material truth". REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/polish-lawmaker-who-extinguished-hanukkah-candles-loses-immunity
| 2024-01-17T18:58:07Z
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FREETOWN - A Sierra Leone high court on Wednesday allowed ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, charged this month with treason, to travel abroad on medical grounds.
Koroma was charged with four offences for his alleged role in a failed military attempt to topple the West African country's government in November.
The magistrate overseeing his case on Wednesday ruled in favour of Koroma's lawyers, who had asked the high court overseeing the case to grant Koroma a trip abroad for medical reasons.
The ex-president will be allowed to travel to Nigeria for no more than three months, the magistrate said before adjourning the case to March 6. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/sierra-leone-court-allows-ex-president-koroma-to-travel-abroad-on-medical-grounds
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We know where the royal family stayed the night before their weddings, but not many details have been revealed about how they spent the last few hours before saying 'I do' under the watchful eyes of the world.
While Prince William and the late Queen Elizabeth II caved under pre-wedding pressures, Meghan Markle managed to remain very calm and even enjoyed a relaxed breakfast with her mother. From Queen Camilla being bedridden to Princess Eugenie's last-minute planning, see exactly what happened behind closed doors on the morning of their weddings...
Queen Camilla's bedridden illness
Queen Camilla was sitting in bed at Clarence House eating homemade chicken soup delivered by her friend Lucia Santa Cruz ahead of her wedding to King Charles. The bedridden royal had been suffering from sinusitis and was "really ill, stressed", according to Lucia.
She added that she only managed to muster up the energy at the last minute. Meanwhile, Camilla joked that her illness caused her to suffer a funny fashion faux pas, stating: "I remember coming from here, Clarence House, [to] go to Windsor the day I got married when I probably wasn't firing on all cylinders, quite nervous and, for some unknown reason, I put on a pair of shoes and one had an inch heel and one had a two-inch heel.
"So, I mean talk about hop-a-long and there's nothing I could do," she said, adding the late Queen had " a good sense of humour" about the situation.
Meghan Markle's 'chill' breakfast
The Duchess of Sussex's glam squad joined the royal and her mother Doria Ragland at Cliveden House on the morning of her wedding in 2018. Hairstylist Serge Normant explained: "We woke up early, had a little coffee and then just went on." He described it as "the easiest process in the world" and said Meghan was "calm and chatty."
Makeup artist Daniel Martin reiterated that the bride showed no pre-wedding jitters during their "chill morning" which included dining on cereal and fresh fruit. On Good Morning America, Daniel said: "We had breakfast. Guy, her dog, was with us. We were playing around with him. It was a very chill morning."
Princess Kate's luxe accommodation
The Princess of Wales stayed at the five-star Goring Hotel in the Royal Apartment, which boasted a four-poster bed, a grand piano and a walk-in shower following a £150,000 makeover. It was reported that the bathroom also had a flat-screen TV so Kate could watch the build-up to the royal wedding from a relaxing bath.
The Palace Papers author Tina Brown also stated Kate had one very specific worry, despite being described as the "world's most unflappable bride" with "no last-minute panics." She wrote: "I am told the bride's only anxiety on the wedding day itself was that her stomach rumbling might be picked up by a hot mic." So it's likely that a hearty breakfast that curbed any hunger pangs was on the cards.
Princess Eugenie's last-minute planning
Aside from getting her hair and makeup done, Princess Eugenie was also finalising some last-minute details just hours before she got married.
Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank had reportedly not decided on which carriage they would ride in but settled on the Scottish State Coach in order to prevent getting wet in the unpredictable British weather.
Queen Elizabeth's fashion mishap
Queen Elizabeth II had several wardrobe mishaps on her wedding day in 1947. Not only did she accidentally leave her antique two-strand pearl necklace which her parents gave her as a wedding gift at St. James's Palace – which had to be retrieved on foot thanks to terrible traffic – but she also had to get her diamond tiara fixed after it snapped.
The story goes that the headpiece was whisked off to a court jeweller's workshop to be welded back into place just hours before the late monarch added the finishing touches to her outfit.
Prince William's sleepless night
Prince Harry claimed in his book Spare that his brother Prince William struggled to sleep the night before his 2011 wedding with Princess Kate, so turned to rum to calm his nerves.
"I was stunned when I went to pick him up in the morning and saw his haggard face and red eyes; It seemed that he had not slept at all," Harry wrote. During the drive to Westminster Abbey, Harry said that his brother "smelled like alcohol" in what he said was likely the "aftermath of last night’s rum", and offered him a mint to mask the smell.
DISCOVER: Princess Beatrice's rebellious wedding: From stepson's secret role to her vintage wedding ring
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511500/private-royal-wedding-mornings-queen-camilla-meghan-markle/
| 2024-01-17T19:25:39Z
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Jason Priestley recently shared an intriguing glimpse into his past, revealing a time in 1987 when he shared a modest two-bedroom apartment in a less desirable part of Los Angeles with Brad Pitt and another male roommate.
This period of their lives, before they became household names, was filled with humble beginnings and memorable experiences.
During a recent appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Mark, Jason, now 54, reminisced about those early days.
He humorously noted that while Brad was a decent roommate, their other roommate was "an absolute disaster."
The audience was treated to tales of their youthful antics, including a rather unconventional game they played.
Jason recalled a competition to see "who could go the longest without showering," which, by his own admission, makes him cringe now. "I think about it now and I'm like, 'Dude, how disgusting. What were you thinking?'" he shared.
In this contest of endurance, Brad always emerged as the winner, a fact that Jason recounted with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
In his 2014 memoir, Jason delved deeper into their life during that time. He described a frugal existence sustained by ramen noodles, generic beer – humorously remembered as white cans simply labeled "beer" – and Marlboro Light cigarettes.
This period of their lives paints a picture of the typical struggles faced by young actors trying to make it in Hollywood.
However, not all memories from this time were about hardships and peculiar competitions. Jason revealed a heartwarming Christmas exchange on The Rachael Ray Show in 2019, where Brad gifted them personalized Bibles.
"Our names were [engraved] — they were really nice. I've still got mine, it's at home on my bookshelf," Jason fondly recalled. This gesture from Brad showcased a thoughtful and considerate side, contrasting with their otherwise bohemian lifestyle.
Jason's breakthrough came in 1990 with his role as Brandon Walsh in the hit teen show Beverly Hills, 90210, marking the start of his journey to teen idol stardom.
Brad, on the other hand, found his big break just a year later, captivating audiences as J.D. in Ridley Scott's 1991 classic, Thelma & Louise.
Currently, Jason is promoting his role in the 10-episode police procedural Wild Cards, created by Michael Konyves. The series, where he plays master conman George Graham, is set to premiere on The CW and CBC Gem.
On a personal note, Jason has been married for 18 years to makeup artist Naomi Lowde, and they share two teenage children: daughter Ava, 16, and son Dashiell, 14.
Brad Pitt, now a two-time Oscar winner, continues to make waves in the industry. He recently produced and starred in Jon Watts' thriller Wolves, opposite George Clooney, which is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on September 20.
Additionally, Brad has bagged a $30M paycheck for his role as retired racer Sonny Hayes in Joseph Kosinski's upcoming untitled Formula One action drama. The release date for this highly anticipated project, however, remains uncertain.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511413/brad-pitts-ex-roommate-jason-priestley-reveals-disgusting-detail-about-actor/
| 2024-01-17T19:25:45Z
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Usher has a lot on his plate. He has had just a little over a month to "rest" since concluding his Las Vegas residency – which because of high demand was extended twice after it began in 2021 – but now only has less than a month before arguably the biggest moment of his career: the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
As one can imagine, there has been little to no resting in anticipation to the high-pressure performance, which the "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" singer, 45, sees as much bigger than him, or a celebration of his career, but more so a celebration of R&B as a whole, or so he hopes it will be.
Ahead of the fated February 11 performance – which is only three days after the release of the performer's newest album, no less – Usher sat down with Vogue in Las Vegas (where the Super Bowl will be hosted and where he has been living since 2021), and gave candid insight into the pressure he's feeling.
"I know that it's going to be the hardest time of my life," he didn't hesitate to confess, about juggling not only his busier-than-ever career, but also his role as a father to his four kids, the youngest two both being under the age of four.
"It has to be perfect," he emphasized of the Halftime Show, which is famously only 13 minutes – after only an eight-minute window to set the stage – and has previously been helmed by superstars such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Prince, to name a few.
And though he has continued to remind himself that performing is something he has done for 30 years, if anything it adds more weight and pressure to the performance.
He explained: "I want people who have been a part of that journey to feel like it’s a celebration for everybody, for all of us, from the beginning up until this point."
As Usher prepares to hit the stage, get to know more about his family life off of the stage, below.
How many kids does Usher have?
Usher has four kids, sons Usher "Cinco" V, 16, Naviyd Ely, 15, and Sire Castrello, two, plus daughter Sovereign Bo, three.
MORE: Usher is the latest star to take part in James Corden's Carpool Karaoke
Back in 2012, during an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's former talk show Oprah's Next Chapter, Usher declared: "I was born to do what I'm doing as a dad," adding: "I realized that once I had a child. When I had them, that's when they became a priority. It wasn't because of this case."
Who does Usher share his kids with?
The doting father shares his first two sons with his ex-wife Tameka Foster, 53, who is a fashion stylist. The two married in 2007, but divorced two years later, and after a difficult custody battle, he was awarded primary custody in 2012.
MORE: Usher on why he didn't take part in One Love Manchester concert
He shares his youngest two kids with his current girlfriend, Jennifer "Jenn" Goicoechea, 40, a music executive and former manager. The pair were first romantically linked in 2019, and welcomed their first baby together the following year.
Where does Usher live?
Since starting his residency in 2021, Usher has lived in a five-bedroom home in Las Vegas. Quite meaningfully, the Nevada city has become the site of both his epic comeback (his residency), and the biggest moment of his career (the Super Bowl). Not to mention, last year, he was handed the key to the city, and October 17 was officially declared Usher Raymond Day.
MORE: Justin Bieber flies out of Panama with manager and mentor Usher by his side
Still, Atlanta, Georgia is his home-base – and that of his eldest two kids – and it's where he'll presumably return after his long-awaited Super Bowl performance.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/511515/usher-countdown-superbowl-hardest-time-personal-life-kids/
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London's culinary scene is steeped in history and rich in culture.
Let's be honest though, we're overwhelmed with choices and therefore often end up sticking to what we already know. But with the new restaurant openings happening in the capital this year, your palette is going to be more well-versed than ever in 2024.
It's only January and the list of ultra-chic new openings is already plentiful, from omasake restaurants with just six seats, to luxury bistros with vintage French decor, we're keeping you up to date with the most luxurious new openings throughout the year.
How We Chose:
Newness: I chose restaurants in London that are new or reopening in 2024. I explored the menus, decor and location of each to provide all the necessary information you need.
Location: Each restaurant is based in London
Menu: As these are either just opened or not yet open, some may not have a personal review from the Hello! Fashion team, therefore the "menu highlights" are pieces that stood out to me as a selling point from each menu.
Clap London
Clap is a new sensory Japanese dining experience in Knightsbridge. With luxury restaurants already in Riyadh, Dubai and Beirut, Clap's fourth location and first in the UK opened this January. The fine-dining restaurant is spread across two stories: the sixth floor boasts live sushi and robata counters, while the seventh floor features an ultra-chic rooftop bar, lounge and terrace area with views across London's most luxurious borough.
Menu highlights: Rock Shrimp Tempura, Wagyu Beef & Foie Gras Gyoza with truffle teriyaki, sea bass and mango ceviche, yellowtail sashimi
12-14 Basil Street, Clap
Bar du Champagne
This new bar opened on Henrietta Street in Covent Garden just before the new year. If the name didn't give it away, the restaurant boasts a decadent champagne bar alongside a modern French bistro. Split across two floors with an outdoor heated terrace and semi-private dining space, the interiors are a haven for retro decor lovers - the furniture is entirely vintage, with walls washed in warming yellow and adorned with pink Venini chandeliers, and 1950s bar stools. I'm sold already...
Menu highlights: Duck rillettes with 'boozy cherry', Truffled Croque Monsieur, Ox cheek & mozzarella croquettes with truffle mayonnaise & pecorino
24 Henrietta St, Bar Du Champagne
Juno
They say big things come in small packages, which is why we've high hopes for London's smallest omakase bar that recently opened in Notting Hill. With just six seats, successfully getting a booking is going to earn you serious bragging rights. Housed upstairs inside Los Mochis, the restaurant's executive chef Leonard Tanyag and head sushi chef Han will serve a 15-course fine dining 'Mexico meets Japan' menu using line-caught fish.
Menu highlights: Omasake means that the dishes are selected by the chef, therefore there's no menu to choose from, but the good news is every dish is entirely gluten and nut-free.
2-4 Farmer St (inside Los Mochis), Juno
Restaurant story
A new opening with a twist. Tom Sellers first opened this restaurant in 2013, gaining a Michelin star after five months, followed by a second in 2021. In 2023 the site closed for a 'six-month' refurbishment, and finally, eleven months later, the multi-million pound makeover is complete. The new restaurant includes a brand new floor with an outdoor balcony and views of the Shard. There's also a new opulent private dining room with open kitchen views.
Menu highlights: Story doesn't give out menus. Instead, your meal will consist of "delicate, masterful dishes inspired and led by the British seasons and the very best produce available". It offers a nine-course tasting menu with snacks and treats, at both lunch and dinner...
199 Tooley St, Story
Josephine
Michelin star chef Claude Bosi and his wife Lucy are opening a chic neighbourhood bistro on the corner of Fulham Road in Chelsea, inspired by his Lyonnaise roots and named after his grandmother - wholesome.
Menu highlights: There's no menu available just yet, so watch this space...
315 Fulham Rd, Josephine
Akira Back
Situated inside the Mandarin Oriental in Mayfair, Chef Akira Beck is making his UK debut with a restaurant that will seat up to 148 guests. With restaurants already in Dubai, Beverly Hills, Singapore and more, he will bring his culinary expertise to London to lead concepts including: Akira Back restaurant, chef’s table Dosa, as well as cocktail bar ABar Lounge and ABar Rooftop.
Menu highlights: There's no menu available just yet, so watch this space...
22 Hanover Square, Akira Back London
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/culture/511470/the-best-new-restaurants-opening-in-london/
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The news that the Princess of Wales had been taken into hospital for abdominal surgery came as a surprise to royal watchers on Wednesday. However, in retrospect, there were some hints that Kate might not return to royal duties as early as anticipated, with the Princess not having been seen in public since Christmas at Sandringham.
It's not unusual for the Prince and Princess of Wales to lay low at the start of the year while their children are still on holiday from Lambrook School. However, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all returned to class last week.
William enjoyed a public appearance in Leeds, presenting CBEs to rugby stars Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield at Headingley Stadium, Kate had not yet announced her return to royal duties – and is now not expected to return to work until after Easter.
In addition, while the family traditionally celebrates the Princess' birthday privately, she will typically issue a personal message on social media to thank fans and family for their good wishes but did not do so this year.
The King and Queen kindly marked the day with a heartfelt message on Instagram as they shared an unseen image of the beloved royal at their coronation last year. "Wishing The Princess of Wales a very happy birthday today!" read the caption.
Kate also did not attend a meeting for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood earlier this month, with photos from the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood at Kensington Palace on 15 January notable for her absence, as you can see below.
HELLO!'s royal editor Emmy Nash comments: "This has come as a shock at a time when most of us were expecting to see the Princess back in action with a busy schedule of engagements lined up."
As she recovers, William will no doubt support Kate and their children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, having significantly rearranged his diary in light of his wife's hospitalisation.
The couple were previously believed to be headed to Italy later this year in their first joint overseas visit at the request of the Government since becoming Prince and Princess of Wales but the trip may now be delayed.
Kensington Place announced the news of Kate's successful surgery on Wednesday, the day after it occurred. Their official statement read: "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery. The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery.
READ: King Charles to be treated in hospital for enlarged prostate
"Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.
"Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share. The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."
The London Clinic previously treated Prince Philip for "abdominal investigations" and also performed an operation on Princess Margaret. The Princess' condition is understood to be non-cancerous but she will need to remain in hospital for the next few days before recovering at home.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511475/the-telling-signs-that-princess-kate-was-delaying-her-return-to-royal-duties/
| 2024-01-17T19:26:04Z
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Michelle Obama is 60! The iconic former First Lady of the United States has hit a big milestone birthday, and she's taking the time to stay off social media and soak it up.
However, her husband Barack, 62, can't help but show his appreciation for his wife of over three decades and shared a beautiful snapshot to mark the occasion.
The photo he posted on Instagram, presumably from their home in Hawai'i, showed the former FLOTUS in a flowy yellow dress, soaking up some sunshine while relaxing by the pool, the gorgeous ocean and islands spreading out behind her.
"This is what 60 looks like," the former POTUS gushed. "Happy birthday to my better half – who happens to be one of the funniest, smartest, most beautiful people I know. @MichelleObama, you make every day better. I can't wait to see what this new decade brings you."
Fans quickly inundated the comments section of the post with a slew of adoring responses, like: "I wanna look like that when I'm 60!!! She looks amazing, Happy Birthday queen," and: "BEAUTIFUL inside & out! Happy Birthday to her!" as well as: "Happy Birthday Mrs. Obama! I hope your day is so special."
In honor of Michelle's big birthday, we're taking a walk down memory lane with some of the best photos from her tenure in the White House, including her husband and their daughters, Malia, 25, and Sasha, 22…
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features, and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511514/michelle-obama-turns-60-barack-tribute-iconic-white-house-photos-malia-sasha/
| 2024-01-17T20:09:38Z
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Michelle Keegan has catapulted back into the spotlight after her latest Netflix series Fool Me Once became a global sensation (trust me, it’s worth the binge-watch), and I am so glad she has.
Though she is recognised for starring in Coronation Street, Our Girl, Tina & Bobby and Brassic, and for marrying radio presenter Mark Wright, she's a notable face in fashion thanks to her impeccable style agenda.
Since gracing our screens for the first time in Corrie over 15 years ago, both the actress and her wardrobe have continuously gone from strength to strength.
On the 2000s red carpet, sleek, colourful, feminine silhouettes dominated her agenda, whilst off-duty - she was every bit the Y2K dressing icon: think UGG boots, low-rise jeans, harem pants and Paul’s Boutique blazers.
Fast-forward to 2024 and her style has remained fashion-forward yet become ultra chic with an injection of her signature, quirky northern flair.
A case in point is her recent outfits to promote the Netflix sensation Fool Me Once. Michelle nailed monochromatic dressing in head-to-toe navy (the chicest colour of all time in my humble opinion).
She wore the Santo jacket and matching skirt set from Meghan Markle-approved brand Veronica Beard. The set put an off-duty twist on the classic tweed two-piece and combined it with denim. She layered it with a longline navy coat slung over her shoulders, an oversized clutch bag, navy gloves and metallic silver court heels. Obsessed.
Michelle is also a regular face at events from Fashion Awards to Bulgari parties, proving she's cemented her status as a British fashion icon (lest we forget her clothing collections with Lipsy and Very).
See how her style has evolved from Y2K soap opera star to a global fashion icon...
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| 2024-01-17T20:09:44Z
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The countdown to the Lunar New Year is officially on, this year fittingly falling on Saturday, February 10th.
With only three weeks until the lunisolar calendar ticks over into the Year of the Dragon, we can’t help but wonder, what are we going to wear?
MORE: Dresses with boots: the best outfit formulas
Last year the incredibly stylish Tiffany Hsu rung in the New Year with a fluffy white coat and pair of cargo pants
What does the year of the dragon mean?
The dragon holds a significant place in Chinese culture that symbolises power, nobility, honour, luck, and success and is the fifth animal sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle and arguably the most celebrated. According to Cynthia Li from China Highlights, this year is “forecasted to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges.”
Jaime Xie welcomed the Year of the Ox back in 2021 by sporting a sparkly red dress. Iconic behaviour if we've ever seen it
What does this mean for fashion?
Traditionally, Lunar New Year is synonymous with the colour red. Chinese culture recognizes the bold hue as a symbol of good fortune and joy. Many brands celebrate Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year by creating specific collections and garments to commemorate the celebration, often including a motif of that year's animal sign.
How we chose the pieces:
Price: The majority of the items in this list are from either a designer brand or mid-luxury brands.
Occasion: Each item in this list is from a specially designed Year of the Dragon collection.
Why you should trust me:
I am Hello! Fashion’s Fashion Features Writer. With a love for all things fashion (the quirkier the better), I can usually be found playing dress-up in my own wardrobe, watching Gilmore Girls for the eighth time or finding new outfit inspo and DIY musts on TikTok, nothing in my closet is safe from a safety-pin bow embellishment. I have been in the styling world for almost 5 years now, specialising in editorial features, luxury campaigns and music videos. As for the world of magazines, I have worked for various digital and print publications around the world, focusing on fashion. Basically, fashion is my bread and butter.
If you’re wanting to embrace this year's dragon energy then here are just a few of our favourite Lunar New Year-themed fashion items which will hopefully bring you luck and good fortune as the clock strikes midnight on February 10th.
'Year Of The Dragon' Classic Hooded Embroidered Sweatshirt
Kenzo
Every year the Japanese-founded French fashion house Kenzo creates a Lunar New Year collection of ready-to-wear pieces for both men and women. This year my favourite item from the collection is this hooded sweatshirt, complete with a large embroidered dragon in red, yellow and green on the back.
Year Of The Dragon T-Shirt
Versace
In an online exclusive Versace has ‘Barbie-fied’ their iteration of the lunar new year symbol, embroiding a giant pink dragon motif onto the front of a classic white t-shirt. I love how Versace has made this their own whilst still celebrating.
'Year Of The Dragon' Embroidered Sweatshirt
Paul Smith
Made from 100% organically grown cotton, this Paul Smith sweatshirt is perfect for every season. Complete with a number of small embroidered red dragons on both the front and back, this would look amazing on New Year's night with a sequin red mini skirt and pair of knee-high boots.
Dragon Necklace
Bottega Veneta
Unfortunately, this necklace is not yet available to shop, but I have a sneaky suspicion it won’t be long before it’s live. In true Bottega fashion, this Dragon necklace is as luxurious as it gets. Made from hand-enamelled 18k gold-finished sterling silver, each fragment is designed to move like how a dragon's tail would.
Reversible EKD Cashmere Scarf
Burberry
Keep cosy and warm on February 10th with a Lunar New Year-inspired Burberry cashmere scarf. I love how this scarf can be reversed to show either the iconic Equestrian Knight Design or a buttery yellow block colour.
