Paul Lam, SC, Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), visited the Brunei Darussalam Law Society Council recently during his first working trip to the country.
His visit follows the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed between the Supreme Court of Brunei Darussalam and the Hong Kong Department of Justice (DoJ) in May 2023, aimed at fostering greater collaboration in dispute avoidance and resolution.
During the visit, Lam met with President of the Brunei Darussalam Law Society, Nur Azizah binti Dato Seri Paduka Haji Ahmad. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the legal communities of Brunei and Hong Kong, with an emphasis on further collaboration between the Brunei Darussalam Law Society, the Hong Kong Law Society, and the Hong Kong Bar Association.
Paul Lam and members of his delegation, Nur Azizah and other members of the Brunei Law Society Council members. PHOTO: FADLEY FAISAL
Lam’s visit is seen as a key step in further solidifying the relationship between the two regions, with legal cooperation taking centre stage. The MOC, signed earlier with Brunei’s Chief Justice, reflects a shared commitment to enhancing mutual legal practices and broadening the scope of partnership between the jurisdictions.
The Hong Kong delegation, which accompanied Lam, participated in discussions aimed at advancing legal cooperation, underscoring the importance of international partnerships in the legal field and mutual benefit in the ongoing collaboration. – FADLEY FAISAL
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), through its Islamic Education Department, on Saturday held a Doa Kesyukuran ceremony to honor three students awarded scholarships for their Master’s degree programs in the United Kingdom for the 2024-25 academic year.
The scholarship recipients are Awang Ahmad Rusydi bin Haji Mohd Salleh, who will pursue a Master’s in Commercial Law at Queen Mary University of London; Awang Mohammad Nur Hafizuddin bin Abdullah Mohamad Norajme, who will study for a Master’s in Statistics at the University of Leeds and Dayang Nurafrina Fikriyah binti Abdul Razak, who will undertake a Master’s (Taught) in Arabic-English Translation at the University of Birmingham.
The ceremony took place at the Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong, with the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohammad Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan as guest of honour.
The scholarship recipients (top row) with Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohammad Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan and MoRA officials. PHOTO: AZLAN OTHMAN
In his remarks, the Director of Islamic Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Awang Haji Shamshol bin Haji Omar, highlighted that this program aligns with the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Religious Affairs 2020-2024, particularly within the framework of Religious and Arabic Education.
He noted that, with the addition of these new scholarships, there are currently 91 scholarship recipients under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, including six pursuing Master’s degrees.
This scholarship scheme represents one of the Ministry’s initiatives to provide opportunities for outstanding Bachelor’s degree graduates to further their education at the Master’s or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) levels.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs aims for these government scholarships to cultivate religious experts in fields essential to the country, such as Tafsir al-Quran, Islamic law, and Islamic economics and finance, among others. – AZLAN OTHMAN
(ANN/KOREA HERALD) – Rosé, a member of the globally popular K-pop group Blackpink, has officially signed with Atlantic Records for her forthcoming solo projects, her agency The Black Label announced on Friday. The Warner Music-affiliated label is home to renowned artists such as Bruno Mars, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran.
To celebrate the new partnership, Atlantic Records sent Rosé a grand bouquet of red roses, accompanied by a note that read: “Welcome to the family!”
Rosé made her solo debut in March 2021 with the single album R, becoming the second member of Blackpink to launch a solo career. The album sold over 280,000 copies on its release day, setting a new record for first-week sales by a female K-pop soloist within just 24 hours.
Atlantic Records sent Rosé a grand bouquet of red roses, accompanied by a note that read: “Welcome to the family!”. PHOTO: ANN/KOREA HERALD
The lead track, On The Ground, debuted at No. 70 on Billboard’s Hot 100, the highest-ever position for a K-pop female soloist at the time. Its music video also garnered massive attention, racking up 41.6 million views on YouTube within 24 hours, earning Rosé a Guinness World Record for the most-viewed music video in 24 hours by a solo K-pop artist.
