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Two women detained for immigration offences

Rokiah Mahmud

Two foreign women were detained for immigration offences after the Law Enforcement Division of the Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD) raided two separate locations.

One woman was found violating provisions under Regulation 15(3), Chapter 17 of the Immigration Act during an inspection on vegetable and fruit stalls in Mukim Mentiri on February 17.

Another was caught violating the same provisions following inspection targetting food and drink stalls located in Mukim Sengkurong.

The regulations stipulate foreigners must work according to their designated employment.
Both offenders were brought to the Law Enforcement Division of the INRD for further investigation.

In a statement, INRD said the department will continue to conduct operations, arrest, investigate and take legal action against illegal immigrants.

If convicted, violators will be imprisoned and deported to their country of origin, and subsequently have their names, blacklisted.

The INRD welcomes public tip-off on immigration-related offences and can be reached at 8734888 and 8753888.

One of the foreigners detained during the immigration raid. PHOTOS: INRD
Immigration officials conduct an inspection on a fruit and vegetable stall

Under sweeping sanctions, Iran hawks its weapons in Qatar

DOHA, QATAR (AP) – Iran, under sweeping economic sanctions, was hawking weapons on Wednesday at a Qatari defence exhibit, a surprising sight at the major conference also showcasing American companies and fighter jets.

Tucked away in the far left corner of the carpetted convention centre, commanders from Iran’s Defence Ministry marketed their missiles and air defence weapons systems. The Defence Ministry manufactures arms for both Iran’s military and its powerful paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard, a group that plays a singular role in the creation and execution of Iran’s national security and foreign policy.

The DIMDEX exhibition serves to promote Qatar, a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally of the United States (US) that’s home to the largest American military base in the Middle East. The tiny Gulf Arab country, however, also maintains good relations with Iran, with which it shares the world’s largest gas field.

Iranian representatives declined to speak with The Associated Press (AP). They handed out brochures to an AP journalist promoting their homemade jet trainers, helicopters and hovercraft.

The Qatari Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Salem al-Nabet toured Iran’s pavilion before the exhibition wrapped up, inspecting displays of lethal merchandise in glass cases and listening to a sales pitch about machine guns.

Qatari Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Salem al-Nabet visits Iran’s pavilion during the DIMDEX exhibition in Doha, Qatar. PHOTO: AP

Notably, Iran’s pavilion cannot be found on the conference map. The country’s Defence Ministry and armed forces logistics remain under crushing US sanctions over suspected illegal weapons trade.

The Revolutionary Guard, for its part, is widely regarded as a toxic business partner for its designation as a terrorist group by the Trump administration, its global reputation for meddling in regional conflicts and sanctions over its ballistic missile programmes and alleged human rights violations.

With talks to restore Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers nearing a resolution four years after former US president Trump abandoned it, the possible removal of the Guard’s terrorism designation has drawn fierce criticism from America’s Mideast allies.

The US has balked at the Iranian demand, barring commitments from Tehran to stop funding and arming extremist groups in the region and beyond. Nuclear negotiators have yet to reconvene in Vienna.

Bane leads Grizzlies past Nets, Irving scores 43

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE (AP) – Desmond Bane scored 23 points, including nine straight as Memphis rebuilt its lead in the fourth quarter, and the Grizzlies beat the Brooklyn Nets 132-120 early yesterday.

Irving scored 43 points and Kevin Durant had 35 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Still banned from playing home games because of a New York City vaccine mandate, Irving was on the court for the first time since scoring a career-high 60 points at Orlando eight days earlier.

But that arrangement for Irving, who is unvaccinated, is coming to an end. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is set to lift the mandate for athletes and performers. Memphis was the short-handed home team this time with leading scorer Ja Morant sidelined because of right knee soreness. But the Grizzlies got enough offence anyway thanks to reserve De’Anthony Melton, who matched Bane’s 23 points, and Dillon Brooks, who finished with 21, part of seven Memphis players reaching double figures.

After a fast start, Memphis maintained a comfortable lead until the Nets got untracked in the third. Memphis squandered a double-digit lead in the second half but pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Brooklyn 29-16.

The Grizzlies led at halftime and the third quarter, but Brooklyn relied on Durant and Irving to chip away. Brooklyn made 16 of 22 shots in the period and led 104-103 entering the fourth.
Durant noted that the 14 Brooklyn turnovers and 16 Memphis offensive rebounds leading to 33 second-chance points were hard to overcome, even with Morant out.