Crystal Rock Oval watch
Swarovski
Specifically crafted for the year of the dragon, this Swarovski timepiece is the epitome of Swarovski’s famed savoir-faire. The case is set on an adjustable metal bracelet that has been adorned with leather featuring a dragon-skin print, while the case back is also engraved with a dragon-skin print and the year 2024. Of course, the face has also been encrusted with an array of clear crystals to mark the hour's.
FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON shirt
FENDI x FRGMT x POKÉMON
This is possibly the cutest Lunar New Year dedicated collection io have ever seen. Famed fashion giant Fendi has teamed up with FRGMT and Pokémon to create a range of pieces adorned with Pokémon’s very own dragon character, Dragonite. I love the colourway of this luxurious 100% silk shirt and love it even more knowing there's also a pair of matching pants to go with.
2024 Lunar New Year Out Of Office
Off-White
Keeping things causally cool, as per usual, Off-White has launched a special, limited edition pair of 2024 Lunar New Year Out Of Office sneakers. The red and white colourway is perfect for both celebrating the New Year and staying on trend, as after all, red is still on every notable fashion mogul’s favourite colour list.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/hfm/wish-list/511509/year-of-the-dragon-the-best-fashion-collections-to-shop-now/
| 2024-01-17T20:09:50Z
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Germany has updated the list of military aid provided to Kyiv for the second time in a month.
The country is currently the second-largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine after the US. In 2023, Kyiv received the second Patriot air defense system capable of intercepting cruise and ballistic missiles from Germany.
According to the German government’s press service, recently, Berlin has supplied Kyiv with ammunition for Leopard 1 tanks.
In addition, Kyiv has received:
- Eight armoured personnel carriers
- material for explosive ordnance disposal
- reconnaissance drones RQ-35 HEIDRUN
- Five border protection vehicles
- 1840 combat helmets
- Three vehicles (trucks, minibusses, all-terrain vehicles)
On 17 January, German Ambassador Martin Eger said that Germany would continue to provide military support to Ukraine in 2024 and more air defense systems to the country to protect it from Russian missiles and drones, according to Interfax.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/media-germany-sends-ammunition-for-leopard-1-tank-reconnaissance-drones-to-ukraine/
| 2024-01-17T20:26:44Z
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On 17 January, Russia launched a cyberattack on Swiss federal government websites, according to Swissinfo.
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/swissinfo-russia-launches-cyberattack-on-switzerland-after-visit-of-zelenskyy-to-davos/
| 2024-01-17T20:27:25Z
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LONDON - Brentford striker Ivan Toney declared himself 'free' on Wednesday after ending an eight month ban for 232 breaches of the betting rules and then fuelled transfer speculation by saying he wanted to play for a top club.
The 27-year-old England international, Brentford's top scorer last season, posted a GIF on social media with the single word 'free'.
Speaking to Sky Sports television, he spoke of future ambitions.
"You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere, but I think it's obvious I want to play for a top club," said the player who is widely seen as an Arsenal and Chelsea target.
"Everybody wants to play for a top club, that is fighting for titles. Whether it's this January that is the right time for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows?," he added.
Toney's comments contrasted with an interview last week in which he thanked Brentford, a community club holding their own against Premier League giants, for being so supportive and said he was ready to repay them with goals to ease a relegation battle.
The West Londoners are 16th in the league, three points clear of the drop zone, and in need of more firepower as they grapple with absences and injuries.
Toney, who hopes to be included in England's Euro 2024 squad, said his main job would be to do his talking on the pitch and "let the background work take care of itself.
"To be the best, you have to play with the best and compete against the best," said the player, who is expected to make his return against Nottingham Forest in front of the home fans on Saturday.
"I feel like a free man. A massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can't wait to get back to enjoying playing football again this Saturday. It's a big day today but an even bigger day on Saturday," he said. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/free-toney-ends-his-ban-and-states-top-club-ambition
| 2024-01-17T20:29:34Z
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Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore has joined Napoli from Bournemouth on loan until the end of the season, both clubs said on Wednesday.
Napoli added that the loan deal includes an option to buy, which Italian media reported would be for 25 million euros ($27.17 million).
Traore joined Bournemouth on loan at the start of last year from Sassuolo, and the move was made permanent in May.
The 23-year-old Traore has struggled for game time this season for the Premier League side, which was compounded by a recent bout of Malaria.
Serie A champions Napoli have endured a difficult season so far, with Walter Mazzarri's side in eighth place with 31 points, 20 behind leaders Inter Milan. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/napoli-sign-bournemouth-midfielder-traore-on-loan
| 2024-01-17T20:29:45Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - Brazil will need to relocate citizens in areas that have been hit repeatedly by storms and other disasters supercharged by climate change, the country's Environment Minister Marina Silva told Reuters in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.
Climate change globally is expected to make certain areas unlivable and drive the migration of hundreds of millions or billions of people by 2050 as they flee from rising sea levels, aridity, floods and other disasters.
Brazil already needs to start planning to move some of its citizens from vulnerable areas, Silva said, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
"In certain situations we will need to relocate the population," she said.
She pointed to areas of the southern most state of Rio Grande do Sul, where floods have hit repeatedly in the past year and killed dozens.
"In Rio Grande do Sul, we have families that were affected by floods three times in one year. There's no point in rebuilding your house in the same place, or rebuilding that business."
Silva said that the government is working to declare climate emergencies in more than 1,000 municipalities in the country in order to free up funding to help these areas to adapt to climate change.
"(Brazil) is a developing country, it doesn't have the resources to carry out a structured process of adaptation overnight. These are highly expensive, onerous investments." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/brazil-will-need-to-resettle-those-hit-by-climate-disasters-minister-says
| 2024-01-17T20:29:55Z
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CHISINAU - A senior official of Moldova's pro-European government said on Wednesday that his latest talks with the pro-Russian separatist Transdniestria region had been "quite difficult" as tension rises in the three-decade-old standoff.
The region split from Moldova before the collapse of Soviet rule and fought a brief war against the newly independent state lying between Ukraine and Romania.
Transdniestria has since stood on Moldova's eastern fringe with little turmoil or violence -- 2,000 Russian "peacekeepers" remain on the line separating the two.
A fresh dispute has emerged over Moldova's imposition of customs duties on exports and imports from Transdniestria - part of the ex-Soviet state's efforts to join the European Union.
Moldova's deputy prime minister, Oleg Serebrean, said the latest talks between the sides on Tuesday, in Transdniestria's main town of Tiraspol, had focused on the new tax regime.
"The meeting in Tiraspol took place in quite a difficult situation, both in national and regional terms," Serebrean told a news conference in the capital, Chisinau. "But I cannot say that the meeting produced no results. We did get results."
Serebrean dismissed allegations that the regulations would hurt the region's businesses, saying they involved modest increases in duty. He said the region's residents would benefit from medical facilities and schools in the rest of the country.
Three decades of negotiations have produced little movement towards resolving the dispute with the separatists, who rely heavily on Moscow for financial assistance.
President Maia Sandu has said that Moldolva could press ahead with its bid to join the EU without Transdniestria, citing the divided island of Cyprus as a precedent in membership talks.
Sandu has denounced Moscow's war in neighbouring Ukraine and singled out Russia -- and endemic corruption -- as the biggest threats facing her country, one of the poorest in Europe.
Parts of Russian missiles have landed in Moldova. Separatist authorities last week accused Moldova's authorities of training soldiers to launch attacks on its institutions and leaders.
One-on-one talks with Transdniestria are held under the auspices of the 57-nation Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which has been mediating for decades. They replaced a longstanding "5+2" format in which Russia, Ukraine and the United States participated, along with observers from the EU and the United States. That format was abandoned after Ukraine refused to take part alongside Russia, citing the Kremlin's 22-month-old invasion. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/moldova-says-latest-talks-with-separatists-difficult
| 2024-01-17T20:30:05Z
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COPENHAGEN - Sweden has summoned the Iranian chargé d’affaires to demand the immediate release of Swedish citizens being held in custody in Iran, the Swedish foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
"The Government is working intensively and tirelessly to secure the release without delay of Swedish citizens detained in Iran for no apparent reason," the ministry said in a statement.
"In late 2023, a man with Swedish and Iranian citizenship was detained for no apparent reason," the statement said.
A Swedish man in his 20s was also arrested in Iran earlier in January, the ministry said this week.
Those events have added to tense relations between the two countries since 2019, when Sweden arrested a former Iranian official for his part in the mass execution and torture of political prisoners in the 1980s.
Last month, Iran began the trial against a Swedish national, Johan Floderus, a European Union employee who has been imprisoned since April 2022. He was charged with spying for Israel and "corruption on earth," a crime that carries the death penalty.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry has advised Swedes against travelling to Iran. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/sweden-summons-iranian-charg-d-affaires-over-detained-swedes
| 2024-01-17T20:30:16Z
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GENEVA - Switzerland said on Jan 17 that a cyber-attack claimed by a pro-Russian group temporarily disrupted access to a number of government websites, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Davos.
The government said that “the Russian-linked hacker group ‘NoName’ claimed responsibility for the attack, citing Ukrainian President Zelensky’s attendance at the WEF annual meeting” in the luxury Swiss ski resort of Davos.
In a statement, the government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) stressed that “the cyber-attack was promptly detected” and specialists “took the necessary action to restore access to the websites as quickly as possible”.
“An attack of this kind had been expected, and appropriate security measures were in place.”
The so-called distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), which makes websites or network resources unavailable by flooding them with malicious traffic, temporarily knocked out access to government ministries and federal offices.
But the government’s main portal www.admin.ch remained operational, the statement said.
The “NoName” group which claimed the Jan 17 attack already targeted Switzerland’s federal administration last June, after Mr Zelensky addressed the Swiss parliament remotely via video-link.
This time, the Ukrainian president came to Switzerland in person.
On Jan 15, he met with Swiss President Viola Amherd in Bern, before travelling to Davos, where he addressed the World Economic Forum on Jan 16.
Following his meeting with Ms Amherd, the pair announced to journalists that neutral Switzerland had accepted to organise a peace summit of world leaders aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The exact dates or modalities of that summit have yet to be announced.
Switzerland’s long-standing position is one of well-armed military neutrality. It has refused to send armaments to Kyiv or allow countries that hold Swiss-made weaponry to re-export it to Ukraine.
But it has matched the European Union’s economic sanctions on Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/swiss-government-websites-hit-by-pro-russia-hackers-after-zelensky-visit
| 2024-01-17T20:30:26Z
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A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday said it would reconsider a recent decision requiring Texas to remove a 1,000-foot-long (305-meter) floating barrier it had placed in the Rio Grande river to deter migrants from illegally crossing the border with Mexico.
The decision by the full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sets aside a divided three-judge panel's December ruling, which had sided with the Biden administration and said that the state could not install the string of buoys without permission from the federal government.
That ruling was a setback for Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, who has strongly criticized Democratic President Joe Biden's handling of record numbers of migrants crossing the border illegally.
The 5th Circuit said it would hear arguments in the case in May. Most of the court's 17 active judges are appointees of Republican presidents, but two of the three judges who decided the case in December were appointed by Democrats.
Abbott's office, the office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The floating barrier is part of Abbott's broader effort to deter and punish illegal border crossings, collectively known as Operation Lone Star.
Texas has placed concertina wire fencing on private property along the border, flown or bussed tens of thousands of migrants to Democrat-led cities and states, and recently passed a law authorizing state officials to arrest, prosecute and deport people who cross the border illegally.
All of those initiatives have spawned court battles between Texas and the Biden administration and civil rights groups. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/us-court-will-reconsider-forcing-texas-to-remove-rio-grande-migrant-barrier
| 2024-01-17T20:30:37Z
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Gorka Marquez is currently busy splitting his time between England and Spain, as he takes on an exciting new Strictly role, so he's clearly keen to make the most of time with his family.
On Wednesday, the dancer shared the cutest photo of his baby son, Thiago, six months, who he shares with fiancée Gemma Atkinson, and his fans will no doubt have been delighted.
The star took to his Instagram Stories, where he posted a sweet snapshot that showed his little boy lying on the carpet looking off to one side with a thoughtful expression.
Thiago definitely looks like his sister, Mia, four, but the resemblance with his dad was also clear to see. The tiny tot must have been taking a break from trying to crawl because, as mum Gemma recently revealed, the little boy is in the early stages of gaining his independence!
On Instagram, she shared a clip that showed he is in the early stages of learning to crawl, although he's finding the process frustrating. In the video, the little boy attempted to move closer to his mum before becoming visibly upset. "He gets so frustrated, bless him. It is frustrating isn't it pal," Gemma said, comforting her son.
According to the NHS, most babies typically start crawling at around 7 to 10 months, so it won't be long until Thiago's on the move!
Back in the summer, Gemma confirmed her son's arrival on social media, writing on her Instagram Stories: "Little man is here! He arrived safe and sound and he's utterly wonderful. We're all home together soaking up this lovely bubble before Gorks has to leave for Strictly rehearsals next week. Thank you for all your lovely wishes. Our family is complete."
When Gorka, 33, went on to shared a delightful carousel of family photos on Instagram, including a selfie of himself and Thiago, fans loved it and rushed to brand Thiago Mia's "double". "He is the absolute double of Mia," chimed one, while another commented, "Looks so much like Mia".
A third remarked: "Thiago is gorgeous like his dad, he has his mum's eyes, and is Mia's double". Back in September, Gemma exclusively opened up to HELLO! about becoming a mum for the second time, sharing her joy.
"Oh, I'm loving it. It's just going so fast. I always think if you could bottle it up and sell it, that would be the key to everyone's happiness – that time at home with you and your baby and the family," she said. "It's obviously chaotic and you're tired at the same time but it's so wonderful as well, you don't want it to end."
Asked how Mia's adapted to being a big sister, Gemma gushed: "She's like a mother hen; she's obsessed with him. She mucks in helping with the nappies and helps me get him dressed, which sometimes results in it taking a little bit longer than if I'm doing it on my own, but I just love the fact that she's so into him."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511517/gorka-marquez-baby-thiago-dad-double-heart-melting-new-photo/
| 2024-01-17T21:41:47Z
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BAGHDAD - Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met France's President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Davos 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
"The two leaders reviewed opportunities for cooperation in economic fields, enhancing Iraqi military capabilities, executing armament contracts with the French company Thales Group, expanding partnerships in the oil sector, and strengthening various contracts with Total and other major French companies," the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Also, Sudani underscored to Macron Iraq’s commitment to "ongoing bilateral security and military cooperation with friendly countries" who helped fight ISIS, it added. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/iraq-pm-french-president-meet-at-davos-discuss-boosting-cooperation
| 2024-01-17T22:02:14Z
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NEW YORK - Wall Street stocks lost ground on Jan 17, after stronger than anticipated retail sales data weighed on hopes that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates sooner rather than later.
Retail sales in the world’s biggest economy picked up by 0.6 per cent from November to December, closing out a year marked by resilient consumer demand, government data showed.
“The key takeaway from the report is that consumer spending remained healthy in the final month of 2023, which does not strengthen the argument for an imminent start to a rapid rate cut campaign” by the Fed, said Briefing.com in a note.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3 per cent to 37,266.67, while the broad-based S&P 500 ended 0.6 per cent lower at 4,739.21.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index also shed 0.6 per cent to 14,855.62.
“I think we are seeing the market readjusting to the hype of a cut rate in March,” said Mr Peter Cardillo, of Spartan Capital.
He added that a March rate cut is likely “off the table” give the economy’s performance and the way central bank officials have talked about cautiousness in lowering rates.
On Jan 17, the Fed released its latest “beige book” update of economic conditions, noting that economic activity remained largely unchanged in recent weeks.
But US businesses say they are optimistic about the prospect of falling interest rates, according to the report.
Among individual companies, aviation giant Boeing saw its shares rise by 1.3 per cent.
This came a day after shares sank nearly 8 per cent as the company announced an independent review of quality control functions following a near-catastrophic incident on a 737 Max jet. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/us-stocks-retreat-after-robust-economic-data
| 2024-01-17T22:02:17Z
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/cartoons/a-cartoonist-s-view-lee-chee-chew-jan-18-2024
| 2024-01-17T22:02:20Z
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Like many commuters, I use the MyTransport app to plan trips, and I would commend the app as it can potentially help commuters to plan trips and eliminate waiting time.
However, the timings shown in the MyTransport app fluctuate wildly and are inaccurate at times, causing frustration for commuters who end up wasting time waiting for buses.
The feedback I received from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is that the bus-arrival prediction times are based on a combination of scheduled bus departure times provided by the bus operator and real-time bus information.
The system assumes that a bus will depart at the time specified in the schedule by the bus operator.
I urge LTA to review the MyTransport app to eliminate the inaccuracies and its dependency on scheduled bus departure times.
Ang Bock Leng
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-improve-accuracy-of-timings-for-buses-on-mytransport-app
| 2024-01-17T22:02:26Z
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Music Day Out! is an independent music festival which celebrates emerging bands in Singapore and the region and their DIY ethos.
The 2024 iteration was held at *Scape on Jan 13 and Jan 14, and it comprised band performances and sharing sessions by industry players.
The bands were an eclectic mix and the festival turned out to be hugely enjoyable. Against regional bands like Filipino math-rock band Gabba and Indonesian electronic act Prontaxan, Singaporean bands held their own, with math-pop outfit Woes, shoegaze band Blush and instrumental band monda(e) being particularly outstanding.
Held at *Scape The Ground Theatre, the event featured two stages on either side of the theatre. All festivalgoers had
to do was to turn around after every set from one stage to face the other, where the next band was gearing up to perform.
Kudos to the organisers and technical crew for making everything run like clockwork, and it was more or less a non-stop sensorial experience.
Having Music Day Out! at the start of the indie musical calendar augurs well for the rest of 2024.
Colin Lim
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-indie-music-festival-had-lots-going-for-it
| 2024-01-17T22:02:47Z
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I refer to the news analysis “Can Singapore get another not-for-profit hospital to help keep private sector costs down?” (Jan 14).
Mount Alvernia Hospital is the only known successful model of a not-for-profit private acute hospital in Singapore.
Its formation was born out of compassion from Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood nuns, who pooled their savings and salaries. Individuals and companies responded to their call, and donated generously.
In short, the hospital owes its success to its roots in a compassionate mission, supported by non-profit governance and management.
In inviting private healthcare operators to participate in an industry consultation, the Ministry of Health would be capitalising on the business know-how of operators which are used to operating in an environment marked by watching quarterly returns, shareholder value and share price.
It remains to be seen how this know-how can translate into desirable outcomes for a not-for-profit organisation.
When commercial considerations lock horns with compassionate healthcare, will a non-profit private acute hospital remain unshackled from the need to optimise its market potential, and not lose sight of the goal of “providing compassionate, excellent and holistic healthcare” – the mission of Mount Alvernia Hospital?
Will it wriggle its way out by accumulating surpluses that attract funding, without earning “profits”?
Artificial intelligence start-up OpenAI’s recent saga, during which it sacked and reinstated chief executive Sam Altman in the space of five days, perhaps demonstrates the difficulties of running a business that has the potential to make money with a non-profit board.
Time magazine, in its recent article naming Mr Altman as its CEO of the Year, put it this way: “In contrast to a typical for-profit board, which makes decisions informed by quarterly earnings reports, stock prices and concerns for shareholder value, their job was to exercise their judgment to ensure the company was acting in the best interests of humanity – a mission that is fuzzy at best, and difficult to uphold when so much money is at stake.”
In short, you can’t have your cake and eat it. There is probably no hybrid model that provides an organisation with the best of both worlds, for-profit and non-profit.
Lai Yew Chan
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-not-easy-to-replicate-mount-alvernia-hospital-model
| 2024-01-17T22:02:58Z
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I refer to Forum writer Ryna Tan Chwee Eng’s letter “Set a limit to employer’s liability for maid’s medical bills” (Jan 16). I am also facing a domestic helper’s medical bill crisis.
My elderly mother’s helper was admitted to the National University Hospital on Dec 19 for tuberculosis (TB). Her liver is affected by the bacteria and the medicine. She was discharged on Jan 17 and her medical bill came up to $32,468.26.
As the insurance company puts a cap of $3,000 on communicable diseases, I need to pay the rest of the bill out of my pocket.
I would like to suggest the following be put in place.
First, have means testing to set a limit on employers’ liability for their helpers’ medical bills.
With Singapore set to become a super-aged society in 2026, it is going to be common for helpers to be employed to look after the frail elderly. This is almost a necessity rather than a want on the part of the sandwiched middle-aged who continue to work to care for both dependent parents and their children.
The nightmare begins when a helper is hospitalised with an astronomical bill. Hence, having some kind of ceiling as suggested by Ms Tan would be helpful. This can be calibrated with some form of means testing.
Second, remove the clause that caps payouts for communicable diseases in insurance policies.
The recent changes made to insurance covering maids’ medical fees are commendable. However, the clause that communicable diseases are covered up to $3,000 seems to benefit only the insurance companies.
It does not seem fair that while all employers pay the same premium, only some illnesses are worth covering and not others. With the recent spotlight on TB cases, it would be most distressing for another employer to be caught in the same situation.
This situation is also stressful for my mother’s helper, as she feels guilty about being a financial burden to us.
Stacey Low Loon
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-stuck-with-a-hefty-bill-now-because-maid-has-a-communicable-disease
| 2024-01-17T22:03:08Z
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The year 2024 kicked off with an increase in the cost of living.
The goods and services tax rose to 9 per cent, and at the same time energy tariffs increased by around 4 per cent.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/powering-singapore-how-move-towards-renewable-energy-will-affect-our-bills
| 2024-01-17T22:03:18Z
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The lights that shine at Marina Bay; the trains that ferry passengers across the island; the electricity that keeps factories buzzing and homes humming. Singapore will have to start looking at new ways to power its energy needs over the next few years in the wake of a historic climate deal that has wide-ranging implications.
For the first time since nations began meeting three decades ago to confront climate change, diplomats from nearly 200 countries recently approved a global pact that explicitly calls for “transitioning away from fossil fuels” like oil, natural gas and coal that are dangerously heating the planet. Before COP28, past climate deals had avoided mentioning the words “fossil fuels”.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/powering-singapore-urgent-need-to-find-energy-alternatives-amid-net-zero-push
| 2024-01-17T22:03:28Z
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In late December, as the world prepared for the Christmas holiday season, the United States announced on the State Department website that it had extended its continental shelf in several key regions of the world, but principally the Arctic.