(ANN/KOREA HERALD) – Stray Kids are set to take the stage at the American Music Awards (AMA) on October 6, marking a major milestone for the K-pop sensation. The AMAs, which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, are one of the top four major music award shows in the United States, alongside the Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards.
The eight-member group will become the second K-pop act to perform at the AMAs, following BTS, who made their debut at the event in 2017.
Stray Kids. PHOTO: ANN/KOREA HERALD
Stray Kids’ performance comes after a highly successful year, with the group winning Top K-pop Album at the Billboard Music Awards and Best K-pop at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2023.
In addition to their AMA appearance, Stray Kids recently launched their new world tour, “dominATE,” with a sold-out show in Seoul. This weekend, they will become the first K-pop group to perform at Singapore’s iconic National Stadium. The tour will continue across Australia, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, with plans to expand to South America, North America, and Europe in 2024.
Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburb early on September 28, 2024. The Israeli army said September 28 that it killed the commander of Hezbollah's missile unit in southern Lebanon in an air strike, along with his deputy and several other leaders of the Iran-backed movement. Israeli fighter jets killed "Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah's missile unit in southern Lebanon, and his deputy," the military said in a statement on Telegram that added, "other Hezbollah commanders and terrorists were eliminated". (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – Israel conducted two rounds of air strikes on Hezbollah’s main bastion in the south of Lebanon’s capital Beirut, sending huge clouds of smoke soaring above the densely populated area.
Friday’s strikes were heard across the Mediterranean city and sparked panic in the residential area that has been the Iran-backed movement’s main stronghold for decades.
They were by far the fiercest strikes to hit Beirut since Israel shifted its focus from the war in Gaza to Lebanon this week, pounding Hezbollah strongholds around the country and killing hundreds of people.
Israeli television networks reported that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strike, though a source close to the group said he was “fine”.
Nasrallah enjoys cult status among his Shiite Muslim supporters, and is the only man in Lebanon with the power to wage war or make peace, but he leads a life in hiding to avoid assassination.
“Oh my God, what strikes. I felt like the building was going to collapse on top of me,” said Abir Hammoud, a teacher in her 40s who lives in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburb early on September 28, 2024. PHOTO: AFP
Ahmad Ahmad, in his 60s, said he fled his house in the southern suburbs after the strikes, which he said felt “like an earthquake”.
They were followed by a second bombing hours later, which Israel’s military said targeted Hezbollah weapons stored in buildings in the area, a claim the group denied.
Hezbollah started fighting Israeli troops along the Lebanon border a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in an address to world leaders on Friday that there would be no-let up in the battle against Hezbollah until Israel’s northern border was secured.
Warning to civilians
A source close to Hezbollah said the initial wave of strikes had levelled six buildings, and according to a preliminary toll, six people were killed and 91 wounded.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said the strike had targeted “the central headquarters” of Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of the city.
After the Beirut strikes, Hezbollah said it had fired more rockets into Israel “in defence of Lebanon and its people”. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Israeli military warned civilians in parts of Hezbollah’s south Beirut stronghold to evacuate the area before conducting its second bombing.
It also said it would not allow Iran to transfer weapons to its ally Hezbollah through Beirut airport — adding that its jets were ready to intervene should any such transfers be detected.
Israel’s army said the second wave of strikes had targeted Hezbollah targets in the Tyre area of southern Lebanon.
‘Deadliest in a generation’
The UN has repeatedly condemned this week’s sharp escalation of violence in Lebanon.
“We are witnessing the deadliest period in Lebanon in a generation, and many express their fear that this is just the beginning,” the UN humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, said.
In Israel, too, many were weary of the violence.
“It is incredibly exhausting to be in this situation. We don’t really know what’s going to happen, there’s talk of a ground offensive or a major operation,” said Lital Shmuelovich, a physiotherapy student.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed again for a ceasefire, after a US-led bid for a truce failed earlier this week.
“The path to diplomacy may seem difficult to see at this moment, but it is there, and in our judgement, it is necessary,” Blinken said.
In New York, Netanyahu also addressed the war in Gaza, saying that Israel’s military would continue to fight Hamas until it achieved “total victory”.
