UPI – An Indian ultra runner broke a Guinness World Record by traversing the country’s 3,729-mile ‘Golden Quadrilateral’ with a time of 110 days, 23 hours and 24 minutes.
Sufiya Khan, 35, who ran her first marathon in 2017 and started ultra distance running in 2019, ran the Golden Quadrilateral network of highways, passing through Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
Khan finished the 3,729-mile run in 110 days, 23 hours and 24 minutes, earning the Guinness World Record for fastest time to travel the Indian Golden Quadrilateral on foot (female).
Khan previously earned the Guinness record for fastest time to run from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (female). The athlete said she initially took up distance running as a means of relieving her stress from working as ground staff at an airport.
“Once my interest piqued, I decided to quit my job and dive into ultra running full-time,” Khan told the Hindustan Times.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) – South Korea said it made its first successful launch of a solid-fuel rocket yesterday in what it called a major development toward acquiring a space surveillance capability amid rising animosities with rival North Korea.
The launch came six days after North Korea conducted its first intercontinental ballistic missile test since 2017 in an apparent attempt to expand its weapons arsenal and increase pressure on the Biden administration amid stalled talks.
South Korea’s domestically built solid-propellant rocket was launched from a state-run testing facility with the presence of Defence Minister Suh Wook and other senior officials, the Defence Ministry said.
It said solid-fuel rockets have simpler structures and are cheaper to develop and manufacture than liquid-fuel rockets. It said solid-fuel rockets also reduce launch times. The statement said South Korea will soon launch a spy satellite into orbit aboard a solid-fuel rocket.
South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellite of its own and depends on the United States (US) spy satellites to monitor strategic facilities in North Korea.
In 2020, South Korea won US consent to use solid fuel for space launch vehicles, a restriction that Washington had previously imposed on its key Asian ally out of concerns that its use could lead to building bigger missiles and trigger a regional arms race.
Yesterday’s launch came amid tensions over North Korea’s ICBM launch last Thursday, which broke its own moratorium on big weapons tests and violated multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
South Korea’s Defence Ministry concluded earlier this week that North Korea fired the Hwasong-15 ICBM, rather than the newer, bigger, longer-range Hwasong-17 that North Korea claimed to have tested.
Mock South and North Korean missiles at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea. PHOTO: AP
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) announced the month-long suspension of Bandarku Ceria (BKC) activities throughout Ramadhan.
A MoHA statement said that both exercise and vendor activities will be suspended, while the usual road closure to accommodate the Bandarku Ceria will not apply during the month-long break.
Individuals entering the country via air travel are allowed to undergo quarantine at home or hotels. The new guideline will be implemented from tomorrow.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong announced this at the daily press conference yesterday.
The minister said with the consent of 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, the COVID-19 Steering Committee announced several updates to the guidelines on inbound and outbound travel via air based on current risk assessments and detailed research.
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar also said addresses need to be registered prior to departing from the Sultanate through the online Arrival E-Health Declaration Form.
This declaration must be completed by citizens, permanent residents or foreign nationals within 24 hours prior to departure, by submitting their health details including vaccination status, COVID-19 test result and travel history.
However, inbound travellers are still required to make payment for COVID-19 tests upon arrival.
The minister added that foreign nationals travelling from countries under the Travel Green List – Australia, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia (air travel only), New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom (UK), United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – are not required to obtain Entry Travel Pass approval for inbound travel to the Sultanate.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong. PHOTO: JAMES KON
Travels to and from the Travel Green List countries are no longer limited to essential travel and are open to non-essential ones, too.
However, inbound travel of foreign nationals from Travel Green List countries who wish to work or visit Brunei are still required to apply for employment visa, dependent visa, visit visa (for foreigners who require entry visa), or professional and business visit visa prior to entering the country, as per existing regulations.
In addition, they are also required to adhere to enforced health measures such as the completion of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Travellers arriving from Travel Green List countries are required to adhere to health protocols which have been revised such as to undergo RT-PCR swab test no more than two days before departing from the country of origin or undergo a certified antigen rapid test (ART) no more than one day before departing the country of origin; to undergo RT-PCR swab test and ART on day of arrival in the country, and subsequently undergo ART only on the second and third day, whereby test results are to be reported through the BruHealth app. ART kits with QR code will be provided upon arrival in the country.
They must also undergo quarantine upon arrival in the Sultanate until a negative RT-PCR swab test result is obtained. Travellers are allowed to undergo quarantine at home or
hotel accommodation.