In all, the US mapping – conducted over 20 years – led it to claim rights to an additional 987,700 sq km, an area about twice the size of California.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-new-great-game-has-melting-arctic-ice-all-over-it
| 2024-01-17T22:03:49Z
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SINGAPORE – Several harrowing road accidents have taken place on Malaysia’s North-South Highway in recent months, involving coaches that ply the route between Singapore and several Malaysian destinations daily. Injuries, damage to belongings and even fatalities were reported in relation to some of the accidents.
Factors such as weather and road conditions, the quality of vehicles, and how well-rested, experienced or cautious drivers are, play a role in the quality of your journey and whether you eventually arrive at your destination safely.
The Straits Times spoke to travel and legal experts about things to consider when travelling across the Causeway by coach and what to do if the bus one is travelling in is involved in an accident.
Q: What factors should I consider when preparing for my trip?
A: International SOS security manager Ooi Boon Haw said travellers who opt for coach travel to and from Malaysia need to be aware that those services tend to be long overland journeys.
“As such, one should educate themselves of the inherent risks associated with such trips, namely, road accidents and driver fatigue,” he added. “(Those who) intend to take coach rides between Singapore and Malaysia should avoid overnight coaches, as the drivers are more likely to go over the speed limit and engage in hazardous driving practices.”
He also urged travellers to research and establish “the coach company’s history of safe or unsafe practices prior to booking their trips in order to minimise risks”.
Mr Ooi noted that travellers should also have the contact details of the police or ambulance services in Malaysia on hand since that would be their first point of contact during accidents.
Additionally, it is useful to have the contact of a local host in the country. The key contacts should be saved on one’s mobile phone or written on a piece of paper, said Mr Ooi.
“Separately, if the traveller encounters a driver with unsafe driving practices, the traveller should promptly voice their concerns to the driver and the coach company in a firm but respectful tone.”
Q: Is it necessary to buy insurance if I am travelling by coach to Malaysia?
A: Ms Annie Chang, a director overseeing the travel agents and tourist guides at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), encourages travellers to purchase travel insurance for their coach bookings.
“(One should also) read through the terms and conditions of their purchase, to protect themselves against unforeseen circumstances when booking their holiday, like insolvency of the travel agent, trip cancellations and accidents,” she added.
“In the event of an accident, consumers can then reach out to their insurers for advice on the next steps.”
Ms Chang also advises travellers to purchase travel products from licensed travel agents listed on STB’s TRUST website here.
Q: Do I need to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if I am travelling to Malaysia?
A: Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to e-register their overseas travel plans with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in a written parliamentary reply on Jan 10.
The information provided to MFA will allow it to contact travellers in order to make sure they are safe and, if need be, assist them should an emergency occur.
Dr Balakrishnan said: “Assisting Singaporeans in distress is a priority... we will quickly reach out to local authorities and medical institutions to check on the condition of the affected Singaporeans, and then ensure that they receive the necessary medical attention.
“We will assist to inform their next of kin in Singapore and render consular assistance to these family members. This may include linking them up with local doctors or providing information to facilitate medical repatriation if the families decide to bring their injured loved ones home for treatment.”
In the event of a death, MFA will be able to advise the deceased’s next of kin on the procedures in relation to funeral services, local cremation, and/or the repatriation of the bodies.
“We will help the families reach out to the relevant local authorities to obtain the necessary documentation to repatriate the body or the cremated remains,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
He added that Singaporeans are advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover unexpected expenses, including medical costs, during their overseas trips.
Q: What can I do if I, or those I am travelling with, suffer serious injuries overseas?
A: Mr Ooi of International SOS noted that one should first remain calm and remove oneself from any immediate danger, including fire or oncoming traffic, when involved in a coach accident.
Once in a safe place, the individual should check for injuries and apply first aid where possible, only when they are trained to, said Mr Ooi.
“They should take photographs and videos of injuries as well as of the accident scene to document evidence while waiting for (emergency services),” he said.
He added that local services should be contacted along with informing the next of kin.
Those involved in coach accidents should comply with the directives of the emergency service personnel and contact their assistance provider, if they have one, or Singapore’s embassy emergency support hotline, Mr Ooi noted.
Q: Can I call an ambulance to take me from Malaysia to Singapore for treatment?
A: Yes. Some public hospitals such as the Singapore General Hospital provide overseas emergency evacuation services too. This is part of their patient liaison service. Air, sea and road routes are employed for an emergency evacuation of patients who prefer to be transferred back to Singapore. This depends on the patient’s injury and location.
According to Medlink Healthcare Group (MHG), private ambulance services are offered across the Causeway when patients request that they be transported back to Singapore for medical treatment – provided they are deemed clinically stable by medical experts.
“(However) the risks associated with cross-border transport may outweigh the potential benefits, and alternative medical care is recommended,” an MHG spokesman said, adding that some patients may still choose treatment in Singapore due to insurance coverage or practical considerations such as a prolonged coma.
Costs vary depending on factors such as distance, equipment required and the type of medical personnel on board. The price ranges from $800 to $3,500 for most trips.
Other private ambulance providers include Goodwill Ambulance Services and First Ambulance & Healthcare.
Q: I didn’t buy travel insurance. Can I claim compensation if the bus I am travelling in gets into an accident in Malaysia?
A: If the victim of a coach accident does not have travel insurance, it may still be possible for them to make claims against the coach driver and the company that owns the coach, said Ms Renuka Chettiar, advocate and partner at Karuppan Chettiar & Partners.
If the company that owns the coach is based in Singapore, the proceedings can take place in a local court.
As the coach would have been insured for third-party risks, the passengers would be able to recover damages through the insurers, Ms Renuka said.
Q: Do I need evidence or proof if I want to make a claim?
A: If an accident took place which you think is a result of the driver operating the coach in an unsafe manner, it is best to obtain legal advice when attempting to claim compensation for damages, says Peter Low Chambers associate director Elaine Low.
Where the accident has resulted in personal injury, Ms Low recommends that victims consider making a claim against the appropriate party through the court process, which allows for assessment of damages.
However, making claims for compensation against the driver might be a protracted affair.
If the coach accident takes place in Malaysia and the coach is run by a Malaysian operator, the victim-related court proceedings will take place in the same country, Malaysian law firm AmerBON senior advocate New Sin Yew said.
“First, based on police investigations, the prosecution will have to present findings and evidence related to the accident,” he said. He added that it sometimes might take up to a year or even more to make such claims.
The accident victims would require the police report generated from the accident to make a claim, he added.
Karuppan Chettiar & Partners’ advocate Ms Renuka noted that most vehicles are now fixed with in-vehicle cameras, and added: “If there was one in the coach, and if there are recordings prior to and at the time of the accident, that would be helpful.”
According to personal injury and dispute resolution lawyer at PKWA Mark Cheng, it is best to get medically evaluated after an accident. This would help support an insurance claim.
Mr Cheng also noted that injuries are not necessarily only physical.
“Although traffic accidents can and do sometimes result in (psychological damage) to victims, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, medical evidence should be provided to support such a claim,” he said.
Thus, it is advisable that professional evaluation be sought for those who feel the accident has had an impact on their psychological well-being.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/askst-what-should-i-do-if-i-am-travelling-by-bus-to-malaysia-and-get-into-an-accident
| 2024-01-17T22:03:59Z
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Ask military expert 4 apprentice (ME4A) Ethan Lim about his career five years ago, and he would never have predicted becoming a military intelligence expert.
Back then, the banking and finance student at Singapore Polytechnic was eyeing a job where he would assess global markets and geopolitical developments for investment risks and opportunities.
But his path ended up in the realm of public service after a final-year internship at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) during the 2020 “circuit breaker” period.
There, he was inspired by the dedication to public good after witnessing colleagues work intensely to ensure Singapore prevailed against a looming economic crisis.
“I saw that seemingly small changes in the global landscape could impact us hugely. It solidified my thinking that whatever my career was going to be, I wanted a career that helped defend Singapore,” says the 21-year-old.
Soon after, he attended Officer Cadet School (OCS) as part of his National Service. There, ME4A Lim found out about the newly established Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).
The fourth service of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the DIS is responsible for defending Singapore’s peace and security in the digital domain.
Realising his background in risk analysis was highly applicable to intelligence roles, ME4A Lim signed on in 2022 as a senior military intelligence expert (MIE) in the DIS, and was awarded the SAF Merit Scholarship, offered by the Ministry of Defence and the SAF.
“Financial analysts utilise analytical skillsets to make investment decisions that can have tremendous impact on a company’s returns,” says ME4A Lim.
“At the DIS, the emphasis is on using analytical skillsets to generate timely intelligence for the SAF to respond to potential threats. I resonated deeply with such a career.”
A mind primed for intelligence and analysis
Today, ME4A Lim is building up multidisciplinary skills to further his intelligence expertise with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from NUS College.
Now a year into his studies, he admits that the rigours of a multidisciplinary course is challenging, but he has gained much from leaning on peers. This experience in teamwork is also one he intends to parlay into his career.
“In the SAF, it's never an individual effort. You work with a team to gather the relevant information, and give it to stakeholders to make critical decisions at times of need.”
ME4A Lim may still be a student, but he is already contributing where he can to Singapore’s safety and security.
In 2022, he participated in the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence summit. During the event, he was tasked to ensure smooth and efficient calls for MINDEF/SAF senior officials and their foreign counterparts. This included preparation and dissemination of information and liaising with respective liaison officers for meetings.
Additionally, ME4A Lim is taking advantage of the chance to contribute to the development of the newly formed DIS in its early years. During his most recent vacation attachment with the service, he was an auxiliary instructor at OCS's DIS Wing.
He was involved in the day-to-day training of the military expert cadets who would go on to be future senior MIEs and C4 (Command, Control, Communications, Computers) experts of the DIS.
“A notable memory was conducting a summary exercise where we simulated a 24/7 intelligence and C4 operation for four days straight, with minimal rest time,” he says.
Apart from this, ME4A Lim also assisted in redesigning and consolidating the training programme for future cadets.
The SAF Merit scholarship will also cover his master’s programme at overseas universities. ME4A Lim says this wealth of experiences will position him optimally to lead, serve, and navigate a varied and rich career when he joins the SAF full-time after graduation.
For his starting role as an MIE, ME4A Lim will be tasked to gather relevant, timely and accurate military intelligence to support decision-making.
“My job scope will range from strategy to technology. I could be doing surveillance operations, work on research and development projects such as developing new software, or look at broader geopolitical situations and give briefs to senior commanders,” says ME4A Lim.
“No two days are the same, and I’m looking forward to that.”
For more information visit the Mindef Scholarship Centre.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/former-banking-student-studying-to-become-military-intelligence-expert-at-ministry-of-defence-digital-intelligence-service
| 2024-01-17T22:04:10Z
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SINGAPORE – Marina Bay Sands (MBS) will inject an additional US$750 million (S$1 billion) for the second phase of a rejuvenation programme to improve its luxury offerings.
The refurbishment, encompassing the hotel’s Tower 3, the lobby, Sands SkyPark and other key features, will be carried out in phases till 2025, MBS said in a statement on Jan 18. It will bring the total investment for the programme to US$1.75 billion.
The announcement came on the back of strong earnings – net revenue grew 34.3 per cent to US$1 billion for July to September 2023, from US$756 million the year before. In the same period, revenue from rooms at MBS, which is owned by Las Vegas Sands, surged by 35.9 per cent year on year from US$92 million to US$125 million.
MBS chief operating officer Paul Town said the integrated resort has “made significant progress in delivering new world-leading luxury travel experiences over the past two years”.
“This second phase of reinvestment will be critical as it propels the property to new heights and places us in a strong position to capture future growth opportunities,” he added.
MBS said this second phase will include new dining and retail offerings, as well as more than 550 redesigned rooms, which include 380 suites.
The transformation of the hotel, first announced in 2022, is part of a multi-year programme to strengthen the positioning of the integrated resort as a leader in the luxury hospitality industry, said MBS.
Under the US$1 billion first phase, MBS upgraded around 1,280 rooms across Towers 1 and 2, of which about 390 are new suites.
After the three hotel towers are renovated, there will be 1,850 refurbished rooms, including some 770 suites.
The ultra-luxurious suites – with the largest at 6,458 sq ft – are housed on the highest floors, from levels 50 to 54 in Towers 1 and 2, and are reserved for the hotel’s highest tier of guests. The experience includes private VIP arrival and dedicated lifts, butler services and exclusive access to the Paiza Sky Club, said MBS.
Mr Jesper Palmqvist, senior director for the Asia-Pacific at hotel industry research firm STR, said the luxury segment was the fastest-recovering hotel class from the Covid-19 pandemic, and remains strong today.
“While geopolitics remains one of the larger volatility factors influencing global travel, alongside overall economic slowdown, demand for travel generally remains quite strong,” he added.
“And while the higher rates across all hotel classes in Singapore are sometimes described as a deterrent and risk for travellers to seek other options, it is important to remember that higher rates are a global movement. Singapore is not alone in this,” Mr Palmqvist said.
Ms Selena Ling, chief economist and head of global markets research and strategy for OCBC, noted that large tourism projects help to lift Singapore as a tourist hub.
Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions – or Mice – have picked up since 2023, she said.
Leisure visitor numbers have also increased, though there may be “some shifts in the types of leisure visitors, with more bespoke or customised tourism demand”, Ms Ling added.
The Building and Construction Authority said on Jan 15 that between $14 billion and $17 billion in construction contracts are expected to be awarded by the private sector in 2024. The likely major projects include the expansion of the two integrated resorts (IRs).
The IRs’ expansions are part of an agreement with the Government, under which MBS and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) pledged to plough a combined $9 billion into new non-gaming attractions.
MBS will build a fourth tower that is due to be completed by April 8, 2028, and offer more luxurious hotel rooms, as well as a live entertainment arena capable of seating 15,000, among other facilities.
RWS is expanding Universal Studios Singapore with a new themed zone – Minion Land – and rebranding the SEA Aquarium as the Singapore Oceanarium. The oceanarium will be three times the size of the SEA Aquarium and encompass a research and learning centre.
In the third quarter of 2023, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Genting Singapore received provisional permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority to develop 228,658 sq ft in gross floor area into retail space, and 700 hotel rooms at RWS.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mbs-to-inject-1-billion-for-next-phase-of-hotel-transformation-works-to-be-completed-in-2025
| 2024-01-17T22:04:20Z
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SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic has died, the National Basketball Association (NBA) club said on Jan 17, after the Belgrade native suffered a heart attack during a team dinner.
The 46-year-old Milojevic was in his third season as an assistant coach with Golden State after helping the team win the 2022 NBA championship.
“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
“This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him.
“In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known, someone who brought joy and light to every single day with his passion and energy.”
The Warriors said Milojevic was taken to a Salt Lake City hospital on Jan 16, after suffering a heart attack at a private team dinner. But, despite life-saving efforts, he died late on the morning of Jan 17.
Earlier, the NBA announced that the Warriors’ game at the Utah Jazz scheduled for later on Jan 17 had been postponed because of a “medical emergency in the Warriors family” and that a makeup date would be announced at a later time.
Before joining the Warriors, Milojevic spent the 2021 season as head coach of Buducnost in the Adriatic League in Montenegro. Prior to that role, Milojevic was head coach for Mega Basket in Belgrade, Serbia, for eight seasons.
In December 2019, Milojevic was named an assistant coach for the Serbian national team under Igor Kokoskov.
Milojevic also enjoyed a 14-year international playing career and was named the Adriatic League Most Valuable Player three times (2004-06). REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nba-warriors-assistant-coach-dejan-milojevic-dead-at-46
| 2024-01-17T22:04:30Z
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LONDON - Beleaguered Everton found some cheer in a troubling week as they beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in their FA Cup third round replay on Wednesday thanks to an Andre Gomes free kick.
Two days after being charged by the Premier League for an alleged breach of the profitability and sustainability rules, Sean Dyche's struggling side responded in dogged fashion.
There was little to warm the Goodison Park crowd on a raw night on Merseyside until Gomes curled in a free kick three minutes before the interval.
Palace enjoyed the best of the goal-scoring chances but were thwarted on several occasions by keeper Joao Virginia who was playing in the absence of Jordan Pickford.
Everton clung on to set up a fourth-round tie at home to fellow Premier League relegation battlers Luton Town.
Championship side Norwich City set up a fourth-round clash against Liverpool as they came from a goal down to win 3-1 at third-tier Bristol Rovers. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/everton-edge-past-palace-to-reach-fa-cup-fourth-round
| 2024-01-17T22:05:02Z
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LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur's Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon joined Brentford on loan until the end of the season on Wednesday after failing to impress at Manchester United.
"Sergio is a perfect fit for us: a proven Premier League player in every aspect. He fits what we want. He's very offensive, has a very good cross and a very good left foot," Brentford manager Thomas Frank told the club's website.
Spain international Reguilon joined Tottenham from Real Madrid in 2020 having spent a season on loan at Sevilla but after initially doing well he struggled in his second season.
He joined United on loan in September and made 12 appearances for Erik ten Hag's side.
"He's got the experience we need to complement the rest of the squad and he's a good character," Frank said. "We need him, but I also think he needs us to show how good a footballer he is. I'm convinced that this will be a positive partnership." REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/tottenhams-reguilon-joins-brentford-on-loan
| 2024-01-17T22:05:12Z
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WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden was meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional leaders on Jan 17 afternoon to discuss immigration policy at the US border and funding for Ukraine.
Republicans in Congress have blocked emergency funding that Mr Biden has requested for Ukraine and threaten to force a partial shutdown of the government in an effort to tighten security along the US-Mexico border; they blame Mr Biden’s policies for leading to an influx of immigrants into the United States.
Mr Biden, a Democrat, sought to reform the US immigration system with proposed legislation at the beginning of his term that was opposed by Republicans. The White House is open to new restrictions on who can seek US asylum and expanding deportation authority, but many Democrats oppose such measures.
Mr Johnson told reporters before the meeting that he would press Mr Biden for clarity on the endgame for the war between Russia and Ukraine and accountability for US funds to support Kyiv.
“But before we even talk about Ukraine, I’m going to tell the president what I’m telling all of you and we’ve told the American people: border, border, border. We have to take care of our own house. We have to secure our own border before we talk about doing anything else,” Mr Johnson said.
A Johnson aide said the Speaker agreed on the need to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but felt that securing the US border was a higher priority.
Mr Biden has requested US$61.4 billion (S$80 billion) in additional funding to help supply Ukraine with weapons and replenish US stocks. It is part of a “supplemental” request that also includes US$14.3 billion for Israel and US$13.6 billion for border protection.
“Today’s meeting’s about Ukraine. That’s what we’re going to focus on in this discussion,” White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“As the Speaker knows quite well, we continue to negotiate in good faith in a bipartisan way with the Senate, with Republicans and Democrats up there on Capitol Hill, about the national security supplemental... which obviously includes money for border security.” REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/biden-republicans-talking-ukraine-us-border-in-white-house-meeting
| 2024-01-17T22:05:22Z
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DAVOS, Switzerland - Western officials said in Davos on Jan 17 they were open to the idea of confiscating US$300 billion (S$400 billion) of Russian assets to help Ukraine, but cautioned that the devil was in the legal detail and that, even if it could be done, it would be no panacea for Kyiv.
After President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with Russia’s central bank and finance ministry, blocking around US$300 billion of sovereign Russian assets in the West.
Group of 7 countries are discussing possibly confiscating the frozen Russian assets, though some G-7 members have concerns about the precedent, mechanism and potential impact of taking such a step against central bank assets.
“The first thing you know is a ton of lawyers need to get involved. No decisions been made,” Ms Penny Pritzker, US special representative for Ukraine’s economic recovery, told a panel on Jan 15.
“If a decision gets made it’s going to end up being collective. It’s a misperception to think this is going to be a panacea effect. There’s real effort going on but we are far from a conclusion.”
Russia, which was not represented at Davos, has warned that confiscation of those assets would go against the principles of free markets and the Kremlin has warned it would seize US, European and other assets in response to such a move.
Clear mechanism needed
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has long expressed concerns about a lack of legal authority for the US to confiscate frozen Russian assets housed at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, but has recently embraced a request by G-7 leaders to explore seizure options based on international law.
She said last week that no decisions had been made on the G-7 efforts, but there were still concerns about the impact on storing reserves in dollars or euros, adding: “It would be a question of understanding and seeing if mitigation could be put in place and seeing if the G-7 could agree on international law rationale.”
Another concern held by some senior Western officials is that confiscating Russian assets invested in government bonds denominated in euros, US dollars and British pounds could undermine the willingness of central banks to store reserves with each other.
The lion’s share of the assets - essentially securities in which the Russian Central Bank had invested - are frozen in Euroclear, a depository based in Brussels.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Reuters that he did not oppose the confiscation of the frozen assets, but there needed to be a clear mechanism.
“We don’t say no to asset confiscation. But we need to work on a mechanism. For example, they can be used as collateral for raising funds for Ukraine,” Mr De Croo said.
“We are open to further discussion and are willing to participate in a solution of finding a legal basis for those transfers to Ukraine, without destabilising the global financial system,” he said.
Some securities mature and hence are being converted into cash - a transaction that is taxed at 25 per cent, he said.
“If there is any taxable revenue, we will isolate it so it can go to Ukraine,” Mr De Croo told Reuters in Davos.
He said tax on the frozen assets totalled about €1.3 billion in 2023 and in 2024 would total about €1.7 billion. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/grabbing-400b-of-russian-assets-is-no-panacea-west-cautions-in-davos
| 2024-01-17T22:05:33Z
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BAGHDAD - The Iraqi and Saudi foreign ministers discussed in a phone call on Wednesday the latest regional and international developments, led by the Iranian attack on Iraq's Kurdistan region, the Iraqi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Iran late on Monday struck Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, with ballistic missiles in what it said was an attack on an Israeli spy headquarters -- claims vehemently denied by Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish officials.
The Iranian attacks have caused a rare diplomatic dispute between the two neighbouring allies. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/iraqi-saudi-ministers-discuss-iranian-attack-on-kurdistan
| 2024-01-17T22:05:43Z
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NEW YORK - A federal judge warned Donald Trump on Jan 17 that he could be kicked out of the trial in writer E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case if the former US president is disruptive.
US District Judge Lewis Kaplan’s threat came after a lawyer for Ms Carroll said Trump was talking loudly with his lawyers during Ms Carroll’s testimony.