Diplomats have said efforts to end the war in Gaza were key to halting the fighting in Lebanon and bringing the region back from the brink of all-out war.
But despite months of mediation efforts, a Gaza ceasefire remains elusive.
Israel’s has killed at least 41,534 people in Gaza since October 7, most of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN has described the figures as reliable.
‘Change the rules’
The Lebanon violence has raised fears of wider turmoil in the Middle East, with Iran-backed militants across the region vowing to keep up their fight with Israel.
Netanyahu took aim at Iran in his UN General Assembly address, saying: “I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran. If you strike us, we will strike you.”
He added: “There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East.”
Analysts have said Iran would try to resist being dragged into the conflict.
But following the Beirut strikes, Iran’s embassy in Lebanon said: “This reprehensible crime… represents a dangerous escalation that changes the rules of the game.”
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, later condemned the strikes, branding them a “flagrant war crime”.
WARREN, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 27: Former US President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump takes photos with attendees onstage following a Town Hall event at Macomb Community College on September 27, 2024 in Warren, Michigan. The Town Hall will mark his 10th visit this year to Michigan, a battleground state expected to be one of several crucial to deciding the presidential election between Trump and the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. Emily Elconin/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Emily Elconin / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Donald Trump on Friday accused Google of showing only “bad stories” about him and vowed to have the tech giant prosecuted if he gets back in the White House.
Trump provided no backing for his accusation in a post on his Truth Social platform, in which he added that the search engine displays only positive articles about his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris.
“This is an ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, and hopefully the Justice Department will criminally prosecute them for this blatant Interference of Elections,” he said in the post.
Former US President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump takes photos with attendees onstage following a Town Hall event at Macomb Community College on September 27, 2024 in Warren, Michigan, USA. PHOTO: AFP
“If not, and subject to the Laws of our Country, I will request their prosecution, at the maximum levels, when I win the election.”
The Trump post came after a conservative group reported on what it said it found when doing a search on “Donald Trump presidential race 2024.”
“Both campaign websites consistently appear at the top of Search for relevant and common search queries,” Google said in response to an AFP inquiry.
“This report looked at a single rare search term on a single day a few weeks ago, and even for that search, both candidates’ websites ranked in the top results on Google.”
Google has been adamant that it does not manipulate search results to favor any political candidate.
The company does not disclose the inner workings of the software that powers its ubiquitous search engine.
However, factors known to influence search results for news stories include the timeliness and popularity of topics.
Trump is at the center of numerous criminal and civil cases in which he faces accusations including sexual abuse, paying hush money to a porn star, interfering with the 2020 election and trying to thwart the peaceful transition of power after President Joe Biden defeated him.
LONDON (AP) — Worried about your teen’s Instagram use? Faced with growing pressure to do more to stop online harm, the social media platform has rolled out a major new update to protect young people and give parents more control.
With many teens spending almost all of their time online, parents are concerned that social media is exposing them to harmful content like cyberbullying, eating disorders and suicidal thoughts. Prominent profile figures including US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Prince Harry have warned about the risks.
For illustration purposes only. PHOTO: FREEPIK
Critics say Instagram’s changes are a step in the right direction but they still put the onus on parents and children instead of the company to deal with the problem.
Here’s a guide to Instagram’s new teen accounts:
What limits will young users have?
Instagram already prohibits anyone under 13 from signing up.
Now, teen accounts will automatically be set to private. That means they’ll have to accept or reject requests from new followers. Other users won’t be able to see a teen user’s posts and videos, or tag the account.
Teens will also face messaging restrictions. They can only receive direct messages from people they’re following or who follow them. But they can still send messages to other accounts.
And they’ll be subject to the strictest content settings, and won’t be shown content involving sensitive topics like fighting videos and posts about cosmetic procedures.
Instagram’s anti-bullying feature will be set to the highest level to screen out offensive words and phrases in comments and direct message requests.
To cut down their screen time, teens will get a notification to stop using the app after it’s been open for more than an hour — which they can ignore.
