The SMS Brunei Prihatin for Orphans Fund collected BND210,619 in last year’s campaign which ran from April 8-July 8, 2021. The collection was handed over to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin in a ceremony at Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium yesterday. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
LONDON (AP) – The British government is ending the supply of free rapid coronavirus tests to most of the population even though COVID-19 infections remain at record levels, and health officials warn the pandemic could still have nasty surprises in store. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Heavy fighting raged on the outskirts of Kyiv and other zones yesterday amid indications the Kremlin is using talk of de-escalation as cover while regrouping and resupplying its forces and redeploying them for a stepped-up offensive in eastern Ukraine. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli forces raided a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank yesterday, setting off a gun battle in which two Palestinians were killed and 15 were wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
BEIJING (AP) – Chinese officials said yesterday that the search for wreckage in last week’s crash of a China Eastern Boeing 737-800 is basically done and that more than 49,000 pieces of debris had been found. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
Washington (AFP) – Former United States (US) president Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top White House aide Jared Kushner is due to answer questions from the House panel investigating last year’s assault on the Capitol. More details in Friday’s Borneo Bulletin.
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday left Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) after attending the World Government Summit 2022 and Expo 2020 Dubai.
His Majesty was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned recited the Doa Selamat prior to departure.
Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the UAE Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei and Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to the UAE Haji Harun bin Haji Junid bade His Majesty farewell at the airport.
During the working visit to Dubai, His Majesty delivered a titah keynote speech at the World Government Summit 2022.
The monarch touched on, among other subjects, overcoming current challenges, shaping better future governments by engaging the participation of youth and women, cooperating extensively as well as instilling peace and stability for economic development.
His Majesty also attended a meeting with Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Dubai ruler His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Both leaders discussed enhancing bilateral relations between Brunei Darussalam and the UAE to increase trade levels and to facilitate cooperation between investors from both countries.
His Majesty toured the UAE Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai. During the tour, His Majesty expressed pleasure in witnessing first-hand the success of the Brunei Darussalam Pavilion at the expo, as demonstrated by the determination and efforts of entrepreneurs from micro, small and medium enterprises in marketing their products at the international arena, while at the same time receiving welcoming feedback and a high number of visitors to the pavilion.
The Government of His Majesty signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of the UAE on the Recognition of Certificate Issued under the Provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers, 1978 as amended, which is an effort to expand and develop the maritime industry, and will be able to be co-recognised by the two countries.
Azlan Othman
Citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam will be allowed to make non-essential travel to 11 Travel Green List nations starting tomorrow.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong said this at the daily press conference yesterday, before listing the 11 nations as being Australia, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia (air travel only), New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom (UK), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
For Brunei residents and citizens, an exit travel approval from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is no longer required, particularly for air travel to all countries – whether included in the Travel Green List or otherwise.
“However, exit travel is only permitted for citizens and residents who have completed three doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, or two doses of the vaccination within a three-month period prior to departure,” Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar said.
Proof of vaccination status must be produced when departing the country. Exemptions are given to those holding a COVID-19 Recovery Certificate with a 90-day validity, and children under the ages of 18 – provided they are travelling with an adult who fulfils the vaccination requirements.
Additionally, outbound travellers exiting the country for a period of less than 90 days are required to obtain travel insurance with COVID-19 treatment coverage. All Brunei nationals and permanent residents travelling out of the Sultanate are advised to register via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website at http://www.mfa.gov.bn/Pages/eRegister_desc.aspx to allow ease of communications in the event assistance is required.
Foreign nationals on inbound and outbound travel (via land or sea control posts) are still required to adhere to current measures enforced – exit travel approval for outbound travel and Entry Travel Pass for foreign nationals.
The Sultanate is currently in active discussions with neighbouring countries on inbound and outbound travel through land and sea control posts. Information of the inbound and outbound travel guidelines can be found on the PMO website, www.jpm.gov.bn/travelportal.
James Kon
Tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – such as cancer, heart disease (including stroke), diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – is one of the challenges that remain a major problem globally. Brunei Darussalam is no exception, with nearly 85 per cent of deaths among adults being tied to NCD sufferers.
Minister of Health cum guest of honour Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar highlighted this at the launching of Brunei Darussalam Multisectoral Action Plan for the prevention and control of Noncommunicable Diseases (Bru-MAP-NCD) 2021-2025 at Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex yesterday.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, studies showed that individuals with NCD-associated comorbidities were the ones prone to health complications, with a higher death risk.
Risk factors such as being overweight or obese have been shown to be closely associated with the severe effects of COVID-19.
These findings were also in line with that found in the Sultanate, where COVID-19 patients in categories 4 and 5 were those with risk factors or suffering from various types of NCDs.
“When the country started implementing control measures to curb the spread of the pandemic – such as practicing physical distance and undergoing quarantine orders – various issues arose, experienced by all, in terms of health behaviour changes, stress due to the restrictions, economy uncertainty and so on.
“In terms of health behaviour changes, the control and management of NCD were affected. The difficulty in acquiring healthy food and access to preventive services or health promotion caused more people to consume less healthy food, not engage in physical activities and to use tobacco,” he said.
The pandemic also affected the health services for NCD patients in Brunei Darussalam.
The postponement of appointments and routine medical test slowed down patient management; while physical distancing, limited access to health centres as well as clinic, pharmacy and community services; in addition to reduction of transportation networks, contributed to the drop in the effectiveness of healthcare for NCD patients.
With the control and prevention of NCD being a dominant health challenge in the 21st Century for the world, Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said, “The treatment cost for NCD patients is extremely high, not only to the patient, but also the expenditure of the country as well as to the health system, and the global economy.
“Therefore, the response to the prevention and control of NCD requires integrated measures from all levels, especially from the aspects of policy, health system, community action in Brunei Darussalam and each individual behaviour.”
DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA (AP) – As departing jetliners roared overhead, an ageng vervet monkey moped on a mangrove branch one recent afternoon in the woods he inhabits near a South Florida airport, his ego bruised.
Mikey, as he is called by his human observers, has long been the laid-back alpha male of a troop of monkeys ruling this tract of land, tucked off a busy runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. But this day he lost when challenged by a feisty youngster called Spike.
Mikey fled screaming and was now sullenly staring at humans watching him from 15 feet away.
“Did you have a bad day?” asked Lynn University science professor Deborah ‘Missy’ Williams who has been studying the troop and others nearby since 2014.
She is also founder of the Dania Beach Vervet Project, which seeks to preserve this unique colony. “We will leave you alone so you can ponder.”
The United States (US) has no native monkeys, but the smallish vervets have roamed Dania Beach since the late 1940s after a dozen brought from West Africa fled a now long-closed breeding facility and roadside zoo.