Memphis Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane works against Brooklyn Nets’ Kessler Edwards. PHOTO: AP

 

Forum sheds light on women’s internal health

Rokiah Mahmud

An online forum on women’s internal health was recently organised by the Community Development Department (JAPEM) and the Brunei Youth Council (BYC) in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

The forum, ‘About Women: What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Trying to Conceive (TTC)’ was attended by some 350 participants comprising government officers, representatives from non-government organisations (NGOs), students of higher learning institutions and members of the public.

The forum saw women and medical experts share knowledge on PCOS, women’s internal health and its relation with trying to conceive. Participants learned about identifying symptoms and methods to reduce PCOS risk, as well as how to provide support if a family member was experiencing PCOS.

Legislative Council (LegCo) member and President of BYC Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari attended, alongside moderator and BYC President Nurul Izyan binti Anver. Forum panellists include Assistant Professor of Nursing and Midwifery from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Dr Serena binti Haji Hashim; Gynaecologist/Obstetrician from Prema Clinic Dr Hajah Sohaila binti Islam; Core member of the Young Professional’s Network Brunei and member of Youth Advisory of the National Youth Policy and Strategy (DBNAS) Angie Ang and Owner of Inner Lavender Co Rina Habib, a platform that offers supports for individuals facing PCOS.

Legislative Council (LegCo) member and President of BYC Yang Berhormat Khairunnisa binti Haji Ash’ari with other participants of the forum. PHOTO: JAPEM

Zimbabwe renews COVID vaccination drive, targets schoolchildren

HARARE, ZIMBABWE (AP) – Zimbabwe has launched a new COVID-19 vaccination campaign that includes jabbing children aged 12 and above to rescue a drive faltering due to vaccine hesitancy and complacency.

This week, schools in the southern African country have become vaccination zones with children in school uniforms lining up to get the injections.

Many parents said they support the vaccination drive to prevent schools from becoming centres of infection, although others remain sceptical.

“Let them get vaccinated, it will save us a lot of trouble. Maybe it will stop the constant closures of schools… the online lessons drain us each time the schools are closed,” said a parent, Helen Dube, walking her 12-year-old daughter to a school in the crowded Chitungwiza town, about 30 kilometres southeast of the capital, Harare.

“Plus, if schools are safe then we are also safe at home,” she said, referring to instances when schools have become centres of virus infection.

A child receives his COVID-19 vaccine. PHOTO: AP

Zimbabwe is gradually returning to its normal school calendar after two years of intermittent and sometimes prolonged closures due to waves of COVID-19 cases.

Adults are also being targetted in the vaccination campaign which will run until mid-May, according to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country’s health minister.

Zimababwe was one of the first African countries to give shots of COVID-19 vaccines, achieving higher rates than much of the continent.

About 23 per cent of Zimbabwe’s 15 million people have received two jabs, mostly of the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, far short of the government’s initial target of 60 per cent by the end of 2021. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government now says it is trying to

reach a goal of 70 per cent of the eligible population by the end of July.

Just over 5,400 people in Zimbabwe have died from COVID-19, according to official figures, although the toll is likely much higher because of undiagnosed or reported cases, according to health experts.

The government said it has enough vaccine doses, including for booster jabs, but uptake has slowed in recent months as the number of cases and fatalities have slowed. Just over eight million doses have been used out of more than 22 million in stock, according to government figures.

After experiencing difficulties in getting adequate supplies of vaccines, many African countries are now making concerted efforts to get shots into arms.

Airbus expects demand for 2,210 planes in India over next 20 years

HYDERABAD (CNA) – Airbus expects Indian airlines to order 2,210 planes over the next 20 years, up from a previous forecast of 1,900, it said yesterday, citing growth in the country’s aviation sector.

With low-cost carriers making up the bulk of the Indian market, Airbus expects airlines will need 1,770 narrowbody planes to grow their fleets and replace old planes, with the remainder being widebody planes, Head of airline marketing for India and South Asia Brent McBratney said at an air show.

India’s domestic and international air travel market is expected to grow 6.2 per cent per year over the next 20 years, outpacing average global growth of about 3.9 per cent, McBratney said.

While a proliferation of low-cost carriers has spurred demand for narrowbody planes in India, McBratney also expects growth in long-haul travel, which he said was a largely untapped market for Indian carriers.

Domestic air travel in India is recovering from the pandemic, helping airlines such as IndiGo, which is Airbus’ biggest customer for its A320 narrowbody planes, and Vistara, a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons, to boost capacity and utilisation levels.