Travellers who have previously been infected by COVID-19 and have proof of infection such as a Recovery Certificate, whereby the date is no longer than 90 days, are exempted from the measures namely to undergo RT-PCR swab test no more than two days before departing from country of origin or undergo a certified ART no more than one day before departing country of origin) and to undergo quarantine upon arrival in the country until a negative RTPCR swab test result is obtained. Travellers are allowed to undergo quarantine at home or hotel accommodation.
They are also exempted from undergoing RT-PCR swab test upon arrival and are only required to undergo ART on the day of arrival.
Meanwhile, travellers arriving from countries not yet included in the Travel Green List and intend to come to Brunei are required to undergo RT-PCR swab test no more than two days before departing from the country of origin or undergo a certified ART no more than one day before departing the country of origin; undergo antigen rapid test (ART) on the day of arrival in the country and subsequently undergo quarantine for five days at home or hotel accommodation.
The minister said they must also undergo RT-PCR swab test on the fifth day and will be allowed to end quarantine as soon as a negative RT-PCR swab test result is obtained. RT-PCR swab tests can be performed at any accredited clinic.
The list of accredited clinics can be found on the Prime Minister’s Office website at
www.jpm.gov.bn/travelportal.
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar added, travellers who have previously been infected by COVID-19 and have proof of infection such as a Recovery Certificate, whereby the date is no longer than 90 days, are exempted from the measures namely to undergo RT-PCR swab test not more than two days before departing from the country of origin or undergo a certified ART not more than one day before departing the country of origin) as well as undergo RT-PCR swab test on the fifth day and will be allowed to end quarantine as soon as a negative RT-PCR swab test result is obtained.
They are also exempted from undergoing quarantine for five days and are only required to undergo ART on the day of arrival.
Foreign nationals entering the country for a period of less than 90 days are required to obtain travel insurance with coverage of COVID-19 treatment.
The minister said, to this end, the Government of 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, expressed its appreciation to all parties, particularly citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam, for their cooperation in adhering to regulations since the implementation of travel restrictions.
“The unity and support by the public played a key role in curbing the impacts of COVID-19 in the Sultanate. On this note, it is hoped that the updated guidelines on inbound and outbound travel will enable us to step forward towards normalcy, while staying vigilant and cautious by complying with health guidelines and measures.
“Therefore, we must continue to pray and have faith in Allah the Almighty that the Sultanate will continue to be blessed, peaceful, safe and prosperous,” the minister added.
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (AP) – An organisation of seven Bay of Bengal nations said its members must urgently use their geographical advantage and other resources to address their post-pandemic vulnerabilities and collectively strengthen their ability to face future calamities.
In a declaration on the final day of a three-day summit yesterday, the group, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Corporation (BIMSTEC), said its members resolved to work together to combat poverty, natural disasters, climate change, pandemics and transnational crime.
They also agreed to work toward food and energy security and strengthen their links to increase trade, investment, tourism and technology, and offset economic losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The developments in Europe in the last few weeks have raised a question mark on the stability of the international order. In this context, it has become important to make BIMSTEC regional cooperation more active,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a virtual speech.
“It has also become imperative to give more priority to our regional security.”
Foreign Ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) countries. PHOTO: AP
He said India will contribute USD3 million to revive the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate to enable cooperation in disaster management.
Sri Lanka hosted the fifth BIMSTEC summit in its capital, Colombo. Leaders of the host country and of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, India, Nepal and Thailand all addressed the summit virtually.
Six foreign ministers took part in an officials’ meeting on Tuesday but the foreign minister of Myanmar who was earlier scheduled to participate in the meeting joined virtually.
Officials and ministers of the member countries signed three agreements on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility and cooperation between diplomatic academies.
Thailand took over as BIMSTEC’s chair nation for the next two years.
Individuals who have been infected with COVID-19 within the past 90 days with certification of recovery are exempted from carrying out the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab testing prior to entering the Sultanate.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said this to clarify confusion following a recent viral news article from Malaysia stating travellers coming into the Sultanate only need to carry out an antigen rapid test (ART).
“If a person has had COVID-19, but it happened six months ago, they will have to carry out whatever is required such as the RT-PCR within 48 hours before entering Brunei Darussalam,” the minister said.