Ms Carroll, who wrote an advice column for Elle magazine for 27 years, has said Trump destroyed her reputation and should pay millions of dollars in damages for denying in 2019 that he had raped her nearly a quarter of a century earlier.
“He said: ‘It is a witch hunt, it really is a con job,’“ Ms Carroll’s lawyer, Mr Shawn Crowley, said outside the jury’s presence in federal court in Manhattan.
Judge Kaplan warned Trump to control himself during the trial.
“Mr Trump has the right to be present here,” Judge Kaplan said. “That right can be forfeited and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive... and if he disregards court orders.
“Mr Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial,” the judge continued. “I understand you are probably very eager for me to do that.”
Trump, 77, has said he wants to testify in his defence, but is not required to be in court.
He skipped opening statements on Jan 16 afternoon, and flew to New Hampshire for a campaign event that night.
Trump’s multiple criminal and civil trials have become a focus of his 2024 White House run, with Trump using his Truth Social platform to criticise Ms Carroll and the judge even after the trial had begun.
Following Judge Kaplan’s warning, Trump posted that the judge was a “seething and hostile” judge with “a major case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Trump often uses his legal travails to rally supporters and raise funds as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination, calling the cases part of a political plot.
He has pleaded not guilty in four state and federal criminal cases, including two claiming he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
‘He lied’
The Jan 17 trial arose from two statements in June 2019 in which Trump denied Ms Carroll’s claim that he had raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room.
Trump claimed he didn’t know Ms Carroll, and that she branded him a rapist to boost sales of her then-new memoir.
In May 2023, a different jury ordered Trump to pay Ms Carroll US$5 million (S$6.7 million), finding he had sexually abused her, and then defamed her in 2022 by denying that anything happened.
Judge Kaplan has already ruled that Trump sexually abused Ms Carroll by forcing his fingers into her vagina, and defamed her in his 2019 statements.
Ms Carroll, 80, testified that lies destroyed her reputation for telling the truth, and instantaneously exposed her to online attacks, including death threats.
“I am here because Donald Trump assaulted me, and when I wrote about it, he said it never happened,” Ms Carroll said.
“He lied, and it shattered my reputation.”
Ms Carroll is seeking another US$10 million in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages.
She fought back tears when her lawyer, Ms Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge, showed her a message from an unknown sender suggesting that she stick a gun in her mouth and pull the trigger.
“I was attacked on Twitter, I was attacked on Facebook, I was attacked on news blogs, I was brutally attacked in messages,” Ms Carroll said. “It was a new world.”
Ms Carroll said she now gets just eight letters a month from readers seeking advice, down from 200, and that the attacks haven’t let up.
“Yesterday, I opened up Twitter, and it said ‘hey lady, you’re a fraud,’“ Ms Carroll said. “Now I’m known as a liar, a fraud and a whack job.”
Asked if she regretted speaking up, Ms Carroll said: “Only momentarily. I am very glad I took action.”
Twitter is now known as X.
Trump did not attend the first trial. In his Truth Social post on Jan 17, Trump said he would have won that case had he attended.
Trump’s lawyer, Ms Alina Habba, has argued that Ms Carroll suffered harm only from “mean things” that people posted on social media, and has basked in adulation from supporters and attention from media outlets.
The court does not sit on Jan 19. Trump could testify next week. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-is-warned-he-may-be-kicked-out-of-writer-e-jean-carroll-trial
| 2024-01-17T22:05:54Z
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WASHINGTON - The U.S. Treasury Department's top international official spoke with Zambia's finance minister on Wednesday and discussed Zambia's ongoing debt restructuring and its response to a recent cholera outbreak, the U.S. Treasury Department said.
Zambia faces a major cholera outbreak that has killed at least 333 people since October, with over 8,000 cumulative cholera cases during this period, according to the website of the U.S. Embassy in Zambia.
U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh reiterated the U.S. government's "commitment to partner with Zambia" to end the outbreak when he spoke to Zambian Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, according to the Treasury Department.
Zambia, one of Africa's largest copper producers, also defaulted on its debts three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its restructuring efforts have been beset by delays.
Shambaugh "welcomed Zambia's performance to date under its IMF program and encouraged continued progress on the remaining economic reforms," the Treasury Department said.
In a major setback for Zambia, its official creditors, which include China and members of the Paris Club of creditor nations, rejected a preliminary restructuring deal in November.
The International Monetary Fund's board in December approved an immediate $187 million loan payout to Zambia and said the country was revising a restructuring proposal for $3 billion of bonds that official creditors had rejected in November.
"They discussed Zambia's ongoing debt restructuring under the Common Framework and efforts to finalize negotiations with all remaining creditors," the Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday.
Debtor countries are meant to agree comparable restructuring deals with official and commercial creditors under the G20's Common Framework process, which was established in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zambia said earlier this month that it aimed to agree on key conditions for debt relief no later than the first quarter of 2024. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/us-treasury-official-discusses-cholera-outbreak-debt-with-zambia-minister
| 2024-01-17T22:06:04Z
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BEIJING – China’s economy grew 5.2 per cent in 2023 on the back of government spending – exceeding the official target of around 5 per cent – but the road ahead this year remains rocky, analysts said.
To sustain the hard-won momentum, policymakers will need to do more in 2024, given that China’s beleaguered property market and tepid consumer demand are expected to continue to weigh on growth, they added.
Officials will have their work cut out for them, as “looking back in 2023, investor confidence and consumer sentiment have proved to be difficult to repair and restore”, said Professor of Economics Albert Hu of the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai.
In a move to further boost confidence in China’s economy, Premier Li Qiang released the full-year growth figure in his address to the World Economic Forum – a gathering of the world’s top policymakers and analysts – in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan 16, one day before the traditional release of the closely watched full-year economic data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Dr Dan Wang, chief economist of Hang Seng Bank in Shanghai, told The Straits Times: “I think he was really trying to prop up market confidence and give people more hope (with the unusual release).”
Doubts had risen among economists that China could hit its stated target when the country released its half-year growth figure in July.
The doubts were a quick reversal of fortune from March, when China announced its target of around 5 per cent during the country’s annual parliamentary meetings and economists said the goal was low, especially given 2022’s stunted base.
In 2022, China’s economy grew 3 per cent, missing its growth target of around 5.5 per cent – the first time it had failed to hit its stated goal by such a significant margin – owing to the damage from the country’s zero-Covid policy, which was lifted only in December that year.
China’s economy had also been reeling from regulatory clampdowns on its formerly high-flying sectors of education, technology and, in particular, property. That made it harder for policymakers to maintain the growth momentum in the first three months of 2023.
As a result, businesses started to lose confidence in China, with residents in the country also becoming more conservative in their spending after their savings took a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2023, the Chinese economy grew 4.5 per cent between January and March, from the same period a year ago, before going on to expand 6.3 per cent in the next three months.
The quarter-on-quarter expansion, however, slowed to 0.8 per cent from 2.2 per cent in the first quarter.
Growth then picked up again between July and September, with the year-on-year figure coming in at 4.9 per cent and the quarter-on-quarter expansion hitting 1.3 per cent.
The latest figures showed that the economy grew 1 per cent in the three months to December 2023, compared with the previous quarter, with the year-on-year growth coming in at 5.2 per cent in the last quarter.
It was slightly lower than the 5.3 per cent predicted by economists polled by media outlet Reuters. The figure was in line with predictions by Bloomberg, another media outlet.
To boost growth in 2023, China rolled out consumption vouchers, released liquidity into the market and did away with restrictions on property purchases to stem the decline in its economy. The central bank had injected more than 500 billion yuan (S$95 billion) into the economy at least twice in 2023.
Property slump and youth unemployment
The efforts paid off, economists said, but more will need to be done to sustain the growth momentum. Economists expect the policy boosts to continue in 2024.
“Going into 2024, there is wide expectation that the government may step up fiscal and monetary stimulus, which will be useful and necessary,” Prof Hu said.
But Dr Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist of Pinpoint Asset Management in Hong Kong, said the key question for China’s economic growth in 2024 is the property market, which is currently in a slump.
Prices for new homes in China fell in December at the fastest pace since February 2015, marking the sixth straight month of declines, NBS data showed on Jan 17.
Property sales by floor area also dropped 8.5 per cent for the year, with new construction starts slumping 20.4 per cent.
In response to a question by ST during Jan 17’s data release, NBS director Kang Yi said property transactions in 70 major cities have been rising mildly, and that the market has shown “positive changes, with the decline in property investment narrowing”.
Youth unemployment was another problem that had ballooned during the pandemic, as millions of Chinese undergraduates sought to further their education and bide their time amid the gloomy economy, the economists added.
On Jan 17, the NBS said China’s youth unemployment rate was 14.9 per cent in December, a drop from the record high of 21.3 per cent in June before the authorities stopped publishing the data, citing the need to refine its data collection methodology.
A new category – for those aged between 25 and 29 – had also been created to reflect the graduate employment situation better. The jobless rate for this group was 6.1 per cent in December.
Mr Kang said the decline in the youth unemployment rate – for those aged between 16 and 24 – was due to the changes to data collection, which now excludes students, to “more accurately represent the employment situation in China”.
Prof Hu said the new figures, however, still showed an “anaemic youth job market”.
“The private sector is responsible for most of the job creation in China. Unless private firms’ confidence returns, job creation will remain weak,” he added.
In 2024, a projected 11.79 million graduates are due to enter the workforce, up from the previous high of 11.58 million in 2023.
Business sentiment, however, is unlikely to pick up in 2024, particularly for companies that are not aligned with the national strategy, such as those outside of hard technology, including advanced manufacturing.
“Domestic demand is too suppressed, with the growth in income slowing,” said Dr Wang.
“This means that companies in general services will suffer probably even more in 2024 than in 2023, as people are going to be more conservative.”
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| 2024-01-17T22:06:42Z
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Preparations are well under way for the eighth edition of the Light to Night Festival that commences this week…
… with teams of personnel including lighting and audio technicians, fabricators and artists working on more than 60 works of art and programmes at various locations.
The marquee event of 2024’s Singapore Art Week that starts on Jan 19, the Light to Night Festival will run till Feb 8 and is the largest visual arts festival organised by National Gallery Singapore.
Interactive art installations, interdisciplinary programmes, light projections and live performances will take place around National Gallery Singapore, Victoria Theatre, The Arts House and the Padang and set the civic district abuzz.
While artists, both veteran and budding, are at the forefront of the festival, it takes entire crews behind the scenes to ensure that the installations – encompassing sculptures, lighting projections and set designs – are executed to plan.
One of the main highlights this year is Wings of Change by veteran artist Kumari Nahappan, who is known for her large-scale sculptures that often depict subjects such as fruit and seeds.
Supervised on site by the artist herself, the work on Jan 13 involved transporting eight pre-inflated saga seeds made out of canvas to the Padang.
A single giant saga seed, some 6m in height and 7.8m in diameter, was then inflated twice – once to check if its placement would obstruct guests from viewing the light projections on the facade of National Gallery Singapore, and a second time after the placement of its base was confirmed.
Because the seed was so big, six workers who specialised in inflatables had to help support it in place during inflation and made minor adjustments based on the artist’s instructions.
Rain was another issue to contend with, as many of the installations were outdoors, meaning work had to pause when there were downpours.
Take, for example, local artist Howie Kim’s installation Party Pavilion, situated at the Asian Civilisations Museum Green.
Work on the theme park-inspired piece had to wait till the rain stopped in the afternoon on Jan 12, before seven workers slowly pieced together, like a jigsaw, a sheltered platform that visitors can walk through.
Light projections, which have been present in all editions of Light to Night, require a lot of patience during the set-up and troubleshooting phase.
The 205m-long facade of National Gallery Singapore will feature light projections from Singaporean artist Teo Eng Seng and Paris-based Polish artist Milosh Luczynski in 2024.
A three-dimensional animation of the National Gallery was projected onto the actual building’s facade to precisely align 33 high-powered laser projectors.
ALL MAPPED OUT
This animation was meticulously crafted using a laser scan stencil of the building and precisely mapped onto the facade through an advanced projection mapping system.
The visual arts festival has free and ticketed experiences, and festival-goers can pre-book their tickets for select programmes at lighttonight.sg
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https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/graphics/2024/01/light-to-night-singapore-2024/index.html?utm_campaign=STPicks
| 2024-01-17T22:06:53Z
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In late December, as the world prepared for the Christmas holiday season, the United States announced on the State Department website that it had extended its continental shelf in several key regions of the world, but principally the Arctic.
In all, the US mapping – conducted over 20 years – led it to claim rights to an additional 987,700 sq km, an area about twice the size of California.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-new-great-game-has-melting-arctic-ice-all-over-it?utm_campaign=STPicks
| 2024-01-17T22:07:04Z
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SINGAPORE – Several harrowing road accidents have taken place on Malaysia’s North-South Highway in recent months, involving coaches that ply the route between Singapore and several Malaysian destinations daily. Injuries, damage to belongings and even fatalities were reported in relation to some of the accidents.
Factors such as weather and road conditions, the quality of vehicles, and how well-rested, experienced or cautious drivers are, play a role in the quality of your journey and whether you eventually arrive at your destination safely.
The Straits Times spoke to travel and legal experts about things to consider when travelling across the Causeway by coach and what to do if the bus one is travelling in is involved in an accident.
Q: What factors should I consider when preparing for my trip?
A: International SOS security manager Ooi Boon Haw said travellers who opt for coach travel to and from Malaysia need to be aware that those services tend to be long overland journeys.
“As such, one should educate themselves of the inherent risks associated with such trips, namely, road accidents and driver fatigue,” he added. “(Those who) intend to take coach rides between Singapore and Malaysia should avoid overnight coaches, as the drivers are more likely to go over the speed limit and engage in hazardous driving practices.”
He also urged travellers to research and establish “the coach company’s history of safe or unsafe practices prior to booking their trips in order to minimise risks”.
Mr Ooi noted that travellers should also have the contact details of the police or ambulance services in Malaysia on hand since that would be their first point of contact during accidents.
Additionally, it is useful to have the contact of a local host in the country. The key contacts should be saved on one’s mobile phone or written on a piece of paper, said Mr Ooi.
“Separately, if the traveller encounters a driver with unsafe driving practices, the traveller should promptly voice their concerns to the driver and the coach company in a firm but respectful tone.”
Q: Is it necessary to buy insurance if I am travelling by coach to Malaysia?
A: Ms Annie Chang, a director overseeing the travel agents and tourist guides at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), encourages travellers to purchase travel insurance for their coach bookings.
“(One should also) read through the terms and conditions of their purchase, to protect themselves against unforeseen circumstances when booking their holiday, like insolvency of the travel agent, trip cancellations and accidents,” she added.
“In the event of an accident, consumers can then reach out to their insurers for advice on the next steps.”
Ms Chang also advises travellers to purchase travel products from licensed travel agents listed on STB’s TRUST website here.
Q: Do I need to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if I am travelling to Malaysia?
A: Singaporeans are strongly encouraged to e-register their overseas travel plans with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in a written parliamentary reply on Jan 10.
The information provided to MFA will allow it to contact travellers in order to make sure they are safe and, if need be, assist them should an emergency occur.
Dr Balakrishnan said: “Assisting Singaporeans in distress is a priority... we will quickly reach out to local authorities and medical institutions to check on the condition of the affected Singaporeans, and then ensure that they receive the necessary medical attention.
“We will assist to inform their next of kin in Singapore and render consular assistance to these family members. This may include linking them up with local doctors or providing information to facilitate medical repatriation if the families decide to bring their injured loved ones home for treatment.”
In the event of a death, MFA will be able to advise the deceased’s next of kin on the procedures in relation to funeral services, local cremation, and/or the repatriation of the bodies.
“We will help the families reach out to the relevant local authorities to obtain the necessary documentation to repatriate the body or the cremated remains,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
He added that Singaporeans are advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover unexpected expenses, including medical costs, during their overseas trips.
Q: What can I do if I, or those I am travelling with, suffer serious injuries overseas?
A: Mr Ooi of International SOS noted that one should first remain calm and remove oneself from any immediate danger, including fire or oncoming traffic, when involved in a coach accident.
Once in a safe place, the individual should check for injuries and apply first aid where possible, only when they are trained to, said Mr Ooi.
“They should take photographs and videos of injuries as well as of the accident scene to document evidence while waiting for (emergency services),” he said.
He added that local services should be contacted along with informing the next of kin.
Those involved in coach accidents should comply with the directives of the emergency service personnel and contact their assistance provider, if they have one, or Singapore’s embassy emergency support hotline, Mr Ooi noted.
Q: Can I call an ambulance to take me from Malaysia to Singapore for treatment?
A: Yes. Some public hospitals such as the Singapore General Hospital provide overseas emergency evacuation services too. This is part of their patient liaison service. Air, sea and road routes are employed for an emergency evacuation of patients who prefer to be transferred back to Singapore. This depends on the patient’s injury and location.
According to Medlink Healthcare Group (MHG), private ambulance services are offered across the Causeway when patients request that they be transported back to Singapore for medical treatment – provided they are deemed clinically stable by medical experts.
“(However) the risks associated with cross-border transport may outweigh the potential benefits, and alternative medical care is recommended,” an MHG spokesman said, adding that some patients may still choose treatment in Singapore due to insurance coverage or practical considerations such as a prolonged coma.
Costs vary depending on factors such as distance, equipment required and the type of medical personnel on board. The price ranges from $800 to $3,500 for most trips.
Other private ambulance providers include Goodwill Ambulance Services and First Ambulance & Healthcare.
Q: I didn’t buy travel insurance. Can I claim compensation if the bus I am travelling in gets into an accident in Malaysia?
A: If the victim of a coach accident does not have travel insurance, it may still be possible for them to make claims against the coach driver and the company that owns the coach, said Ms Renuka Chettiar, advocate and partner at Karuppan Chettiar & Partners.
If the company that owns the coach is based in Singapore, the proceedings can take place in a local court.
As the coach would have been insured for third-party risks, the passengers would be able to recover damages through the insurers, Ms Renuka said.
Q: Do I need evidence or proof if I want to make a claim?
A: If an accident took place which you think is a result of the driver operating the coach in an unsafe manner, it is best to obtain legal advice when attempting to claim compensation for damages, says Peter Low Chambers associate director Elaine Low.
Where the accident has resulted in personal injury, Ms Low recommends that victims consider making a claim against the appropriate party through the court process, which allows for assessment of damages.
However, making claims for compensation against the driver might be a protracted affair.
If the coach accident takes place in Malaysia and the coach is run by a Malaysian operator, the victim-related court proceedings will take place in the same country, Malaysian law firm AmerBON senior advocate New Sin Yew said.
“First, based on police investigations, the prosecution will have to present findings and evidence related to the accident,” he said. He added that it sometimes might take up to a year or even more to make such claims.
The accident victims would require the police report generated from the accident to make a claim, he added.
Karuppan Chettiar & Partners’ advocate Ms Renuka noted that most vehicles are now fixed with in-vehicle cameras, and added: “If there was one in the coach, and if there are recordings prior to and at the time of the accident, that would be helpful.”
According to personal injury and dispute resolution lawyer at PKWA Mark Cheng, it is best to get medically evaluated after an accident. This would help support an insurance claim.
Mr Cheng also noted that injuries are not necessarily only physical.
“Although traffic accidents can and do sometimes result in (psychological damage) to victims, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, medical evidence should be provided to support such a claim,” he said.
Thus, it is advisable that professional evaluation be sought for those who feel the accident has had an impact on their psychological well-being.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/askst-what-should-i-do-if-i-am-travelling-by-bus-to-malaysia-and-get-into-an-accident?utm_campaign=STPicks
| 2024-01-17T22:07:14Z
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SINGAPORE – To help Singaporeans locate cheaper meals amid cost-of-living pressures, a new initiative called the Great Budget Meal Hunt, which allows the public to crowdsource meals for $3.50 or less, was officially launched on Jan 16.
Since the pilot of the initiative began in late October 2023, members of the public have submitted more than 1,600 recommendations for budget meals and over 2,500 verifications across about 310 coffee shops islandwide through the CrowdTaskSG portal.
These public recommendations will be added to the BudgetMealGoWhere website from Jan 16, the Housing Board and Government Technology Agency (GovTech) said in a joint statement.
The public can also identify stalls serving budget meals by looking out for a circular budget meal decal on display.
Speaking to the media at City Foodcourt in Bendemeer, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann said the Government is aware that the cost of living, including the price of cooked food, continues to be a very important concern for Singaporeans.
“We also know that members of the public are aware of very affordably priced food and drinks in coffee shops elsewhere, and we want to encourage them to also list these budget meals and drinks on our website,” said Ms Sim.
The BudgetMealGoWhere website (www.go.gov.sg/budgetmeal) allows users to search for the nearest coffee shop budget meal options.
Drinks priced at $1.20 and below are also listed.
Since the site was launched on May 19, 2023, it has received 300,000 unique visitors.
The number of HDB coffee shops that must offer budget meals as part of their lease agreements has increased from 40 at the launch of BudgetMealGoWhere in May 2023 to the current 130.
To participate in the Great Budget Meal Hunt, Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above with a Singpass account can register as CrowdTaskSG users at https://www.crowdtask.gov.sg/quest/budget-meal
Users can unlock badges and gain stars on the portal by completing challenges.
They can also access the latest statistics on the Great Budget Meal Hunt Info-bites webpage on the CrowdTaskSG portal.
HDB and GovTech said the Government will continue to work closely with food and beverage businesses and operators to expand the implementation of budget meals, while also considering the outlets’ commercial interests.
There are 776 coffee shops in Singapore, of which more than half, or 402, are privately owned.
From 2018 to 2023, 97 per cent of HDB’s 374 coffee shops have not had their rents increased, said the agencies.
Since May 2023, all HDB rental coffee shops have had to offer budget meal options upon their tenancy renewal and, by 2026, budget meals will be offered at all HDB rental coffee shops.
For HDB rental coffee shops leased out through Price Quality Method (PQM) tenders since 2018, their rental rates have also been lower by 27 per cent on average, compared with those awarded under the previous e-bidding system.
The PQM tenders are reviewed on a range of criteria instead of price alone to ensure rents remain sustainable for operators.
For other HDB rental coffee shops not leased through PQM, HDB will be offering a rental discount of 5 per cent off the market valuation-based renewal rents for one year from the time of the tenancy being renewed.
This is subject to verification that the new budget meals and drinks have been implemented.
Over the past five years, HDB has built 31 new coffee shops. Another 21 are slated to be completed in the next five years, in line with new Build-To-Order developments.