But as crude prices hit record highs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost of jet fuel has risen, which could lead to higher ticket prices and temper demand.

However, Airbus expects domestic air travel in India to reach pre COVID-19 levels by mid-2022, while international travel traffic is expected to recover by next year. Airbus said in November it expected a market total of 39,020 jetliner deliveries over the next 20 years, fractionally lower than the 39,213 it forecast two years earlier.

India’s domestic and international air travel market is expected to grow 6.2 per cent per year over the next 20 years. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

Samsung Electronics shares worth USD1.1B sold in block deal

SEOUL (CNA) – Shares in Samsung Electronics worth about USD1.1 billion were sold by Kookmin Bank yesterday, according to a term sheet seen by the media.

About 19.9 million shares were on sale at KRW68,800 per share, the term sheet showed.

Samsung Electronics’ share price was down one per cent at KRW69,800 in early trade, versus a 0.9 per cent fall in the wider market. Samsung Electronics did not have a comment on the sale.

The shares on sale matched the amount that Hong Ra-hee, mother of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jay Y Lee and wife of deceased Samsung patriarch Lee Kun-hee, agreed to keep in trust with Kookmin Bank in October, according to a Samsung Electronics filing.

The trust agreement period was due to end by April 25, the filing showed.

Since patriarch Lee died in 2020, Samsung’s owner-family decided to use shares in affiliated companies to pay part of more than USD10 billion in inheritance tax, people with direct knowledge of the matter previously told the media.

The tax code allows payment in instalments, with one-sixth of the total to be paid first, and the remainder over five years with an annual interest rate. Even in instalments, analysts expect over KRW2 trillion (USD1.64 billion) to be due annually.

Analysts said they expected yesterday’s share sale.

The logo of Samsung Electronics is seen outside the Samsung Electronics Seocho building in Seoul. PHOTO: AP

World Cup playoffs provide a Salah vs Mané sequel

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (AP) – Africa’s World Cup playoffs will serve up a Mohamed Salah vs Sadio Mané sequel as the Liverpool teammates face off on opposite sides again with their countries, for a place at football’s biggest show.

Salah’s Egypt will face Mané’s Senegal in one of the continent’s five decisive World Cup playoffs, with the first leg in Cairo early tomorrow (3.30am Brunei time).

Egypt vs Senegal headlines the playoffs, but there’s also a big West African derby pitting Ghana against Nigeria, along with three other playoffs to decide Africa’s five teams at this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

All the first legs are early tomorrow and the second legs early on Wednesday.

EGYPT VS SENEGAL

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recognised the significance of the game when he rested Mané for Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal because Salah was already out with a minor injury.

Klopp didn’t want one to have more rest than the other ahead of the crucial meeting.

Unsurprisingly, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse largely kept faith with the players that became African champions in Cameroon. Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz challenged Salah and his teammates to succeed this time “because there is no room for sorrys or tomorrows”.

Liverpool’s Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah will face off against each other early tomorrow in their national teams. PHOTOS: AP

GHANA VS NIGERIA

Four-time African champion and former World Cup quarterfinalist Ghana is in damage control following an embarrassing group-stage exit at the African Cup at the hands of tiny Comoros.

Ghana has new leadership in head coach Otto Addo and technical advisor Chris Hughton. It’s also without captain Andre Ayew because of his red card in that loss to Comoros.

Ghana must beat a resurgent Nigeria to get to the World Cup. Nigeria was at times impressive at the African Cup and has been strengthened by the return of strikers Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo, who were both unavailable for that tournament.

CAMEROON VS ALGERIA

Like Ghana, Algeria has to restore its reputation after a dire defence of its African title in Cameroon, when it exited bottom of its group without winning a game. Veteran striker Baghdad Bounedjah and midfielder Yassine Brahimi have been dropped from the squad by coach Djamel Belmadi.

Cameroon is now coached by former national captain Rigobert Song. Their buildup has been complicated by goalkeeper André Onana’s involvement in a serious car crash this week – he was unhurt – and the unavailability of key midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa because of injury.

CONGO VS MOROCCO

Congo could be the story of the playoffs if it surprises Morocco to reach the World Cup for the first time since its only previous appearance at the 1974 tournament in West Germany as Zaire.

The team is led by experienced Argentine coach Héctor Cúper and can call on former Belgium youth player Théo Bongonda after the winger switched allegiance to his parents’ country of birth in January.