The minister hoped that the explanation will clear up the confusion and that the issued statement for the exemption of RT-PCR from the Ministry of Health (MoH) is for those who have only recently tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar at the press conference. PHOTO: JAMES KON
KYIV, UKRAINE (AP) – Russian forces pounded areas around Ukraine’s capital and another city overnight, regional leaders said yesterday, just hours after Moscow pledged to scale back military operations in those places. The shelling further tempered optimism about any progress in talks aimed at ending the punishing war.
Russia did not spell out what exactly it planned to do differently, and while the promise initially raised hopes that a path toward peace was coming into view, Ukraine’s president and others cautioned that the remarks could merely be bluster and the Kremlin’s spokesman said he saw no breakthrough in the talks.
Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling hit homes, shops, libraries and other “civilian infrastructure” in the northern city of Chernihiv and on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv.
The barrages came as Britain’s Defence Ministry warned that while heavy losses have forced some Russian units to return to Belarus and Russia, Moscow would likely compensate for any reduction in ground manoeuvers by using mass artillery and missile strikes.
The Ukrainian military, meanwhile, said Russian troops were intensifying their attacks around the eastern city of Izyum and the eastern Donetsk region, after redeploying some units from other areas.
As the war unleashed five weeks ago by Moscow ground on, so, too, did the fallout beyond Ukraine’s borders. The United Nations (UN) said the number of refugees fleeing the country has now surpassed a staggering four million, while European industrial powerhouse Germany issued a warning over its natural gas supplies amid concerns that Russia could cut off deliveries unless it is paid in rubles. Poland announced steps to end all Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.
Apartment buildings damaged after shelling from fighting on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine. PHOTO: AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted with skepticism to Russia’s announcement amid talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it would reduce military activity near the capital and Chernihiv.
“We can call those signals that we hear at the negotiations positive,” he said in his nightly video address to the Ukrainian people. “But those signals don’t silence the explosions of Russian shells.”
That skepticism only gained ground yesterday morning.
“The so-called reduction of activity in the Chernihiv region, was demonstrated by the enemy strikes including air strikes on Nizhyn, and all night long they were shelling Chernihiv,” said the regional governor Viacheslav Chaus. “Civilian infrastructure facilities, libraries, shopping centres, many houses were destroyed in Chernihiv.”
Head of the Kyiv region military administration Oleksandr Pavliuk said yesterday that Russian shells targetted residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the Bucha, Brovary and Vyshhorod regions around the capital.
They weren’t the only attacks by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said yesterday that the military targetted fuel depots in two towns in central Ukraine with air-launched long-range cruise missiles. Russian forces also hit a Ukrainian special forces headquarters in the southern Mykolaiv region, he said, and two ammunition depots in the eastern Donetsk region.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces noted intensified shelling and attacks in the Donetsk area, where it say Russian forces were focused on trying to win control over the besieged city of Mariupol and other cities.
Donetsk is in the eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where the Russian military says it has shifted its attention. Top Russian military officials have said twice in recent days that their main goal now is the “liberation” of Donbas, where Moscow-backed rebels have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014.
Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong said the reason behind easing the Sultanate’s travel restriction for Travel Green List countries is mainly due to continuous review and assessment made while looking at the current situation of the green listed countries as well as the current situation in the Sultanate.
The minister added that the decision was also based on almost 100 per cent of the population having received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine while over 60 per cent receiving the booster.
“The current COVID-19 trend also shows a decrease after reaching its peak within the past two to three weeks,” he said.
The ease of travel restrictions is also due to people adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and that the country is in the Early Endemic Phase. “Therefore, in looking at the reasons, the government has put an effort in easing travel restrictions while providing convenience for people to travel and for inbound travel to the Sultanate.”
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar assured that the situation of the Travel Green List countries will also be reviewed from time to time. “This is so we can add more countries in the list.”
On the opening of land borders, the minister said the matter will be reviewed from time to time, similar to when the government declared the Green List countries in December: Singapore, the United Kingdom, Australia and China.
“But now, the list has been expanded and the process will continue,” he said.
“When we activated the Travel Green List countries in December, the Omicron variant emerged causing a surge of infections in a number of countries.
“Review and assessment will be carried out in assuring the safety and well-being of our citizens and residents as well as those who travel into the country,” the minister said.