Meanwhile, some privately owned coffee shops have made headlines in recent years after they changed hands for more than $40 million.
Asked if the Government plans to mandate that privately owned coffee shops offer budget meals, Ms Sim noted that several privately owned coffee shops with budget meals are listed on CrowdTaskSG, and that the issue is being studied.
The privately owned coffee shops may eventually have to offer budget meals in order to continue using nearby outdoor seating areas.
“HDB is also studying the conditions with regard to the renewal of use of the outdoor refreshment areas... to see how this can encourage more privately owned coffee shops to provide budget meals,” Ms Sim added.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/great-budget-meal-hunt-initiative-officially-launched-to-allow-public-to-crowdsource-cheap-meals?utm_campaign=STPicks
| 2024-01-17T22:07:24Z
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Mariska Hargitay may have spent the last 25 years starring on Law & Order: SVU – with more years to come – but her youngest son has yet to meet her beloved alter ego, Olivia Benson.
The legendary NBC mainstay has a lot to celebrate this month, between the premiere of SVU's 25th season and another milestone: her 60th birthday.
In honor of the very celebratory start to the year, the actress has opened up to People about her work on SVU, reflected on difficult experiences in her personal life, and spoke candidly about turning 60.
The latest anecdote from Mariska is about her son Andrew, 12, and how unused he still is that his mom is one of the most famous faces in television.
Mariska and her husband Peter Hermann – the pair tied the knot on August 28, 2004 after meeting on the set of SVU, where the actor had the recurring role of defense attorney Trevor Langan – share three kids. They welcomed son August Miklos, 17, in 2006, and they adopted his siblings Amaya Josephine, 12, in 2011 as well as Andrew four months later.
"He thinks I play a cop on TV, end of story," the mom-of-three revealed about her youngest son's knowledge of her more than 400-episode legacy as Olivia, the longest-running character in a primetime drama in television history.
She then hilariously revealed: "He asked, 'Why does everyone say I love you' when we're walking down the street?"
MORE: Mariska Hargitay welcomes new addition to the family – with a Taylor Swift approved name
Still, while Olivia is definitely her most popular role, that's not to say Andrew isn't acquainted with some of his mom's other work.
In fact, Mariska shared the tween recently discovered a starkly different role of hers from almost 20 years ago, voicing the character of Tenar in the English version of Japanese fantasy anime film Tales of Earthsea (2006).
She said: "I did this movie so many years ago, I just did a little voiceover, no big deal," before revealing: "And then my son, who loves anime now, he found out that I was in this movie. He said, 'What? You're in this movie?' And we sat and watched it. And I'm sitting on the couch with my 12-year-old son who, first of all, the movie's good, but he just thought it was the coolest thing."
"So for him to see me in this movie that he loves, he said 'Mom, it's such a cool character.' And it was this moment of, had I known that, almost 20 years ago, that I would have this moment with my son that was so bonding and sacred, I just sat there going, 'I don't know that life gets better than this moment,'" she endearingly said.
"That's what's exciting about life, that in many ways, we're getting ready our whole lives for things," she added, noting: "Because I keep learning things are worth the wait."
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/511519/mariska-hargitay-reveals-son-confused-reaction-fame-fan-encounters/
| 2024-01-17T22:30:07Z
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In his Telegram post titled “Why Ukraine is dangerous for its inhabitants,” former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev once again confirmed Russia’s objective is the obliteration of Ukraine as a sovereign nation, claiming that the very existence of Ukraine as a state endangers Ukrainians.
Medvedev’s speculations are in line with Russian genocidal propaganda and show that Russia remains intransigent regarding any negotiations but Ukraine’s capitulation.
Medvedev, who currently holds the post of the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, claims that Ukraine’s existence as an independent state perpetually endangers the lives of Ukrainians themselves since maintaining sovereignty will ostensibly prompt the renewal of military conflict with Russia continually, regardless of any security assurances by the West and even if Ukraine joined the EU or NATO.
“The existence of an independent state on historical Russian territories will now be a constant reason to resume hostilities. It’s too late. Whoever is at the helm of the cancerous new formation called Ukraine, it will not add legitimacy to his rule or legal standing to the ‘country’ itself,” Medvedev wrote.
Medvedev claims that though most Ukrainians currently wish death upon Russians and fervently aspire to ‘mythical” EU and NATO membership, the absolute majority will allegedly ultimately choose life by resigning themselves to existence in a Russian-controlled “greater state” rather than face indefinite slaughter.
Per his post, Medvedev appears utterly convinced enduring conflict and mounting casualties will pressure Ukrainians into relinquishing independence of their “artificial state” in favor of subjugation by Russia.
Medvedev’s stance confirms that negotiations with Russia are pointless
Back in late 2022, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Russia’s plans to continue its war in Ukraine until the Ukrainian government capitulates to Russia’s demands.
Recently, the New York Times claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was signaling to the West that he would be willing to freeze the war in Ukraine along the current frontline and is waiting for a more concrete proposal and ostensibly ‘tested the waters’ for a ceasefire agreement back in fall 2022 – after Ukraine routed the Russian army in the northeastern part of the country.
If the NYT claims were true, they would only show that Russia needs negotiations to secure its territorial gains and prepare for the next phase of the invasion. Meanwhile, Russia does not need any talks to end the war, which for Russians would simply mean to stop fighting and withdraw troops from the Ukrainian territory.
Meanwhile, Russia’s state propaganda repeatedly dehumanizes Ukrainians and supports genocide against them. In a March 2022 column, historian Heinrich August Winkler listed the striking parallels between Hitler’s policies in 1938 and 1939 and Putin’s policies since 2014.
In March 2023 “Sustainable Peace Manifesto. Never Again 2.0.,” Ukrainian intellectuals maintained that Russia alone cannot break free from the vicious circle of its aggressive past and can change only under international pressure. That is why, in order to prevent Russia’s future wars, steps must be taken to ensure that Russia carries responsibility for the current war and the core reasons for Russian aggression are addressed so that a sustainable peace follows.
Read also:
- How state propaganda is driving Russia’s genocide of Ukraine
- Never again 2.0: Ukrainian intellectuals present manifesto to put an end to Russia’s wars
- The future is being decided in Ukraine: key takeaways from YES forum 2023 in Kyiv
- Russia and China must join Ukrainian ‘peace formula’ talks – Swiss Foreign Minister
- Five realistic scenarios of war in Ukraine in 2024: GLOBSEC report
- Russian FM Lavrov claims Russia will continue hostilities until Ukraine’s capitulation – ISW
- Four reasons why Ukraine faces existential threat on par with Israel
- From Anschluss to Invasion: Putin follows Hitler’s playbook
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/russian-ex-president-medvedev-confirms-russia-seeks-to-destroy-ukrainian-state-remains-intransigent/
| 2024-01-17T22:53:21Z
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Stockholm does not exclude the possibility of sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine in the future, said Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom in Davos, UkrInform reports.
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a fourth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft that has been designed with versatility in mind. It is formally classified as a fighter jet, but in reality, it is a multi-role aircraft capable of performing various tasks.
At the end of May 2023, the Swedish government had allowed Ukrainian pilots to train on the JAS 39 Gripen, they had the opportunity to train on simulators and conduct test flights.
Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billstrom added that while his country is considering the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Gripen fighter aircraft, any decision on this matter is contingent upon the country’s accession to NATO.
“The prime minister of Sweden has been very clear when he’s been asked that question, that ‘we are not ruling anything out’,” Billstrom said, commenting on whether Sweden would send Gripen aircraft to Kyiv.
Ukraine Mission Head: NATO positively assesses F-16 deployment preparations in Ukraine
Currently, Ukrainian pilots are undergoing F-16 fighter jet training in both the US and the EU, as preparations for the arrival of the F-16s in 2024 include the readiness of airfields in Ukraine.
Read also:
- Bulgaria to grant access to its skies for Ukraine’s F-16 training
- Radio Sweden: Ukrainian pilots test-flew Gripen fighter jets
- Ukrainian Air Force pilots begin F-16 flights in Denmark’s skies
- Media: Sweden to consider sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine
- Sweden: no plans to send Gripen fighters to Ukraine
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/17/sweden-does-not-rule-out-providing-gripen-jets-to-ukraine-in-future-foreign-minister-says-in-davos/
| 2024-01-17T22:54:01Z
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Exclusive
Military
ISW: limited Russian gains near Kreminna, Bakhmut; positional battles across Donbas. Mostly, frontlines remain static as Russian and Ukrainian forces are locked in positional fighting
Fire breaks out in Russian polymer plant after explosion. A Russian partisan group says the explosion in Shakhty targeted a workshop producing FPV drones for the army
Intelligence and technology
FrankenSAM debut: Ukraine shoots down Russian drone 9 km away. Five hybrid FrankenSAM air defense systems, which pair Western missiles with Soviet launchers, are already operating in Ukraine. One that will use Patriot missiles to down ballistic targets is on the way.
ISW: Russian air operations drop over Azov Sea after Ukraine strikes hit radar plane, command aircraft. Russian tactical aviation presence over the Sea of Azov has reportedly dropped to unprecedented low levels after Ukrainian strikes eliminated an A-50 radar plane and damaged an Il-22 aircraft, degrading Russian air capabilities, ISW says.
Reuters: France to send long-range missiles to Ukraine, Macron to finalize security deal in Kyiv. France will send about 40 Scalp long-range missiles and several hundred bombs to Ukraine, as well as more equipment, to boost Ukraine’s defense capabilities against the Russian invasion.
International
Sweden does not rule out providing Gripen jets to Ukraine in future, foreign minister says in Davos. Sweden says it may send Ukraine its Gripen jets in the future. Any decision on this matter is contingent upon the country’s accession to NATO, Swedish FM says.
Swissinfo: Russia launches cyberattack on Switzerland after visit of Zelenskyy to Davos. Later, the hacker group known as “NoName,” which is linked to Russia, claimed responsibility for the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. They cited Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s participation in the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos as the reason for the attack.
Media: Germany sends ammunition for Leopard 1 tank, reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. Germany has updated the list of military aid provided to Kyiv for the second time in a month.
Biden to meet Congress members to discuss importance of Ukraine aid. Biden will meet congressional leaders to underscore passing his national security request containing over $60 billion in military and economic assistance for Ukraine.
Bloomberg: Davos meeting yields no progress on Ukraine peace plan. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented his 10-point peace plan to 83 delegations at the World Economic Forum but failed to secure a date for a leader-level meeting or a clear action plan to end the Russian invasion.
Polish truckers end Ukraine border blockade after two-month standoff. Polish truck drivers agreed to suspend their protest at the Polish-Ukrainian border until 1 March 2024 after blocking the passage of goods for months over fears of losing their market share to Ukrainian competitors.
Humanitarian and social impact
130 residents evacuated after Russian drone attack hits Odesa apartment building. Three residents have been injured, and 130 evacuated from an apartment building damaged in Russia’s overnight drone attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
Read our earlier daily review here
As of 17 Jan 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
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- Personnel: 372820 (+730)
- Tanks: 6126 (+13)
- APV: 11372 (+14)
- Artillery systems: 8811 (+10)
- MLRS: 964 (+3)
- Anti-aircraft systems: 653
- Aircraft: 331
- Helicopters: 324
- UAV: 6884 (+7)
- Cruise missiles: 1817 (+1)
- Warships/boats: 23
- Submarines: 1
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 11755 (+24)
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/18/russo-ukrainian-war-day-693-ukraine-uses-new-air-defense-system-to-down-russian-drone/
| 2024-01-17T22:54:42Z
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TOKYO - Japan and the United States are working to reschedule a summit in Washington between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden around April 10, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday, citing diplomatic sources from both nations.
Kishida said in November that Biden had invited him for a formal state visit in early 2024.
The premier may also address the U.S. Congress during his visit to demonstrate the two nations' deepening ties, the Yomiuri said. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T23:34:38Z
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British foreign secretary David Cameron met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.
Cameron condemned the attacks in Erbil in Iraq, which killed UK-Iraqi dual national Karam Mikhael, the statement added.
Cameron also made it clear that the Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are "illegal and unacceptable", the FCDO said. The foreign secretary added that Iran must use its influence with the Houthis to prevent further threats. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/uks-cameron-meets-iranian-foreign-minister-condemns-attacks-in-erbil
| 2024-01-17T23:34:48Z
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Twice champion Bernhard Langer will make his final Masters start this April, the German said in a Golf Channel interview that aired on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old Langer, who missed the cut at each of the last three Masters, made his announcement in Hawaii where the PGA Tour Champions season begins this week.
"It's going to be my last Masters this year, I've already decided on that,” Langer said in the interview. "And it probably will be my last U.S. Open, too, unless some miracle happens."
Langer's has made 40 Masters appearances and his two triumphs at Augusta National Golf Club highlight a World Golf Hall of Fame career that also includes 10 European Ryder Cup teams and over 60 worldwide wins.
"It's exciting," Langer said of his final Masters start.
"At the same time, I am aware that I'm going to be hitting 3-irons and 2-hybrids when the guys are hitting 9-irons into the green, and that's tough to compete against. But it's a challenge, and I usually don't shy away from challenges."
Langer won his first Green Jacket in 1985 when he rallied from a four-stroke deficit at the turn in the final round and birdied four of the last seven holes to beat Curtis Strange, Seve Ballesteros and Raymond Floyd by two shots.
He triumphed at Augusta National eight years later when he made a decisive eagle on the 13th hole and went on to cruise to a four-stroke victory over Chip Beck.
"I asked the (Augusta National) chairman several years ago, I said, 'Is there an age limit?'" Langer said. "'When do you tell people to stop playing?'
"He said, 'Listen, Bernhard, you will know yourself when it's time to stop,' and I hope he's right. I don't want to make a fool of myself."
This year's Masters runs from April 11-14. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T23:34:59Z
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LONDON - A billionaire ally of Russian businessman Roman Abramovich renewed his bid to overturn British sanctions at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, saying he was targeted because of pressure put on then Foreign Secretary Liz Truss by a Cabinet colleague.
Oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler was sanctioned in March 2022 on the grounds of his association with former Chelsea Football Club owner Abramovich. His two private jets were also seized.
Britain also cited Shvidler's position as a director of London-listed Russian steel producer Evraz and role at Russian oil company Sibneft, sold by Abramovich in 2005, as evidence he obtained a financial benefit from Abramovich.
But Shvidler, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes magazine at $1.5 billion, argues that Britain was wrong to impose sanctions just because of his relationship with Abramovich, whom he described as a close friend.
He lost his initial challenge to the sanctions in August and is asking the Court of Appeal in London to rule that the imposition of sanctions was unlawful.
The case is the first substantive appellate test of British sanctions imposed following Russia's Ukraine invasion. In response, Britain has sanctioned more than 1,600 people and frozen over 18 billion pounds ($22.8 billion) in assets.
'PRESSURE' ON MINISTER
Shvidler's lawyer David Anderson said in court filings that recently-disclosed documents revealed that Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary at that time, put "pressure" on Truss to sanction Shvidler. Anderson said that this was done "at short notice and on the basis of limited information".
Government lawyers said the new documents were irrelevant to the issue of whether the sanctions imposed were lawful.
"There is nothing improper about inter-departmental cooperation of this nature," James Eadie said in court filings.
Shvidler's appeal is being heard alongside a case brought by Russian businessman Sergei Naumenko, whose 58.5 metre superyacht was detained in London in March 2022.
Alexa Magee, a legal researcher at campaign group Spotlight on Corruption, said a victory for Britain would "underscore the government's wide remit" when imposing sanctions. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T23:35:09Z
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Russian missiles on Wednesday struck a town outside Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, killing one person and damaging an educational institution, the regional governor and the military said.
Governor Oleh Synehubov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said there were two strikes on the town of Chuhuyev, southeast of Kharkiv.
A woman employee of a heating and power plant was killed. Another person was injured.
Another Telegram channel overseen by the commander of the Kharkiv military garrison said the attack was carried out using S-300 missiles.
On Tuesday, two Russian missiles struck a residential district of Kharkiv, injuring 17 people.
The city is a frequent target of Russian attacks, but has not fallen into Russian hands over the course of Russia's 22-month-old invasion of Ukraine. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/russian-attack-outside-ukraines-kharkiv-kills-one-regional-governor-says
| 2024-01-17T23:35:19Z
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A two-year-old boy in a town in England died of starvation and was found in his pyjamas curled up next to his dead father, who had suffered a heart attack days earlier.
A social worker found Bronson Battersby dead on Jan 9, alongside his 60-year-old father Kenneth Battersby, at their home in Skegness, Lincolnshire, two weeks after the two were last seen by a neighbour on Boxing Day, Dec 26.
The Lincolnshire County Council has launched an inquiry to determine if lapses by various government agencies involved might have led to the boy’s death.
Ms Heather Sandy, executive director of the council’s children services, told the BBC a social worker met Mr Battersby on Dec 27, and a home visit was arranged for Jan 2.
“The social worker went to Bronson and Kenneth’s home and had no response to the knock at the door. So, she looked at other addresses to try and locate Bronson, and when she failed to do that, she spoke to her manager and she contacted police,” said Ms Sandy.
The social worker went back on Jan 4, but again did not get a response.
She returned on Jan 9. When no one answered the door, she alerted the landlady and gained entry to the property.
Bronson’s mother, Ms Sarah Piesse, 43, told The Guardian she last saw her son before Christmas. She had been living apart from Mr Battersby and had got in a fight with him when she last saw him.
Mr Battersby was believed to have died of a heart attack no earlier than Dec 29. He was unemployed and had a pre-existing heart condition that caused him to become severely jaundiced in the months leading up to his death.
Ms Piesse told The Guardian that the post-mortem examination found that her son had died of dehydration and starvation.
“Bronson starved to death because his dad died,” she said.
“I couldn’t pick him up because his body was too fragile,” she said. “I could only touch him. He had been left there too long.”
A neighbour, who claimed she knew the family, described Bronson as a “gorgeous, happy little boy”.
The boy loved watching cartoons on the YouTube channel Cocomelon, nursery rhymes, and playing with his drum kit, she said.
Ms Maria Clifton-Plaice, Mr Battersby’s landlady, told the BBC that finding the two bodies was one of the “worst (days) of my life”.
She said she did not know Bronson well, but remarked: “I know he’d come and started staying with Kenny recently, and he was just probably the light of his dad’s eye. He was, I think, Kenny’s chance to be a good dad.”
Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman described what happened as a tragedy.
“It does appear that social services made repeated contact. They tried to get hold (of), and the system did not seem to understand, the potential gravity of the situation. That’s what we’ve got to try and understand,” he said.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/two-year-old-boy-in-england-found-starved-to-death-curled-up-next-to-his-dead-father
| 2024-01-17T23:35:30Z
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LONDON - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak overcame a rebellion by his Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday to win a vote on his proposed law to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, but he still faces many stumbling blocks for his flagship scheme.
Here are some of the problems Sunak will have to overcome before his promise to send those who arrive in Britain without permission to the East African nation becomes a reality.
PARLIAMENT
After hours of debate, lawmakers in parliament's lower House of Commons passed the government's 'Safety of Rwanda Bill' by 320 votes to 276, with 11 right-wing Conservatives rebelling.
The essence of the bill is to override a decision by the UK Supreme Court which in November declared the policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda unlawful.
It now passes to the unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, where Sunak does not command an automatic majority and where many peers could seek to oppose a bill which critics say might lead to Britain breaching international law.
The Lords could try to make amendments to the bill meaning it passes back and forth between the two parliamentary houses in what is known as a "ping pong" process.
Normally, peers avoid frustrating the will of the elected chamber and, under the "Salisbury doctrine", do not vote down a bill mentioned in a governing party's election manifesto. However, the Rwanda scheme was not included in Conservatives' 2019 manifesto, meaning peers could in theory refuse to pass the bill without amendments.
In such extreme circumstances, the law would be delayed for a year, which would mean it could not be passed until after the next election.
In a sign of the likely opposition, a Lords committee that scrutinises international agreements said a treaty agreed between the British government and Rwanda last month that seeks to prevent the East African sending asylum seekers anywhere other than back to Britain should not be ratified.
The committee said the treaty lacks safeguards including a system to prevent people being sent back to their country of origin where they could be at risk of ill-treatment.
LEGAL CHALLENGES
Sunak has described the bill as Britain's toughest proposed immigration law. But his right-wing critics say it does not go far enough and that there are loopholes which will be seized upon by asylum seekers to stop their deportation.
The first planned flight to take migrants to Rwanda was blocked when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued "interim measures" under its Rule 39 provision - effectively a temporary emergency injunction.
Sunak says the bill will make it "vanishingly rare" for any asylum seeker to be able to block deportation by an appeal to the courts, and would also mean his immigration minister had the power to decide whether to comply with any ECHR orders.
But some legal commentators have cast doubt on both those assertions. They argue the bill itself could face challenges in the UK courts, that it would allow individual appeals, and that Britain would still have an obligation under international law to abide by any order from the ECHR.
OTHER ISSUES
According to information issued by the British government last week, the Rwandan government will need to pass a new asylum law "in the coming months" in order to ratify a new treaty agreed with the United Kingdom to allow the scheme to go ahead.
Last month, British media also reported that the government was struggling to find airlines which would agree to provide flights to take the asylum seekers to Rwanda.
While Sunak has promised the deportations would begin in spring this year, it is not clear whether, if the bill becomes law, how quickly deportation flights would begin. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/victory-for-uks-sunak-but-troubles-remain-for-rwanda-asylum-scheme
| 2024-01-17T23:35:40Z
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President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Ukraine and its people on Wednesday to seize the initiative to help determine the course of the 22-month-old war against Russia and secure world-wide support.
Zelenskiy has returned home from discussions with political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he urged the West to tighten sanctions pressure on the Kremlin and to step up its support for Kyiv.
Several months after a Ukrainian counteroffensive has produced limited results, the Ukrainian leader has expressed confidence that aid from Washington delayed by infighting in the U.S. Congress will soon be forthcoming.
There have also been delays in securing promised aid from the European Union.
"Ukraine needs an ambitious and proactive perspective so that the initiative lies within our country, not with the enemy, so that the end of the war depends on Ukrainian actions," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
"The world supports those who have a certain perspective. And that is the fundamental task -- to maintain the initiative so that we have the opportunity to become stronger."
With the Kremlin's invasion approaching the two-year mark in February, front lines have remained virtually unchanged for several months.
Zelenskiy has been beset by differences with the commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces over the conduct of the war.
And parliament, amid lively public debate, has yet to consider a law on mobilisation to ensure the armed forces have sufficient manpower.