Sleep mode will kick in from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., which mutes notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages at a time when they’re supposed to be sleeping. However, they can still scroll through Instagram and even respond to messages if they want to.
Are there workarounds?
These limits will be turned on automatically for all teens, but 16 and 17-year-olds will have the authority to turn them off. Kids under 16 will need permission to do so and parents can make changes and approve or deny any requests in the family center.
Teens might lie about their age, but it’s getting harder to fool the platform. Instagram has previously started requiring users to verify their ages — by uploading an ID or doing a video selfie — if they try to change their birthdates to show they’re over 18.
Now, Instagram says it will start testing artificial intelligence technology early next year to detect if a user is a teen even if the account lists an adult birthday.
Of course, teens don’t have to agree to be supervised in the first place. Instagram says they and their parents both have to opt in. And either side can revoke supervision at any time.
What if the parent isn’t on Instagram? If you want to use the teen controls, you’ll need an account even if you don’t want it. A spokeswoman said it’s important for parents to be familiar with the platform so they can effectively supervise their teens.
New controls for parents
If you don’t think the limits on your teen’s account are strict enough, you can add supervisory controls.
This feature allows parents to see who their teen has traded messages with within the past seven days, but not what’s in those messages.
Not happy that your teen can ignore reminders to stop using the app? There are controls to let parents limit the amount of time their teen spends on Instagram each day. Once the limit is hit, they are cut off. You can also block your teen from using Instagram during specific times of the day, and monitor the topics of content that they’re seeing.
How to set up parental controls
First, you’ll need your teen to set up family supervision on his or her account. On the mobile app, go to settings and scroll down to the family center to activate this feature.
Next, the teen account will have to invite a parent. It will be in the form of a link the teen can send by text message to the parent.
After accepting the invite, the teen user has 48 hours to review and confirm the parent’s response.
Can I use the teen settings right away?
Anyone under 18 who now signs up for Instagram in the US, UK, Canada and Australia will be automatically enrolled into a restricted teen account. Existing accounts will be transferred by mid-November. Teens in the European Union’s 27 countries will be migrated later this year.
The rest of the world will get teen accounts in January and they will roll out to other Meta services like Facebook next year.
Progresif Sdn Bhd, a leading telecommunications company in Brunei recently signed a Collaboration Agreement with ST Engineering Info-Security Pte. Ltd. (STE Infosec), a renowned cybersecurity solutions and service provider based in Singapore.
The strategic partnership was formalised at the sidelines of Brunei Cyber Security (CySec) Conference 2024 held at the Empire Hotel Brunei from 18th to 19th September themed “Cyber Vigilance and Data Sovereignty: Shielding the Digital Horizon.”
In attendance as witnesses during the signing were Singapore High Commissioner Laurence Bay, along with Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Shaun Grosse.
Chief Executive Officer of Progresif Sdn Bhd Hjh Nurul Haniah Binti Haji Jaafar (3L) during the partnership signing. PHOTOS: PROGRESIFSingapore High Commissioner Laurence Bay and Chief Executive Officer of Progresif Sdn Bhd Hjh Nurul Haniah Binti Haji Jaafar with senior representatives from ST Engineering and Progresif during the signing ceremony.
Progresif in a press release said that the collaboration marks a significant milestone in Brunei’s journey towards enhanced digital security.
By combining Progresif’s local expertise and telecommunications infrastructure
with STE Infosec’s advanced cybersecurity solutions and services, this partnership aims to
elevate Brunei’s cyber defense capabilities.
The initiative focuses on the joint development and operation of advanced cybersecurity
solutions, including Security Operation Centre (SOC) services. This collaboration aims to
leverage global expertise while fostering domestic talent, ensuring round-the-clock threat
monitoring, and implementing cutting-edge defense mechanisms. Progresif is taking proactive steps to safeguard its business interests and customer data in the rapidly evolving digital landscape by fortifying its digital resilience and cultivating a skilled cybersecurity workforce.