WARSAW, POLAND (AP) – Poland’s government decided to block imports of coal from Russia, part of an overarching strategy to reduce energy dependence on Russia that gained new urgency after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poland will impose financial penalties on any private entities importing Russian coal into Poland, with Polish customs officials carrying out checks, government spokesman Piotr Mueller said as he announced the new policy. He added that Poland could no longer wait for the whole 27-nation European Union (EU) to embrace the policy.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU, the United States (US) and some other powers imposed a range of economic sanctions on Russia. But Europe has historically been dependent on Russian energy sources – primarily oil and gas but also coal to some extent – and has had trouble weaning itself off.
Poland, which was under Moscow’s influence during the communist era, has worked in recent years to reduce its use of Russian energy sources, and will soon no longer have to rely on Russian gas.
It is more dependent on Russian oil, however. And while Poland produces much of its own coal, it also relies on imports. Russian coal makes up 13 per cent of the fuel used each year, according to President of the Institute for Structural Research in Warsaw Piotr Lewandowski.
Half of that imported Russian coal is used to generate heat in individual homes, while the rest is used for district heating or industry, he said.
A loaded dump truck passes an empty truck at the Kedrovsky open-pit coal mine in Kemerovo, Russia. PHOTO: AP
“That’s why it’s much easier to ban coal in the final week of March than in October,” Lewandowski said. “The question now is how do you prepare for the next heating season?”
One option will be to buy coal from other sources, but that might be more expensive, given Russian coal’s favourable quality-to-price ratio. The other is for Poland’s government to create more incentives for households to retrofit their homes in order to generate power from other energy sources, such as heat pumps, Lewandowski said.
Polish coal miners will certainly welcome the move because they felt that importing coal from Russia and other countries undermined their own declining industry.
Many critics of the Poland’s conservative government have also argued that it was wrong to keep importing Russian coal while Poland criticised Germany and other countries for their increasing dependence on Russian energy sources.
Even before the war began, Russian coal was problematic because a certain portion of it was extracted from the Donbas region of Ukraine, where Russian-backed insurgents were fighting against the Ukrainian military. The coal was perceived as a theft of Ukrainian resources, sent to Russia for export abroad.
Friendship between Brunei Darussalam and Bangladesh are based on mutual respect, trust and cultural similarities, which have been strengthened further over the past year.
This was stated by High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Brunei Darussalam Nahida Rahman Shumona during Bangladesh’s 51st Independence and National Day reception at the Songket Ballroom of The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday.
Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Apong was the guest of honour.
“Our heartfelt gratitude goes to 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 for the care and hospitality extended to Bangladeshis as well as the people of Brunei during these trying times,” the high commissioner said.
There are approximately 20,000 Bangladeshis residing in the Sultanate working in several professions including the oil and gas sector, medical sector and infrastructural development and landscaping sectors.
The high commissioner added that there are also several Bangladeshi students at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) and Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA).
Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Apong and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Brunei Darussalam Nahida Rahman Shumona cut the cake during the event. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
She acknowledged UTB’s support in establishing the Bangabandhu-Bangladesh Book Corner in UTB Library, where books about Bangladesh are available for reference and studying.
The Bangladesh High Commission also had supported initiatives by the Brunei Government to promote green efforts.
“Our commitment to protect and preserve the environment brought us together with the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. We planted 101 saplings in Bandar Seri Begawan to mark the birth centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in July last year,” Shumona said.
In the defence sector, both nations had exchange officers to undertake courses, with the recent one being Bangladesh’s Major Rakib completing a course at the Brunei Staff College.
Another Bangladeshi military officer is attending the same course.
“We participated in the International Night of the Defence Staff College and we look forward to having Bruneian officers in our staff college. Our high commission supported and organised several events to create awareness on workers’ safety, business promotion, women’s rights, and language and cultural diversity. We worked to bring focus on these issues, and we are grateful to our partners from Brunei for their support,” she said.
The Bangabandhu Youth Development Initiative, named Diplomat for a Day, a joint initiative with Legislative Council member and Brunei Youth Council President Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari brought 10 Bruneian youth to become Bangladesh diplomats for a day, allowing them to learn about diplomacy.
The high commissioner also thanked the Brunei Government for giving free COVID-19 vaccination to Bangladesh expatriates on a priority basis during the second wave of the outbreak.
“I am proud to mention that Bangladeshi doctors are part of the incredible workforce. Our prayers for sound health, long life and well-being of His Majesty, and members of the royal family. We wish the wonderful people of Brunei continued happiness, peace and prosperity,” she said.
The reception also saw a cake-cutting ceremony by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali and the high commissioner.