Zelenskiy visited Washington last month to try to persuade Congress to free up the funds and buttress Ukraine war campaign.
But the package proposed by President Joe Biden has been stalled as opposition Republicans in Congress have refused to consider any legislation unless it is tied to an overhaul of border security measures.
Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday that a meeting with Biden and Democrats in the Senate was "productive."
But Johnson said that Republicans were still not wavering on an insistence that new measures to secure the U.S. border with Mexico were the priority for them. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-urges-ukrainians-to-seize-initiative-to-determine-wars-outcome
| 2024-01-17T23:35:50Z
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WASHINGTON - Former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei is barred from entering the U.S. over allegations of "his involvement in significant corruption," the State Department said on Wednesday. REUTERS
WASHINGTON - Former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei is barred from entering the U.S. over allegations of "his involvement in significant corruption," the State Department said on Wednesday. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/guatemalan-ex-president-giammattei-barred-from-entry-into-us-state-dept
| 2024-01-17T23:36:01Z
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PANAMA CITY - The Panama Canal's toll revenues have dipped by about $100 million per month since last October, the canal's administrator said on Wednesday, adding that if the trend continues reduced income from tolls could total some $700 million by around April.
The falling revenue stems from drought conditions that have forced the canal's managers to impose shipping restrictions on the more than century-old waterway, a key global trade route linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
The canal's fiscal year begins in October, and runs through September.
Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez described the continued trend of falling toll revenue in coming months as "possible," in comments to reporters at a press conference.
He added that the waterway expects to nonetheless meet targets set out in its budget for income for the fiscal year, in part due to a recent toll increase that have come into effect. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-17T23:36:11Z
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Biden, Republicans talking Ukraine, US border
President Joe Biden was meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional leaders on Jan 17 afternoon to discuss immigration policy at the US border and funding for Ukraine.
Republicans in Congress have blocked emergency funding that Mr Biden has requested for Ukraine and threaten to force a partial shutdown of the government in an effort to tighten security along the US-Mexico border; they blame Mr Biden’s policies for leading to an influx of immigrants into the United States.
Mr Biden, a Democrat, sought to reform the US immigration system with proposed legislation at the beginning of his term that was opposed by Republicans. The White House is open to new restrictions on who can seek US asylum and expanding deportation authority, but many Democrats oppose such measures.
Mr Johnson told reporters before the meeting that he would press Mr Biden for clarity on the endgame for the war between Russia and Ukraine and accountability for US funds to support Kyiv.
Ukraine says 2024 priority is to gain control of the skies
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Jan 17 said his country’s priority for 2024 is to gain control over its skies as Russia’s full-scale assault enters its third year.
His comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos came just hours after Russian drone and missile attacks overnight wounded at least 20 people across Ukraine and shelling killed two civilians.
The barrage left massive craters in the southern city of Odesa where AFP journalists saw residential buildings charred in the wake of the assault.
Macron’s demographic plan sparks outcry in France
President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to revive France’s sluggish birth rate sparked an outcry on Jan 17, with feminists and left-wing politicians accusing him of seeking to control women’s bodies.
During a press-conference on Jan 16, Mr Macron said France needed to pursue what he called “demographic rearmament”.
The president pledged to offer a better parental leave and combat infertility – which he called “the taboo of the century”.
NBA: Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic dead at 46
Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic has died, the National Basketball Association (NBA) club said on Jan 17, after the Belgrade native suffered a heart attack during a team dinner.
The 46-year-old Milojevic was in his third season as an assistant coach with Golden State after helping the team win the 2022 NBA championship.
“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
Schwarzenegger held over luxury watch at Munich airport
Hollywood action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger was held at Munich airport on Jan 17 for failing to declare an expensive watch, a customs spokesman told AFP.
The Austrian-born actor and former governor of California, 76, was detained in the customs area on Jan 17 afternoon after arriving from the United States, spokesman Thomas Meister said.
Schwarzenegger was expected to be able to continue his journey later in the day but “the watch will probably have to stay”, Meister said.
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| 2024-01-17T23:36:21Z
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Lauren Sanchez, 54, recently turned heads with her bold new fashion choice, fully embracing what many are calling the 'mob wife' aesthetic.
Known for her work as a journalist, Lauren showcased this daring style while accompanying her fiancé, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, during Milan Fashion Week in Italy, as part of the celebration for his 60th birthday.
Lauren's outfit for the occasion was a statement piece - a low-cut, floor-length sheer dress adorned with intricate lace detail.
This risqué ensemble captured the attention of fashion enthusiasts and was complemented by a striking black jacket draped over her shoulders.
Her hairstyle, featuring long, flowing hair with choppy bangs, completed the look that many are associating with the popularized 'mob wife' aesthetic.
Content creator Blakely Neiman Thornton commented on her appearance, saying, "It's the most visceral example of the mob wife aesthetic in existence. It's all bold moves…right down to the Dolce and Gabbana logo print."
Blakely likened her look to iconic characters portrayed by Sharon Stone in Casino, Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas, Edie Falco in The Sopranos and the women of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Blakely humorously added, "She's a cosmetic surgery advocate, down to commit crimes, serve time or go to a funeral service - all in a blunt bang and a fur coat," jokingly positioning Jeff Bezos as the ultimate 'mob boss.'
Social media has been abuzz with reactions to Lauren's daring fashion choice. One fan expressed their admiration, saying, "It's 100% mob wife aesthetic and... I'm kinda living for it… like it." Another playfully suggested, "She's actually the newest housewife of New Jersey."
Others praised her for defying conventional expectations, with one user writing, "I kinda LIVE for the fact that she's the antithesis of what they tell women they need to be to land a billionaire... Werk."
The 'mob wife' aesthetic, currently trending on TikTok with over 54.6 million views, draws inspiration from the flamboyant and flashy styles of iconic characters in mob-related films and TV shows.
Key elements of this look include fur coats, busy prints, black clothing, gold jewelry, sunglasses, dramatic makeup, and bold hairstyles, often featuring a smokey eye look, red lipstick, and brightly colored nails.
Several celebrities have recently embraced this aesthetic, including Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lawrence, each spotted in eye-catching designs and luxurious fur coats.
Dua, 28, was seen in New York sporting a black lace ensemble with a fur coat, while Jennifer Lawrence, 33, embraced her mob wife phase in a showy velour outfit at the Golden Globes afterparty.
Kendall Jenner, 28, also channeled this style during a ski trip in Aspen, looking chic in a floor-length fur coat paired with heeled black leather boots and matching gloves.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/celebrity-style/511520/lauren-sanchezs-mob-wife-style-has-fans-saying-the-same-thing/
| 2024-01-18T00:02:15Z
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A global packaging company is permanently closing its Grand Rapids-area plant and laying off 111 employees as it consolidates operations.
Graphic Packaging International LLC disclosed the layoffs in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act filing to the state on Jan. 10.
The exact closure date of the conversion plant in Wyoming, located at 1957 Beverly Ave. SW, depends on various business plan factors but is scheduled to take place by March 31, according to the notice. The first employee separations will occur in a 14-day period beginning March 11.
A company spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Crain’s Grand Rapids that the decision to close the plant came after an evaluation of the company’s portfolio.
“After an assessment of Graphic Packaging’s overall converting portfolio, it was decided to consolidate the Wyoming production into our broader network of plants,” Sue Appleyard, director of global communications for Graphic Packaging, said in the statement. “We anticipate that the plant closure will be completed in Q2, 2024.”
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Appleyard also said Graphic Packaging is “committed to assisting our affected employees” and has encouraged employees to apply for other jobs within the company while providing outplacement services.
Atlanta, Ga.-based Graphic Packaging is a Fortune 500 company (NYSE: GPK) that produces fiber-based consumer packaging. The company operates more than 100 facilities across the U.S. and around the world.
Locally, Graphic Packaging in early 2022 also announced the closure of its recycled paperboard mill in Battle Creek that came with 200 layoffs, according to local reports. The news came after the company announced a $600 million expansion at a Kalamazoo plant that included a new paperboard machine to boost manufacturing output.
Meanwhile, Graphic Packaging was hit with a class action lawsuit regarding longtime pollution concerns with the company’s operations in Kalamazoo. City residents filed a $600 million federal lawsuit in June 2023 based on odors coming from the plant, per local reports.
The state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE, took some action in December 2023 by signing off on a penalty fine of more than $119,000 and requiring Graphic Packaging to install an emission monitoring system.
The recent Wyoming plant closure announcement coincides with the upcoming closure of Graphic Packaging’s conversion plant in Charlotte, N.C. Around 112 employees will be laid off by March, according to local reports.
In its most recent quarterly financial results, parent company Graphic Packaging Holding Company in October reported it generated around $2.3 billion in net sales, a 4% decrease from the same quarter in 2022.
More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:
Venture capital investments in Michigan companies fall again in 2023
Oprah Winfrey to speak in Grand Rapids at Econ Club annual dinner
Cannabis operators report sales spike ahead of forecasted blizzard
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| 2024-01-18T00:43:53Z
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Industrial recycling and metals distribution company Schupan & Sons Inc. has opened a new production facility near Kalamazoo that will help meet growing demand for recycled “green” aluminum.
The family-owned, Kalamazoo-based company has invested around $20 million in a new 100,000-square-foot facility located on 10 acres behind the Midlink Business Park, the site of a sprawling former General Motors plant in Comstock Township.
The facility, which features state-of-the-art equipment and should be close to full production near the end of January, will be able to process up to 50 million pounds of aluminum per year, according to Schupan CEO Marc Schupan.
As various industries, particularly automotive, look to recycled aluminum for lightweighting and as a more environmentally friendly option, Schupan sees growth opportunities in the coming years for the material.
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“The reason we put the plant in is we know that in the next few years, the demand for (green aluminum) from our consumers is going to be very great,” Schupan recently told Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. “The idea is: We want to be proactive, not reactive, and we already have consumers for the product we’re going to be making that want to buy it.”
Indeed, global production of “green aluminum,” produced either with recycled material or from low-carbon electricity sources, is on the rise to meet growing demand from the automotive, construction and beverage can sectors, as well as from governments setting emission-reduction targets.
Aluminum production is notoriously energy intensive and a “significant source” of carbon dioxide emissions, accounting for about 3% of the world’s direct industrial carbon emissions in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency.
Schupan’s facility will use shredding and sorting technology on aluminum extrusion. Schupan said the company will rely on its trading group that operates throughout the U.S. to source material from the scrap industry. The finished material will be supplied to aluminum billet makers and coil producers.
“There’s a huge difference — and energy difference — between what we call primary aluminum, which takes a lot more energy and power, and secondary aluminum, which is the ability to use scrap and has about 90% energy savings,” Schupan said. “By reusing aluminum, (it) can be used over and over. It’s extremely recyclable.”
The new plant marks Schupan’s eighth facility in the Kalamazoo area. The company has physical operations at 18 facilities in five states, including a Grand Rapids-area beverage recycling plant in Wyoming.
In addition to its Michigan expansion, Schupan also is constructing a new facility in Russellville, Ky., that’s devoted to beverage container recycling. That 125,000-square-foot facility is expected to start production later this year.
Growing production, trend
Schupan’s new facility builds on other recent recycled aluminum production activity in Southwest Michigan.
In late 2023, Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro completed a $150 million recycling plant in Cassopolis that will function as the company’s largest producer of Circal, Norsk Hydro’s own brand of recycled aluminum. That plant will produce up to 265 million pounds of recycled aluminum per year.
After successfully pioneering the technology in Europe for several years, Norsk Hydro decided to bring it to the U.S. after witnessing growing demand for environmentally friendly products.
“We are starting to see the trends toward customers wanting more circularity and looking more at the environmental footprint of the products that the consumer can buy at the end,” Eivind Kallevik, executive vice president of Hydro Aluminum Metal, told Crain’s Grand Rapids in late 2023. “So we’ve done this for quite some years in Europe … and then we looked at: How can we introduce this product into the U.S. market?”
Last month, Norsk Hydro also formed a joint venture with Michigan-based recycling firm Padnos to introduce Hydro’s own sorting technology, Hysort, in the U.S. The technology will be installed at a Padnos facility in Grandville with operations slated to begin later this year.
The goal of the 50/50 venture, called Allusort LLC, is for the two companies to help improve the supply chain’s environmental footprint and maximize the use of complex scrap.
Investments from companies like Schupan and Norsk Hydro are what Glenn Stevens, executive director of MICHauto and vice president of mobility initiatives for the Detroit Regional Chamber, says will be important for the state’s auto industry and broader future.
“Sustainability, clean energy and the new energy economy is really growing,” Stevens said in an interview last month. “It’s part of the auto industry, (and) it’s also growing on its own as an industry, and Michigan’s ability to lead in these technologies which are environmentally friendly, sustainable, focused, and clean energy solutions is really important for Michigan’s future.”
More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:
Amway supply chain exec forecasts ‘stabilizing’ year for direct-selling giant
Bills for drug review board, nursing staff mandates await state lawmakers
Investor-backed Grand Rapids firm helps campgrounds step into the digital age
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/manufacturing/industrial-recycler-opens-20m-green-aluminum-plant-near-kalamazoo/
| 2024-01-18T00:43:59Z
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An education-focused furniture manufacturer has acquired the American Seating Co. factory on the west side of Grand Rapids, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business has learned.
An affiliate of MiEN Co. closed Monday on the purchase of the approximately 17 acres of property in the West Grand neighborhood from American Seating for an undisclosed amount. The transaction included three parcels at 901 and 940 Broadway Ave. NW and 564 11th St. NW.
The company will use the more than 240,000-square-foot industrial building on the site to expand its logistics, assembly and warehousing operation. MiEN has already outgrown the approximately 150,000 square feet of industrial space the company recently renovated at the former Baker Furniture site at 1661 Monroe Ave. NW in Grand Rapids, where it moved after outgrowing its former footprint in Walker.
“We can use 250,000 square feet of warehousing, and obviously right now, it’s not easy finding (that) in the city,” said Remco Bergsma, founder, president and CEO of the 12-year-old company. “Everything grew a little faster than we thought with our company.”
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Bergsma said MiEN Co. plans to begin using about half of the American Seating space in March and expects to occupy the other half by this summer, after American Seating fully completes the move of its manufacturing and administrative operations to a former Steelcase property at 1040 40th St. SE in Grand Rapids.
American Seating President and CEO Thomas Bush said in a statement to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business that the sale of the manufacturing campus will enable the company to “fully focus” on the move to its new location.
“Our new headquarters and manufacturing plant is an important and significant commitment to our employees, our community, our customers and the transportation-seating industry,” Bush said.
Bergsma said that MiEN Co. is weighing whether to convert some of the surface parking on the American Seating site into apartments, after the company’s need for logistics and warehouse space is satisfied.
“I foresee (the site) in the future to definitely be housing — especially if it’s true that Grand Valley wants to expand (in) Grand Rapids,” he said. “Then I’m totally interested. … There’s a lot of excess room there to do all kinds of things.”
The American Seating site MiEN Co. now owns is about 1.2 miles north of Grand Valley State University’s downtown Pew Campus. GVSU announced a plan last spring to expand the Pew Campus to bring about 2,400 more students downtown by 2025.
MiEN Co. also is in the process of relocating its administrative headquarters from Walker to the Monroe Avenue site on the east bank of the Grand River in a project Bergsma refers to as the “experience center.” The site sits about a mile and a half northeast of the American Seating property.
The company plans to break ground in April on the headquarters project and conclude construction by 2026, Bergsma said. When the project is finished, MiEN Co. will occupy about 60,000 square feet of an existing building on the site.
Meanwhile, Bergsma’s real estate development firm Remco Realty LLC is considering dedicating at least part of the 170,500-square-foot south building on the Monroe property for hundreds of units of housing, he said.
The firm listed that part of the property for $10.9 million in late 2022 but has not yet received an offer from a housing developer that aligned with its vision for the site, Bergsma said. He said he is not ruling out developing it himself, but first he wants assurances that the city of Grand Rapids will move forward with its GR Forward and River for All plans to develop the surrounding north riverfront into trails and more mixed-use residential.
“We’re not going to be the first ones going and building there. We want to make sure that the city is also committing and doing their part,” he said. “There’s no interest in the middle of nowhere to have a building like that to be the starting point. We want to see that there’s really development going on around it. It’s all about timing.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with a statement from American Seating CEO Thomas Bush.
More from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business:
Venture capital investments in Michigan companies fall again in 2023
Oprah Winfrey to speak in Grand Rapids at Econ Club annual dinner
Cannabis operators report sales spike ahead of forecasted blizzard
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/furniture-maker-acquires-former-american-seating-campus-on-grand-rapids-west-side/
| 2024-01-18T00:44:05Z
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Shane Napper, president of construction and chief operating officer at Rockford Construction Co., expects certain sectors of development and construction to slow down this year because of high interest rates.
However, Napper, who’s had a 25-year career at the Grand Rapids-based construction firms, is mainly concerned with how the high volume of large-scale projects across the region could tie up the limited pool of local trade contractors.
Napper, who also founded Rockford’s Dimensions program that focuses on elevating minority contractors, spoke with Crain’s Grand Rapids Business on his 2024 outlook and what can be done to improve the talent pipeline in the construction industry.
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This interview is condensed for clarity and length.
What is keeping you up at night when you consider the possible trends the construction industry could experience this year?
The thing that keeps me up at night is there are more projected developments than trade contractor availability. With the amount of electric vehicle and big industrial jobs, they all need people and trade contractors. I am especially concerned in specialty areas like electrical because these big projects are so mechanical and electrical heavy.
What are potential solutions to these talent issues for trade contractors?
Forecasting how many local trade contractors we need on jobs, and we’ve had to do that further and further out. We’re trying to make sure we project as many things that we know are coming so we can make sure they’re in the pipeline at the right time.
Is this talent bottleneck slowing down projects?
It’s not significantly slowing down projects, but it’s adding time and energy to pre-planning. We’re having conversations with clients earlier, making the front end of the project longer.
What does Rockford’s project pipeline look like currently?
We have a good, strong backlog going into next year. We have some capacity like most companies are feeling, but we’re not in a tough spot. There have been some larger projects popping up in the area, and we also have some community projects. It’s been a great blend.
There is a slowing (of projects), but it’s very market specific. Generally, from where we were a year ago, probably it’s slowing down.
What markets do you expect to struggle or slow in 2024?
Most (multifamily projects) are done by developers, and the developer world right now is still good, but interest rates have put a strain on getting those projects started. Something we’re definitely paying attention to is interest rates and the real cost of money and how we invest.
The office environment hasn’t come back from a building perspective yet. From an overall general office perspective, that market is still recovering from post-COVID and the new set of rules, and I think people are still trying to figure out those new sets of rules.
What progress do you expect to make in addressing the talent constraints in the construction industry?
Talent is still a challenge, yes. I think our industry has done a really good job of creating a new pipeline, but it will take some time for that pipeline to fill in the gap. The number of workers who have left the state of Michigan continues to trend down, so there are less people to pick from. But I do think there are a lot of good things going on, like the West Michigan Construction Institute, career tech centers, and what Construction Allies in Action is doing.
For Rockford, we’re doing pretty well, but we’re also looking for talent. We’ve basically always been looking for talent for the past three years. It’s a constant need for people to continue being added to our team because we continue to grow every year.
See more executive outlook in the 2024 Crystal Ball edition from Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/talent-constraints-drive-need-for-pre-planning-in-2024-construction-projects/
| 2024-01-18T00:44:11Z
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Michigan ended 2023 as the nation’s unofficial weed king.
In 2023, the state’s cannabis industry sold nearly $3.06 billion in medical and adult-recreational use marijuana — or about $305 worth of marijuana for every man, woman and child in the state for the year — according to data released today by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
Michigan’s weed sales total last year is more than the gross domestic product of 51 nations, nearly reaching the GDP of the African nation of Burundi.
For context, corn is planted on 4% of all the land in the state of Michigan, but sales totaled $2.16 billion in 2022.
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The yearly total got a boost from the best sales month on record in December. Michigan operators sold $279.9 million worth of marijuana in December, up from $260.5 million in November.
The state’s per capita spend on marijuana in 2023 surpassed all other rival states, based on year-end estimates. Californians were projected to spend $5.9 billion in marijuana last year, or roughly $150 per capita. Colorado remains closest to Michigan, at about $290 per capita spending on marijuana last year.
Marijuana sales in Colorado have peaked. The state’s operators sold $2.23 billion worth of marijuana in 2021, well above the 2022 total of $1.77 billion. The state was projected to fall short of the 2022 total in 2023.
California, however, saw more marijuana sales in 2023 than in 2022, but the state is plagued by the well-established illicit market that thrived before legalization in 2018.
Michigan’s market has yet to peak. Marijuana sales appeared to slow and stabilize in August for the first time since legalization, but December’s totals pushed the market to new heights, with an average monthly sales of $254.8 million for the year. The market opened the year in January 2023 with $207.3 million in sales, more than 41% below December’s total.
Previous expert projections have estimated that Michigan’s market will peak at $3.1 billion or $3.2 billion. This year will likely determine whether the market plateaus or surpasses those projections.
Michigan’s success in the marijuana game is correlated directly to the state’s regulatory, tax and overall business framework.
Following the legalization of adult-use recreational marijuana by voters in 2018, Michigan’s framework solidified it into an unlimited licensure state with comparatively low taxes.
The unlimited licensure allowed businesses to get approved to operate grow operations, processing plants and retail stores quickly. There still are problems with local municipality business licensing, but those roadblocks are eroding.
Michigan also taxes consumers among the lowest in the U.S. with a 10% excise tax on recreational marijuana sales. Colorado has a 15% excise tax on wholesale and retail sales. California has a 15% excise tax on wholesale and a per ounce tax on fresh plants and cultivation. Other top players like Washington and Oregon have a 37% excise tax and 17% excise tax on retail, respectively.
Though the state likely surpassed $1 billion in tax revenue last year from marijuana sales since the first recreational marijuana dispensary opened in December 2019.
In fact, weed is more lucrative to the state and communities than booze.
During the 2023 fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30, the state of Michigan collected $73.6 million more in recreational marijuana excise taxes in fiscal year 2023 than beer, wine and liquor taxes combined, according to a House Fiscal Agency report released in November.
The marijuana tax totaled $266.2 million, a 49.1% increase over the year prior, and 38% higher than the $192.6 million collected from the sales of beer, wine and liquor in the state during the fiscal year.
The growing gap between beer, wine and liquor and recreational marijuana is representative of Michigan’s powerful marijuana consumer market, but also in how taxes are collected for each product.