Chief Executive Officer of Progresif Sdn Bhd Hjh Nurul Haniah Binti Haji Jaafar commented
on the partnership. “Our collaboration with STE Infosec aligns perfectly with Brunei’s vision
for a secure digital future. By joining forces, we are strengthening our nation’s cyber defenses and fostering innovation and growth in the local technology sector.”
Meanwhile, President, Cyber for ST Engineering Mr. Goh Eng Choon said, “’Robust
cybersecurity is essential for safeguarding sensitive data and building trust in our digital age. By proactively establishing a Security Operation Centre and ensuring 24/7 threat monitoring, we empower our cyber defenders with the advanced solutions necessary to protect what matters most to our customers. Our collaboration with Progresif will position Progresif and ST Engineering to jointly bring advanced cybersecurity capabilities to various sectors in Brunei.”
ST Engineering is a global technology, defence, and engineering group with offices across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the US, serving customers in more than 100 countries.
Progresif said that Tthe Cyber Security Conference served as the perfect platform to introduce the partnership, where attendees had the opportunity to learn about the latest cybersecurity trends and how the Progresif-STE Infosec collaboration will contribute to Brunei’s digital resilience.
File photo of people cleaning up the debris of destroyed and damaged buildings in the aftermath of bombardments in Lashio in Myanmar's northern Shan State. PHOTO: AFP
YANGON (AFP) – Myanmar’s junta carried out fresh air strikes on an opposition-held town yesterday, hours after issuing an unprecedented invitation to its enemies for talks on the country’s civil war.
Thursday’s surprise call for discussions is a nudge towards controversial fresh elections, analysts said, and two prominent armed groups swiftly dismissed it.
The offer came with the junta reeling from battlefield reverses to ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy ‘People’s Defence Forces’ that rose up to oppose the military’s seizure of power in 2021.
The groups have seized several lucrative border crossings and last month took Lashio, a city of 150,000 people – the biggest urban centre to fall to rebels since 1962. The call was “the first time that the regime has expressed a willingness to have a dialogue with the post-coup resistance forces”, said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has long spoken of “annihilating” the groups, he pointed out.
Hours after the offer, military jets bombed Lashio, in northern Shan state, now in the hands of fighters from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
“I heard two explosions,” a resident told AFP, asking for anonymity for security reasons.
“I heard five people were killed and a lot of people were wounded.”
One Yangon-based diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the junta’s offer, “So far I haven’t seen the inclination towards serious reconciliation.”
AFP has contacted for comment the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), ethnic armed groups that hold territory in the north. The MNDAA could not be reached.
The Karen National Union, which has fought for decades for autonomy along the Thai border, said talks were only possible if the military agreed to “common political objectives”.
That included the military staying out of politics, accepting a new, federal constitution, and being held accountable for “war crimes and crimes against humanity”, spokesman Padoh Saw Taw Nee said.
File photo of people cleaning up the debris of destroyed and damaged buildings in the aftermath of bombardments in Lashio in Myanmar’s northern Shan State. PHOTO: AFP
JAKARTA (AFP) – A landslide at an illegal gold mine in western Indonesia has killed at least 15 people and buried dozens of others in the abandoned pit with rescue workers struggling to locate the missing, officials said yesterday.
The landslide hit a remote site in West Sumatra province on Sumatra island on Thursday evening after heavy rains in the area, provincial disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Ilham Wahab told AFP.
“The information we can provide was that a landslide occurred at a gold mine last night, causing several people to be buried. Efforts to search for the victims are ongoing,” he said.
Ilham added that three people were injured and 25 were still missing. Unlicensed mines are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago, where abandoned sites attract locals who hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety equipment.
Ilham could not confirm if the mine in question was illegal but said all activities at the site had been halted as search efforts for the missing were ongoing.
Search efforts were being hindered by the remote location, with rescuers including police officers, soldiers and civilians having to walk for hours from the nearest village to reach the area, he said.
“The location is quite far, the terrain is tough. This has hampered evacuation effort but people are helping so that this evacuation process can be carried out quickly,” he said.