Recreational marijuana is taxed at a 10% excise tax at the wholesale and consumer level. Alcohol wholesales are responsible for a $6.30 per 31-gallon barrel excise tax on beer and a $0.51-per-gallon excise tax on wine and champagne.
None of those taxes include the state’s 6 percent sales tax, which is collected on both cannabis and alcohol on top of any excise taxes.
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https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/retail/michigans-weed-market-topped-3b-in-2023-thats-more-than-300-per-person/
| 2024-01-18T00:44:17Z
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Sophie Turner has made a surprise move over her ex Joe Jonas.
The 27-year-old decided to withdraw the child abduction allegations she previously made against her estranged husband, three months following their reach of an amicable custody agreement.
The legal representatives for both parties have approached a federal judge in New York, requesting the dismissal of the actress’s earlier accusations.
These allegations, as reported by TMZ, involved the claim that the Jonas Brothers singer had abducted their daughters, Willa, aged 3, and Delphine, aged 1, during the course of their divorce proceedings.
In September last year, Sophie had initiated legal action against her ex-husband. According to the court documents, she sought to ensure "the immediate return of children wrongfully removed or wrongfully retained."
She stated that during Christmas of 2022, they had mutually agreed to make the United Kingdom their permanent residence and had started to explore schooling options for their elder daughter, Willa.
Following this agreement, Sophie accused the Cake By the Ocean singer of retaining their daughters' passports, thereby preventing them from leaving the United States.
However, Joe, through a statement from his representative, firmly denied these allegations of abduction.
The representative explained to Page Six: "Less than 24 hours later, Sophie advised that she wanted to take the children permanently to the UK. Thereafter, she demanded via this filing that Joe hand over the children’s passports so that she could take them out of the country immediately.”
The representative emphasized that the use of the term 'abduction' in this context was misleading at best, and at worst, a serious misuse of the legal system.
Following their divorce filing in September 2023, after four years of marriage, Joe and Sophie have been embroiled in a challenging custody battle over their two daughters.
However, a breakthrough occurred in October when the pair reached a temporary custody agreement for their children, effective until January 2024.
In her personal life, Sophie has since found happiness with British aristocrat Peregrine Pearson, with reports indicating that she is "really happy" in the new relationship.
On the other hand, Joe has been seen spending time with model Stormi Bree. The 33-year-old model and the DNCE frontman were first seen together at an airport in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and subsequently traveled to Aspen, Colorado, where they were spotted skiing, sharing a ski lift, and enjoying a beer together.
The legal document submitted by Sophie claimed that Joe began the "wrongful retention" of their daughters on September 20.
With the withdrawal of the abduction claims and the establishment of a temporary custody agreement, it seems that both are moving towards resolving their disputes amicably and focusing on co-parenting their children.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/511521/sophie-turner-makes-surprising-move-over-ex-joe-jonas-claims-amid-custody-battle/
| 2024-01-18T00:46:08Z
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BEIJING - China and Philippines foreign affairs officials agreed to improve maritime communication and to properly manage conflicts and differences through friendly talks with regard to issues around the South China Sea, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry on Jan 18.
China Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong and Philippines Foreign Ministry undersecretary Theresa Lazaro held a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the current situation while co-chairing the eighth meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Shanghai, according to the statement.
In the talks, the two sides reaffirmed that the South China Sea dispute is “not the whole story of bilateral relations”.
The two countries have had numerous confrontations recently in certain disputed waters in the South China Sea, with both trading accusations of provoking conflict in the economic strategic waterway.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Both officials believe "maintaining communication and dialogue is essential to maintaining maritime peace and stability", according to the statement.
The two sides agreed to properly manage maritime conflicts and differences through friendly consultations, as well as properly handle maritime emergencies, the statement said.
Relations between the countries have been strained for months, but both have reiterated a commitment to dialogue.
On Jan 16, China summoned the ambassador from the Philippines and warned the country "not to play with fire" after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr congratulated Taiwan's president-elect Lai Ching-te on his election victory on Jan 13.
China demanded that the Philippine side earnestly abide by the one-China principle.
The Philippine side reiterated that it adheres to the one-China policy and will continue to implement it, according to the Chinese foreign ministry statement. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/china-philippines-agree-to-improve-communication-manage-conflicts-in-south-china-sea
| 2024-01-18T01:06:59Z
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LOS ANGELES - Apple has to stop selling its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches with a blood oxygen feature in the United States, suffering another legal setback in its patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit declined on Jan 17 to grant Apple a longer pause on an import ban of the devices imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The ruling means the company has to stop selling the watches with the oxygen measurement feature while an appeal of the ban plays out - a period that Apple believes could last a year or more.
The decision means Apple will probably have to turn to its backup plan: selling watches without the blood oxygen tool that was found to violate Masimo patents. Apple has developed a software workaround to the ban that eliminates the function from its devices. Last week, the US Customs and Border Protection agency approved redesigned versions of the watches that didn’t have the oxygen reader.
Masimo shares jumped as much as 2.8 per cent on Jan 17 following the decision, touching the highest intraday level in more than five months.
The court battle has threatened one of Apple’s biggest moneymakers in its home market, an unprecedented situation for the tech giant. The watches are a central piece of the company’s wearables, home and accessories division, a business that generated more than 10 per cent of revenue last year, or nearly US$40 billion (S$53.8 billion).
The ITC ruled in October that Apple’s latest watches violate patents related to blood oxygen measurement. That led Apple to pause sales of the smartwatches just ahead of Christmas, though an interim stay allowed the company to bring the products back late last month.
According to the ITC, the harm Apple said it would face from the ban “is not unquantifiable, but rather speculative.” Apple maintains that the ruling from the ITC is erroneous and should be reversed.
Masimo had urged the Federal Circuit to reject the request for an extended delay, arguing Apple had almost three years to anticipate a ban and “cannot complain about the consequences of its own failure to prepare for exclusion.”
Apple pushed back on the ITC’s and Masimo’s arguments that its ability to continue selling the non-infringing Apple Watch SE means any reputational harm from the ban can’t be truly irreparable.
It also criticized the product the trade dispute was launched to protect, Masimo’s W1 watch, saying it didn’t exist when Masimo filed its complaint, wasn’t placed in the consumer channel and is sold only in negligible quantities “well over two years after this investigation began on the false premise that Masimo had an established domestic industry.”
Apple, added the blood oxygen sensor to its watches in 2020 with the Series 6. Masimo sued Apple that year, alleging that the iPhone maker violated several of its health technology patents and stole its trade secrets. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/apple-banned-again-from-selling-watches-with-blood-oxygen-sensor
| 2024-01-18T01:07:09Z
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DUBAI - There’s a repeated refrain from the throngs of financiers in Davos this week: rein in your rate cut expectations.
Everyone from JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Daniel Pinto to Standard Chartered’s Bill Winters to Cantor Fitzgerald’s Howard Lutnick have said they expect the US Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy slower than anticipated by the market.
“It doesn’t make sense,” State Street chairman and chief executive Ron O’Hanley said. “The Fed was very clear in their dot plot, and I don’t know why the markets decided to double it and then go to town on that.”
Their caution echoes that of central bankers in recent days, which has already prompted traders to wind back bets on aggressive interest-rate cuts this year.
Markets now imply 150 basis points of cuts in the United States this year, from as much as 166 basis points last week. The chance of a cut in March, once seen as certain, is now just over 50 per cent.
In Europe, its a similar situation. ECB President Christine Lagarde followed with her own remarks on Jan 17 that market bets are a distraction.
“It is not helping our fight against inflation, if the anticipation is such that they are way too high compared with what’s likely to happen,” she said in an interview at Bloomberg House in Davos.
There’s still room for nuance. Rate cuts are coming sooner rather than later to help with a looming recession, according to the chief investment officer of Guggenheim Partners Investment Management.
“That’s not exactly the mainstream opinion but we see a lot of softness in the economy coming ahead,” Anne Walsh said in a Bloomberg Television interview.
“We still see a recession coming,” Ms Walsh said. “As a result, we still see rate cuts and we are actually predicting that they start sooner rather than later.”
Away from monetary policy, executives have voiced views on different topics. Ms Walsh flagged her concerns about US regional banks as Mr Pinto indicated JPMorgan expected to boost its headcount this year and Deutsche Bank’s James von Moltke prepared staff for a tough bonus season. Jamie Dimon said his personal advice would be to avoid Bitcoin even as Mr Lutnick vouched for Tether’s reserves. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/bankers-at-davos-add-to-chorus-of-caution-on-fed-rate-cuts
| 2024-01-18T01:07:19Z
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HONG KONG - China’s top cybersecurity watchdog is probing how Shein handles data as the fast-fashion company is seeking Beijing’s approval for its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, Wall Street Journal reported.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is looking into whether Shein can protect data on its China-based staff, suppliers and partners effectively and prevent the information from leaking overseas, the Journal said, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The Chinese agency is also trying to learn what data Shein needs to provide to US regulators as part of its preparations for a listing in New York, according to the report.
It took CAC months to investigate similar cases in the past, the Journal said, and the ongoing probe could result in delays to Shein’s stock sale in the US.
Shein, which moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2022, could be forced to completely scrap the IPO plan should Chinese cybersecurity officials find any serious fault with its data handling, according to the report.
Shein and CAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CAC has grown increasingly powerful under Chinese President Xi Jinping as his administration has tightened control over the hoard of information produced by the nation’s tech companies as part of broader efforts to position China as a leader in big data. Beijing has been pouring money into data centres and other digital infrastructure to make electronic information a national economic driver and help shore up the Communist Party’s legitimacy.
As a result, Beijing has scuppered the efforts by several Chinese firms to list overseas and forced some to retreat from the US capital market.
Beijing-based ride-hailing start-up Didi Global delisted from the US months after Beijing launched a probe into the company in July 2021. TikTok’s parent ByteDance also reportedly suspended plans to go public after Chinese regulators told it to address data security issues. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/china-launches-data-review-into-shein-ahead-of-us-ipo-wsj-says
| 2024-01-18T01:07:29Z
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SAN JOSE - Samsung on Jan 17 released its latest Galaxy smartphones with new artificial intelligence (AI) features as the South Korean giant seeks to win back its spot as the world’s biggest phone seller from Apple.
“Artificial intelligence will bring about great change in the mobile industry,” Samsung president T.M. Roh said as he kicked off an event in a sports centre in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose, California.
Mobile devices will become the primary access points for AI, with Samsung aiming to be a leader on that path, Mr Roh added.
The premium S24 Ultra unveiled at the event is said to have the capability to translate foreign language phone calls and texts while they are taking place.
A Samsung executive likened it to having an interpreter taking part in multilingual phone calls.
Available in 13 languages, the on-device function is powered by Samsung’s own AI technology.
Through a partnership with Google, which makes the smartphone’s Android operating system, the S24 also offers an unprecedented search function.
This, also using AI, functions by allowing users to simply circle a phrase or image they want to search.
The feature eliminates the need to juggle between apps for searches with meddlesome cutting and pasting, the company said.
Messaging and car system features such as navigation were also augmented with AI to either recommend responses or tend to tasks while letting drivers focus on roads.
AI also strengthens the phone’s camera powers, with generative AI helping to fill in or remove backgrounds.
These AI features are powered both from the cloud or from the phone itself and several use Google’s Gemini foundational model that also powers the search engine giant’s Bard chatbot.
Similar AI features are widely rumored to be part of the next iPhone 16, probably to be released later this year.
Much like Apple’s already released iPhone 15, Samsung’s S24 Ultra comes with a titanium frame, which the company said allowed for better durability.
The Galaxy S24 series will begin shipping on Jan 31 with the top of the line Ultra starting at US$1,299 (S$1,750).
The S24 came out just days after industry data showed that Apple’s iPhone for the first time became the world’s top selling smartphone after Samsung’s 12-year run as leader.
According to the International Data Corporation, the iPhone stole Samsung’s crown in 2023 with 234.6 million units sold, compared to the South Korean firm’s 226.6 million units.
Samsung also teased a smart ring at the end of the event, providing a glimpse on screen but giving no details. AFP
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/samsung-turns-to-ai-to-regain-smartphone-throne
| 2024-01-18T01:07:40Z
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SINGAPORE - Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who was arrested in July 2023 by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), arrived at the State Courts at about 8am on Jan 18.
He arrived with his legal team, which includes Senior Counsel Davinder Singh from Davinder Singh Chambers, and did not comment when The Straits Times approached him.
The prosecution team is led by Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng.
Mr Iswaran, 61, was arrested by CPIB on July 11, 2023, following its investigation into a separate matter. He was then released on bail.
He was instructed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to take a leave of absence until investigations were completed.
His monthly pay was reduced to $8,500 until further notice, and he continues to draw his MP allowance.
On Jan 9, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing provided an update in response to a parliamentary question.
He said the CPIB has completed its investigation into Mr Iswaran and the matter was before the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
The AGC has the prosecutorial discretion to decide whether a person is charged and the charge on which he is prosecuted.
Mr Iswaran was elected into Parliament in 1997 as an MP for West Coast GRC, where he has served for the last 26 years.
He was promoted to full minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in 2011, and has held ministerial positions in the ministries of education, home affairs, and communications and information.
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng was also arrested on July 11 as part of the corruption probe. Mr Ong is the man who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
This story is developing.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/transport-minister-s-iswaran-arrives-at-state-courts-six-months-after-arrest-by-cpib
| 2024-01-18T01:07:50Z
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MBS to inject $1 billion for next phase of hotel transformation, works to be completed in 2025
After the three hotel towers are renovated, there will be 1,850 refurbished rooms, including some 770 suites.
Law needed to rein in deepfakes, says Josephine Teo at WEF panel session
Deepfakes are “an assault on the infrastructure of fact” and pose an issue to all societies, she said in Davos.
AskST: What should I do if I am travelling by bus to Malaysia and get into an accident?
The Straits Times spoke to travel and legal experts about things to consider when travelling across the Causeway by coach.
Weekly cashback for hawker meals on DBS PayLah app extended till July
Meant to ease Singaporeans’ and residents’ cost of living pressures, the scheme had been due to end on Jan 19.
Japan’s casino star has dimmed despite early fanfare and seeming threat to Singapore
Thailand is Singapore’s most immediate threat, with plans to reportedly legalise up to five IRs by 2025.
More S’pore professionals seeking to change jobs despite cooling labour market: LinkedIn
86 per cent of over 1,000 Singapore professionals polled are considering a new job in 2024.
askST Jobs: Do multiple retrenchments reflect badly on you?
In recent years, retrenchment has become a common occurrence, due to volatile economic conditions.
The new Great Game has melting Arctic ice all over it
Could heightened strategic interest in the northern region push it closer to ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea?
S’pore-born giant panda cub Le Le arrives safely in China, begins serving quarantine
The panda maintained a good appetite throughout the flight, chomping on bamboo and bamboo shoots.
Adventure Of A Lifetime: Rriley thought offer of Coldplay opening act gig was a scam
The Singapore singer-musician will perform on three nights of the concert. Fellow home-grown singer Jasmine Sokko will take the stage on three other nights.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/morning-briefing-top-stories-from-the-straits-times-on-jan-18-2024
| 2024-01-18T01:08:00Z
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LONDON - Britain's GCHQ spy agency celebrated the 80th anniversary of Colossus on Jan 18, putting the spotlight on a code-breaking computer which helped defeat Hitler's Germany and was so significant it was kept secret for decades.
In 1944, Colossus, the world's first digital computer, decoded German messages which convinced Allied forces their year-long plan to deceive Hitler over the location of the invasion had been successful, giving D-Day the go-ahead.
In the run-up to the landings on the French coast, a turning point in World War Two, Colossus played a pivotal role behind the scenes and is credited by many experts with shortening the war.
A two-metre tall frame of switches and plugs draped in wires, Colossus tapped and pulsed paper tape, using 2,500 valves to process information faster than ever before, cutting the time it took to decode messages to hours from weeks.
But it was only in the early 2000s that its existence was revealed, and now 80 years on, Britain's GCHQ signals intelligence agency has released a series of never-before-seen images and sounds to mark its anniversary.
“Technological innovation has always been at the centre of our work here at GCHQ, and Colossus is a perfect example of how our staff keep us at the forefront of new technology – even when we can’t talk about it,” GCHQ’s director Anne Keast-Butler said in a statement.
Colossus, which was still being used by the spy agency in the early 1960s, was developed by Tommy Flowers. It followed the “bombe” codebreaker machine, Alan Turing’s electro-mechanical device which deciphered Germany’s naval Enigma code from 1940 onwards, a breakthrough dramatised in the 2014 thriller The Imitation Game.
The new images released on Jan 18 include a blueprint of Colossus and a photograph of Women's Royal Naval Service workers operating it. Such was the secrecy around the machine, many of the engineers and staff working on it did not know what it was.
The first Colossus was delivered to Bletchley Park, then the home of the top secret Government Code and Cypher School, on Jan 18 1944. By the war's end there were 10 of the machines operating. The unit was renamed in 1946 as the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a Cheltenham-based agency that eavesdrops on the world to protect British security. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/britains-cyber-spies-mark-80th-anniversary-of-secret-code-breaking-computer
| 2024-01-18T01:08:11Z
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WASHINGTON - The United States conducted another round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Wednesday, U.S. officials told Reuters.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity and did not provide details on the target or how many missiles were launched.
Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on ships in the region since November have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers.
The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and have threatened to expand their attacks to include U.S. ships in response to earlier American and British strikes from last week.
The U.S. military said earlier on Wednesday that a drone launched from areas controlled by the Houthi rebels in Yemen had struck a U.S.-owned vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
There were no injuries and some damage reported in the attack, the U.S. Central Command said on X, formerly called Twitter. The vessel, M/V Genco Picardy, is "a Marshall Islands flagged, U.S. owned and operated bulk carrier ship," according to the U.S. Central Command.
The United States on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, as the militants also claimed another attack this week on a U.S. operated vessel in the Red Sea region. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/us-conducts-another-round-of-strikes-against-houthi-targets-in-yemen
| 2024-01-18T01:08:21Z
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LONDON/WASHINGTON/DAVOS - The US on Jan 17 returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, as the militants claimed their second attack this week on a US operated vessel in the Red Sea region.
Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on ships in the region since November have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers - an escalation of the more than three-month-old war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.
The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians and have threatened to expand attacks to include US ships in response to the American and British strikes.
In a sign it remains undeterred, the Houthi movement on Jan 17 said it made a “direct hit” with missiles on the US Genco Picardy bulk carrier.
The attack, which marked the second on a US-linked vessel in the area this week, was confirmed by US shipping operator Genco, which said its vessel was hit by a projectile while it transited the Gulf of Aden with a cargo of phosphate rock.
Genco said there were no injuries to crew and the ship suffered limited damage to its gangway and was on a course out of the area.
“The naval forces will not hesitate to target all sources of threat in the Red and Arabian sea within the legitimate right to defend Yemen and to continue supporting the oppressed Palestinian people,” the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement.
On Jan 15, Houthi forces struck the US-owned and operated dry bulk ship Gibraltar Eagle with an anti-ship ballistic missile. There were no reports of injuries or significant damage.
US officials said the “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” listing was aimed at cutting off funding and weapons the Houthis have used to attack or hijack ships.
A Houthi spokesman told Reuters that attacks on ships heading to Israel would continue and the designation would not affect its position.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, whose country backs Hamas in its war with Israel, said an end to the war in Gaza was needed to remove the threat to shipping.
“The security of the Red Sea is tied to the developments in Gaza, and everyone will suffer if Israel’s crimes in Gaza do not stop ... All the (resistance) fronts will remain active,” Mr Amirabdollahian said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Supply chains snarled
Maersk and other large shipping lines have instructed hundreds of commercial vessels to stay clear of the Red Sea, sending them on a longer route around Africa or pausing until the safety of vessels can be assured.
“It’s one of the most important arteries of global trade and global supply chains and it’s clogged up right now,” Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc told Reuters Global Markets Forum in Davos, adding disruption would probably last at least a few months.
Banking executives are worried the crisis might create inflationary pressures.
Freight rates have more than doubled since early December, according to maritime consultancy Drewry’s world container index, while insurance sources say war risk premiums for shipments through the Red Sea are also rising.
The attacks target a route that accounts for about 15 per cent of the world’s shipping traffic and acts as a vital conduit between Europe and Asia. Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp said it had some cargoes in the Red Sea that were affected.
The attacks are causing major disruption to Italian ports, fuelling fears a prolonged crisis may force companies to move traffic away from the Mediterranean more permanently.
Italy wants fellow European Union members to agree next week to create an EU maritime security mission that can become operational as soon as possible, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
The alternative shipping route around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope can add 10-14 days to a journey compared to a passage via the Red Sea to the Suez Canal.
Prolonged attacks by the Houthis on ships would lead to a shortage of tankers, the CEO of Saudi oil giant Aramco said.
“If it’s in the short term, tankers might be available ... But if it’s longer term, it might be a problem,” CEO Amin Nasser said in an interview in Davos.
Earlier on Jan 17, a Malta-flagged container ship was approached by three skiffs and a drone 16km south-west of Yemen’s Dhubab. No damage or casualties were reported, Ambrey said in an advisory note.
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/us-lists-houthis-as-terrorists-rebels-hit-another-us-operated-ship
| 2024-01-18T01:08:31Z
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NEW HAMPSHIRE - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is all but abandoning New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary next week and instead is relocating staff and focusing on South Carolina, where he hopes to pressure rival Nikki Haley in her home state.
The decision highlights the extent to which the DeSantis campaign is scrambling to reset after its big bet on winning Iowa failed to pay off. Mr DeSantis came in a distant second to former President Donald Trump in Jan 15’s Iowa caucuses, the first Republican presidential nominating contest.
Although Mr DeSantis faces exceptionally tough odds in New Hampshire, there is no obvious road for a comeback anywhere else, including in South Carolina, where polls put him at a distant third.
Mr DeSantis and Mrs Haley are battling to emerge as the top alternative to Trump, the runaway frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
The DeSantis campaign now appears to be vying to edge Mrs Haley out of the race after South Carolina, a state where she was governor and where the primary will be held on Feb 24.
“When Nikki Haley fails to win her home state, she’ll be finished and this will be a two-person race,” a senior DeSantis campaign official told Reuters on Jan 17, confirming the report.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not say whether Mr DeSantis would return to New Hampshire, but the candidate has scheduled South Carolina events over the weekend.
Trump is ahead of both Mr DeSantis and Mrs Haley by a wide margin in South Carolina, with polling averages showing him with nearly 55 per cent support, compared with Mrs Haley at almost 25 per cent and Mr DeSantis at 12 per cent.
After his disappointing finish in Iowa on Jan 15 night, Mr DeSantis flew directly to South Carolina, rather than going straight to New Hampshire, as is tradition.
Only about 6 per cent of New Hampshire residents plan to vote for Mr DeSantis, according to polling averages, versus about 30 per cent for Mrs Haley and 43 per cent for Trump. Some recent polls have shown Mrs Haley and Trump in a much closer battle.
In Greenville, South Carolina, on Jan 16, Mr DeSantis criticised Mrs Haley at a campaign stop.
“She was governor here for six years. Can you name major achievements under her tenure?“ he said. “I mean, tell me if there are, because she hasn’t been able to do it.”
Asked for a response, Mrs Haley’s campaign said: “South Carolina is a great state. We hope they enjoy their vacation time here.”
Never Back Down, a pro-DeSantis fundraising super PAC that has played a major role in his campaign, has transferred several Iowa political staff to other early nominating states and has laid off other staffers. REUTERS
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https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/struggling-desantis-sets-sights-on-south-carolina-bypassing-new-hampshire
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On 12 January in Kyiv, Ukraine and the UK signed a bilateral agreement with great fanfare. It deals with military cooperation and some kind of security guarantees for Kyiv “if Russia attacks again.” Urgent talks for similar deals with over a dozen other nations, including the US, Canada, and France, are underway.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is far from over, so some consider it premature to contemplate Kyiv’s future security arrangements. However, the Ukrainian government understands the threat Russia poses. It has renewed attempts to join NATO and the EU. In the interim, Kyiv also looks for security through other means.
However, Ukraine has a painful experience with international security agreements – the 1994 Budapest Memorandum signed by Ukraine, Russia, the US, and the UK. Back then, Kyiv handed over all its nuclear weapons to Russia in exchange for Western security guarantees. The result? Russia attacked Ukraine, killed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, and occupied 20% of its territory, while the West says these were not “guarantees” but “assurances,” or ignores the Budapest Memorandum altogether.
After everything that has happened, Ukrainians cannot blindly trust the words of Western politicians who assure us of their future commitment to Ukraine. Regarding the UK-Ukraine deal, the main concerns are:
- What if the UK-Ukraine deal is the same as the Budapest Memorandum?
- What if “bilateral security agreements” is not a path to NATO membership but a replacement for it?
- What if this is just a prelude to freezing the war on Russian terms, after which Moscow, having regrouped, would attack again in a few years?
Euromaidan Press placed these questions and many more before Ukrainian and Western experts.
What did Ukraine and the UK sign?
The G7 countries agreed at last summer’s NATO summit in Vilnius that signing bilateral security agreements with Ukraine – instead of inviting Ukraine to join NATO – would be the way forward. Volodymyr Zelenskyy then stated that this is an interim step until Ukraine joins NATO.
A bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the UK was signed during British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Kyiv. The document provides for security cooperation over the next 10 years. The only concrete commitment in this document is that the UK promises to provide £2.5 billion for Ukraine’s defense in 2024. This includes the purchase of shells, long-range missiles, various drones, and training for Ukrainian troops. As for the remaining 9 years, there is nothing specific.
The agreement also stipulates that the UK will provide “swift and sustained” security assistance if Russia attacks Ukraine again. The deal states that it is valid until Ukraine’s accession to NATO, tied to Kyiv’s implementation of a number of reforms. The treaty does not require ratification.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Rishi Sunak did use provocative terms like “security guarantees” and “security assurances” in their official speeches (provocative because the same words were used in the Budapest Memorandum). However, neither of these terms appears in the text of the security agreement itself. There are only “security commitments.” Whether this changes the essence is for lawyers to judge.
The term “shall,” common in legally binding documents, is also absent. Instead, there are the terms “would” and “will.”
Is the UK-Ukraine security agreement a Budapest memorandum 2.0?
James Sherr, an Associate Fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia Programme, believes the security agreement between Ukraine and the UK has nothing in common with the Budapest Memorandum. The new deal is bilateral, not multilateral, and contains legal undertakings.
First, Britain is to provide Ukraine with significant defense assistance over a 10-year period, beginning this year with €2.7 billion, which is a considerable expense for the UK.
Second, the agreement contains firm commitments that following the conclusion of this war, whenever that may be, the UK will provide rapid and substantial military assistance in response to any future Russian aggression.
“It’s like comparing Sweden with grapefruit, it doesn’t mean anything. There are very specific undertakings there which have a legal character. And so that is something substantially different. Also, there are a variety of provisions which are not published. Because even today, the UK is doing a number of things in support of Ukraine, militarily, which we don’t wish to publish,” Sherr explained to Euromaidan Press.
It is also important that the major political parties in Britain are consistent regarding support for Ukraine, unlike in the US.
James Rogers, a British analyst and co-founder of the Council on Geostrategy, says the Budapest Memorandum was not a meaningful security guarantee. It was a “negative” assurance: the UK, US, and Russia merely pledged not to violate Ukrainian territory. Obviously, Russia tore up the agreement in 2014. There was no mechanism for Ukraine to request assistance from the parties, one of which violated the pact.
“The Security Treaty the UK and Ukraine signed last week is a positive assurance. It contains an explicit consultation mechanism Ukraine can invoke if Russia launches a fresh offensive. So these assurances are better than the Budapest Memorandum, but they would not deter to the same extent as a UK or NATO security guarantee,” Rogers told Euromaidan Press.
On the contrary, Omar Ashour, a security and military studies professor at the Doha Institute, believes the agreement indeed resembles Budapest Memorandum version 2.0. However, he argues that the new pacts will likely have real substance since the West cannot allow history to repeat itself.
“You took away the nukes of Ukraine, the main weapon that could defend Ukraine, and you gave them assurances worth nothing. If you sign something like that and then behave that way, your reputation is gone. It was an insult for the UK, US, France, and China as observers too,” Ashour told Euromaidan Press.
Is the UK-Ukraine agreement a NATO substitute for Ukraine?
James Sherr believes that the signed deal and future ones are not a substitute for NATO membership for Ukraine at least because the word “NATO” is mentioned in the document 17 times.
“The UK not only stated it supports NATO membership for Ukraine, it states the UK that promoting Ukraine’s membership of NATO is a fundamental British foreign policy commitment. So, the agreement is meant to advance Ukraine’s integration and membership of NATO. It’s clearly stated it’s not an alternative” believes Sherr.
Oleksandr Kraiev, Director of the North America Program at the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism,” believes that the signed deal and future ones pave the way for a 2024 NATO summit in Washington, where Ukraine is poised to receive an invitation.
“If the G7 tells Ukraine that for this Russian aggression, we respond by supplying weapons, and for the next one we’ll also stand with you, plus you’ll join NATO, it means an invitation is coming at the Washington summit. Otherwise, it’s a total Western failure. Not inviting Ukraine into NATO means the US signaling it won’t defend Taiwan either,” Kraiev told Euromaidan Press.
He argues admitting Ukraine costs NATO nothing but offers many symbolic rewards. However, accession would only follow the war’s conclusion in the sense that Russia’s military loses its offensive capability.
“It’s about Article 5. Not because the West fears fighting but because they’ll start hesitating. Why is Article 5 intimidating? Because it means immediate action – F-35s bombing the Kremlin, British special forces raiding the waterfront, warships moving in. At least that’s how Russians and Ukrainians envision it. The moment Article 5 must apply, NATO may crumble,” believes Kraiev.
Omar Ashour contends the security deal with the UK is separate from Ukraine’s potential NATO accession. The analyst believes Ukraine’s NATO membership hinges on battlefield results, although he recognizes those results, in turn, depend on the scope of Western support. Still, Ashour argues that Ukraine joining the alliance would be justified militarily and politically.
“There’s a famous military saying: ‘The only real security guarantees are the two Ns: nukes and NATO.’ They took Ukraine’s nukes. They had better give Ukraine the other N and let it join NATO,” believes Ashour.
In analyst’s view, Ukraine could significantly strengthen NATO since the so-called “eastern flank” is actually now its central theater.
“If Russia gains control of Ukraine, then the Baltics and Poland will be next. Ukraine is the largest country in Eastern Europe, with the most experienced army now. So Ukraine provides a major strategic contribution,” said Ashour.
Does the deal imply acceptance of a frozen war?
The agreement has nothing to do with an alleged freezing of the war, believes James Sherr. Whether the war freezes on Russia’s terms or not does not depend on what’s written in this pact.
“Sunak has said the war will have to end in negotiation as all wars do. But he didn’t say that in connection with this agreement. There’s no mention of that in this agreement. He meant that the negotiations would start and be concluded to Ukraine’s advantage. The UK, at least under his government, is not going to consider negotiations on another basis,” said the analyst.
However, Oleksandr Kraiev sees links between the security pact and a potential war freeze in Ukraine. However, he says, no world leader has raised peace talks yet.
“It would make sense to use the guarantees either to bolster a Washington summit invitation or facilitate a freeze. Like, we gave you assurances, now let’s end this phase so guarantees apply for the next round. There’s a clear correlation. But is it causation? That’s the question,” said the expert.
Painting an even bleaker picture, Ukrainian military expert and retired Colonel Roman Svitan believes the section of the Ukraine-UK deal devoted to “future Russian aggression” undermines an otherwise good pact on defense cooperation.
“What does ‘future Russian aggression’ mean? Is it after today’s attacks, starting tomorrow morning? Will it happen after Ukraine beats Russia and gets back the 1991 borders? Or does it mean freezing the fighting and dividing the land so Ukraine gives up some of its territory?” Svitan told Fabryka.news.
Will the UK-Ukraine deal set a new security standard for Europe?
This agreement sets a high standard for other European NATO allies and pushes things forward for Ukraine, says James Sherr. The more robust bilateral deals that follow, especially with major powers, the more pressure mounts on the US and NATO to strengthen their own security commitments to Ukraine.
“Other European countries that conclude bilateral agreements with Ukraine will need to do something very similar, or they will be asked: why are you doing less than the UK? That would not be a comfortable question in Britain, Germany, or France,” believes the analyst.
On the contrary, former Ukrainian Ambassador to the EU Kostiantyn Yelisieiev thinks that beyond the victorious political rhetoric, the document has become a record of the maximum level of support that influential international players are willing to provide Ukraine. It is unlikely any other Western partners would be willing to strengthen the agreement.
“Unfortunately, the agreement has created a dangerous precedent, whereby other partners will follow the logic of this document. The widely touted promises that Ukraine would be given security guarantees turned out to be a myth,” Yelisieiev told the New Voice.
Is the UK taking the lead on Ukraine security?
Foreign policy expert Serhiy Solodkyi of Ukraine’s New Europe Center believes the new UK deal, while not providing rigid security guarantees for Ukraine, should be a step toward obtaining them. Beyond NATO, there are several other formats for such guarantees globally, but all require US involvement – as seen with Israel, Taiwan, and South Korea. However, none of these countries secured agreements instantly.
“No security model works without the US – that is a crucial component. And no country we analyzed obtained security guarantees right away. No, politicians and diplomats in these nations demanded and fought to get them. Early proposals were much weaker,” Solodkyi explained to Euromaidan Press.
James Sherr highlights another critical aspect of this deal: it clearly states the UK’s aim is to support Ukraine’s armed forces in restoring all of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, including maritime zones, if attacked.
“The Biden administration has never said US support for Ukraine is to enable it to recover all its legally internationally recognized territory. The UK has now explicitly stated this and put it in an agreement,” said Sherr.
However, the key question is: what are the West’s objectives in this war? Simply “supporting Ukraine as long as it takes” is not an objective – it’s an advertising slogan that means nothing.
“Even if the US said: ‘We want to expel Russia to the borders of 23 February 2022,’ that would be something. Some would say that’s insufficient, but at least it’s an objective that would put us in a more constructive frame of mind than today. Because currently, the US policy is designed to create a nice warm feeling, but it is confused and confusing,” said the expert.
If the objective is for Ukraine to prevail militarily, the West must not only continue current support but do considerably more. This does not necessarily mean NATO forces intervene directly, but it does require increased assistance done differently, Sherr believes.
More than Budapest, less than desired
In summary, the bilateral security pact between Ukraine and the UK represents meaningful progress in itself. As many experts note, the deal’s legal undertakings exceed the worthless assurances of the Budapest Memorandum.
However, the agreement does not exist in a vacuum. The timing and specifics prompt difficult questions about the West’s long-term intentions amid a still-raging war. While the UK deal sets positive precedents, uncertainty lingers around how much support Ukraine can truly count on over the long haul.
For Ukraine, past betrayals caution against fully trusting external pledges, no matter how forcefully declared. Until realizing NATO accession or equally ironclad guarantees, Kyiv cannot rely on outside security arrangements alone – maintaining national defense readiness remains imperative. So, while representing progress, the UK deal alone provides no definitive assurances. Its ultimate significance will be defined by what commitments and actions from the West follow next.
Read more:
- Zelenskyy and Sunak sign landmark security pact between UK and Ukraine
- Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament was after all a blunder, new docs show
- The specter of Budapest Memorandum hangs over Ukrainian negotiations, darkens the future of global security
- Only restoring Ukraine’s nuclear status can be an alternative to its NATO membership – Estonia’s Foreign Minister
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https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/18/uk-security-deal-with-ukraine-budapest-memorandum-2-0-or-road-to-nato/
| 2024-01-18T01:10:10Z
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The Royal Family had envisioned 2024 to be a year of recovery and positive developments following a turbulent 2023, marked by the loss of Queen Elizabeth II and the controversies stirred by the Duke of Sussex's explosive autobiography, Spare.
However, recent health concerns involving key members of the monarchy have cast a shadow over these hopes.
The King's prostate treatment and the Princess of Wales's abdominal surgery have underscored the vulnerabilities of a streamlined monarchy.
This has raised concerns about the capacity of the Royal Family to maintain its duties and public presence, especially with three of the four most senior royals temporarily stepping back from their roles.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, who were scheduled for their first joint overseas visit in two years to Rome, have had to postpone their international engagements.
The Prince, at 41, is expected to focus on caring for his wife, 42, as she recuperates at their Windsor home, Adelaide Cottage. This development has necessitated a pause in their royal duties and travel plans.
In the past, the presence of "working" royals like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York provided a buffer in such situations.
However, with these members now absent from public roles, the royal support structure appears thin. The next three in the line of succession after Prince William – the Dukes of Sussex and York, and Princess Beatrice – are not currently serving in public roles.
HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash says: "This has come as a shock at a time when most of us were expecting to see the Princess back in action with a busy schedule of engagements lined up.
"It means that neither she or William will be on public duty in the next few weeks and Kate is unlikely to be back at work before Easter. Similarly, William wants to be at her side and with their children until she's settled back at home, so a lot of diary events are being postponed.
"Obviously everyone wishes her well and is hoping for a speedy recovery."
This leaves the Queen as the only viable Counsellor of State available to step in while the King undergoes his medical procedure.
The Princess Royal, despite her commendable dedication and being 16th in the line of succession, is not a Counsellor of State. She previously expressed skepticism about the concept of a slimmed-down monarchy, questioning its feasibility given the family's public responsibilities.
The challenge of having too few royals to fulfill these duties is further complicated by the reduced involvement of other senior members like Princess Alexandra, 87, and the Duke of Kent, 88, who, despite his age, managed 69 royal engagements in 2023.
A careful balance is being maintained to ensure that the King and Queen, both in their mid-70s, are not overwhelmed with duties as they adapt to their new roles.
In 2023, the Queen undertook 233 public duties, ranking behind Princess Anne's 457, the King's 425, and Prince Edward's 297.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, while active, faced criticism for their lower number of engagements compared to their senior counterparts. Their commitment to being hands-on parents to their young children has been a contributing factor to this.
The absence of the Princess of Wales from public life is particularly notable. She holds a significant position as the wife and mother of future kings and has been a popular figure, often compared to her late mother-in-law, Diana, for her charisma and impact on the monarchy's public image.
Her targeted portrayal in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series and memoir has only increased public sympathy for her.
A recent biography by Robert Hardman sheds light on the tensions within the Royal Family, particularly the Prince of Wales's reaction to what he perceived as a "blatant attack" against his wife by his brother in the Netflix documentary.
The book, Charles III: New King New Court, reveals the strain these controversies have placed on the family, with the King also feeling "deeply hurt" by the accusations in Spare.
As the Royal Family navigates these health challenges and internal tensions, the pressure of the past few years becomes increasingly evident.
The road ahead in 2024 appears to be one of both recovery and adaptation, as the monarchy contends with the complexities of a slimmed-down structure and the evolving dynamics within the family.
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https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/511522/double-blow-of-king-charles-and-princess-kates-health-issues-could-expose-perils-for-monarchy/
| 2024-01-18T02:18:14Z
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SYDNEY - Australia on Thursday rejected comments by China's ambassador seeking to deflect blame from China's navy for the injury of Australian military divers in an incident near Japan in November.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was "not swayed" by Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian's comment a day earlier that a Chinese navy ship didn't use its sonar while Australian divers were in the water, and a Japanese boat could have been the source.
Albanese said in November a Chinese warship acted in a dangerous manner by using its sonar during an incident with an Australian navy vessel in Japan's waters that injured military divers who were clearing fishing nets from its propellers, and the incident had damaged ties.
China has previously rejected Australia's description of the incident, and at an annual press briefing on Wednesday, Xiao said China "didn't initiate sonar", adding there was a Japanese navy boat nearby. "Whether there was sonar from the other party, we don't know," he told reporters.
Albanese said on Thursday, "I think it is very clear what occurred."
"I stand by the comments I made at the time, that it was wrong, that it shouldn't have occurred," he said in a media briefing.
Australia has said medical assessments found minor injuries to the divers involved were likely caused by the Chinese destroyer's sonar.
Japan's embassy in Australia said it didn't know what Xiao said.
"Generally speaking, however, Japan and Australia as the core of a partnership of like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, unambiguously abide by the rule of law and have been promoting security cooperation across a wide range of areas," an embassy spokesman said in a statement. REUTERS
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| 2024-01-18T02:39:10Z
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SINGAPORE - The Ascott Limited, CapitaLand Investment’s (CLI) lodging business unit, has secured over 3,000 units across more than 20 properties under its Oakwood portfolio of brands since the second half of 2022.
This represents more than 20 per cent growth for Ascott’s Oakwood portfolio, since its acquisition from Mapletree Investments in the first half of 2022, said the company on Jan 18.
This also makes the Oakwood portfolio – which includes brands such as Oakwood and The Unlimited Collection, as well as other unbranded properties – one of Ascott’s fastest growing global brands in 2023, the company said.
With these signings, Oakwood will have almost 18,000 units across 48 cities. This includes new markets in South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Kevin Goh, chief executive for Ascott and CLI lodging, said the “smooth integration” of the Oakwood portfolio into the company’s operational framework has helped to drive revenue and optimised cost synergies. For instance, properties won over from other operators in Jakarta and Manila were converted and made operational within months of their signings last year.
“With more operationally ready properties coming onstream at a faster pace, we are seeing an immediate contribution of the Oakwood portfolio to Ascott’s recurring fee income, which is in line with our aim to double fee earnings to more than $500 million by 2028,” he said.
The new signings are part of Ascott’s efforts to refresh the Oakwood brand, which was previously known for its serviced apartments for corporate travellers. Beyond serviced apartments, the brand refresh will see Oakwood offer more city hotels and full-service resorts, said the company.
The villa resort Oakwood Ha Long was opened earlier this year and another two similar properties will open in Bali and Chongli in the first half of 2024, said Ascott.
Tan Bee Leng, the lodging operator’s managing director for brand and marketing, said: “With the rise of telecommuting and flexible schedules, business travellers increasingly view work trips as opportunities to extend their stays for leisure purposes.”
“Our refreshed Oakwood brand aims to address this growing market of business professionals who increasingly value holistic travel experiences,” she added.
Mr Goh added that Ascott will continue pursuing “transformative deals” to accelerate its expansion while providing immediate access to new markets, diverse customer bases and valuable synergies.
“Coupled with our continued focus on organic signings of management and franchise contracts, we not only intend to keep pace with industry trends but to break new grounds and stay ahead, positioning Ascott as a global leader in hospitality,” Mr Goh said.
The Oakwood brand refresh follows the refresh of sister brands Ascott, Citadines, The Crest Collection and Somerset in the past two years. THE BUSINESS TIMES
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/ascott-bags-over-20-new-signings-under-oakwood-portfolio-since-h2-2022
| 2024-01-18T02:39:20Z
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DUBAI - JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to add to its headcount this year as the firm sees opportunities in everything from dealmaking to US wealth management to international retail banking, bucking a trend by Wall Street rivals who have shed thousands of jobs in recent months.
After a subdued couple of years, the biggest US bank is seeing “plenty of growth” and “all the components are for a strong year” president Daniel Pinto said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Francine Lacqua on Jan 17 from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The lender is also seeing growth opportunities for its payments division.
JPMorgan “has the returns and the firepower to continue investing through the cycles and that is really what allows us to continue, regardless of the economic environment, to continue growing,” he said. “When I look at our plans, we will increase our staff this year for sure.”
The bank currently employs more than 300,000 people and “the number of people that we employ has been growing and not shrinking,” Mr Pinto said.
Mr Pinto’s comments come after JPMorgan closed out the most profitable year in US banking history and forecast that the windfall may continue this year. During recent earnings calls, many Wall Street executives said they expect a dealmaking pickup following a prolonged drought that brought investment-banking revenue last year to the lowest level in more than a decade.
Still, JPMorgan’s hiring plans stand in contrast to many of its largest competitors. Citigroup said last week it will eliminate 20,000 roles to save as much as US$2.5 billion (S$3.4 billion) as part of chief executive officer Jane Fraser’s quest to boost its lagging returns.
Morgan Stanley had to set aside US$353 million in severance cost last year, while Goldman Sachs said its number of staff decreased 7 per cent during 2023, which reflected a “headcount reduction initiative” across the firm.
Mr Pinto has been sole president of JPMorgan for two years, with business-line heads reporting jointly to him and his boss, CEO Jamie Dimon. He rose through the firm’s massive trading business to oversee the corporate and investment bank, which he still does today in addition to holding the president role. BLOOMBERG
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https://www.straitstimes.com/business/jpmorgan-to-hire-this-year-amid-wealth-dealmaking-revival
| 2024-01-18T02:39:31Z
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