Morocco is the clear favourite to advance even without Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, who has turned down a recall because of his ongoing feud with coach Vahid Hallihodzic.

MALI VS TUNISIA

Mali is the only one of the 10 playoff contenders to have never played at a World Cup before.

It has now been able to call up two former France under-21 players in Eintracht Frankfurt defender Almamy Touré and Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré against Tunisia.

Groundwater, making the invisible visible

Hakim Hayat

World Water Day has been held on March 22 every year since 1993, focussing on the importance of fresh water.

As water is an essential building block of life, each year, World Water Day is celebrated to raise public awareness about the significance of fresh water and sustainable management of this significant resource.

On this occasion, here’s a look at this year’s theme, history, and the significance of World Water Day.

World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

In order to accelerate efforts towards meeting water-related challenges, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared 2018-2028 as the International Decade for Action: ‘Water for Sustainable Development.’

The objectives of the decade focus on the sustainable development and integrated management of water resources for the achievement of social, economic and environmental objectives and on the implementation and promotion of related programmes and projects, as well as on the furthering of cooperation and partnership at all levels in order to help to achieve internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The decade also highlights the importance of promoting efficient water usage at all levels, taking into account the water, food, energy, environment nexus; and stresses the importance of the participation and full involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including women, children, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and local communities.

GROUNDWATER, MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE

This year, the focus is groundwater, an invisible resource with an impact visible everywhere.

Groundwater is water found underground in aquifers, which are geological formations of rocks, sands and gravels that hold substantial quantities of water. Groundwater feeds springs, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and seeps into oceans. Groundwater is recharged mainly from rain and snowfall infiltrating the ground. Groundwater can be extracted to the surface by pumps and wells.

Life would not be possible without groundwater. Most arid areas of the world depend entirely on groundwater. Groundwater supplies a large proportion of the water we use for drinking, sanitation, food production and industrial processes.

It is also critically important to the healthy functioning of ecosystems, such as wetlands and rivers.

They must be protected from overexploitation – abstracting more water than is recharged by rain and snow – and the pollution that currently haunts them, since it can lead to the depletion of this resource, extra-costs of processing it, and sometimes even preventing its use.

Exploring, protecting and sustainably using groundwater will be central to surviving and adapting to climate change and meeting the needs of a growing population.

HISTORY OF WORLD WATER DAY

The idea for this international day of celebration goes back to 1992, the year in which the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took place. That same year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by which March 22 of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.

Later on, other celebrations and events were added. For instance, the International Year of Cooperation in the Water Sphere 2013, and the current International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028. These observances serve to reaffirm that water and sanitation measures are key to poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

WE MUST ACT NOW

Brunei Darussalam is blessed with adequate water resources for daily consumption. However, due to low water tariffs, the availability of clean water is often taken for granted, leading to water wastage and overconsumption.

According to the Department of Water Services, Ministry of Development, with water consumption in the country averaging 380 litres per person per day, Brunei Darussalam’s domestic water consumption is the highest in the region, double that of Singapore.

With a government subsidy of up to 88 per cent, treated water in Brunei Darussalam is inexpensive and readily available. However, users need to understand and acknowledge that raw water treatment and supply is a complex process which includes raw water extraction, water treatment by filtration and chemical processes, storage and transport to terminal storage tanks, service storage tanks and finally to the end users.

We must act now to ensure sustainable water use. It takes very little effort to instil good water habits from the home, yet small changes can make a big impact. Such changes at home include turning off faucets when not in use, taking showers instead of baths, shortening shower durations and taking urgent action to repair any leaks.

Coalition backs war crimes probe over war in Ukraine

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (AP) – A coalition of nations that asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation over possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine met yesterday to pledge support for the probe.

The court’s chief prosecutor urged them to stand up in support of the global legal order.

“If we don’t put our money where our collective mouths are, if we don’t give actual support but we wring our hands with lamentations, things can get worse,” Prosecutor Karim Khan told a meeting of representatives from more than 20 nations at the British ambassador’s residence in The Hague. “And history will not judge us well, victims throughout the world will not judge us well.”

Britain said before the meeting that it was boosting its support for the ICC war crimes in Ukraine with cash and specialist staff as it hosted the meeting of the coalition of nations that back the investigation.

France announced it will provide magistrates, investigators and experts and EUR500,000 in extra funding, which may be increased if needed. France is the third-largest contributor to the ICC budget.

The meeting came a day after United States (US)Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration has made a formal determination that Russian troops have committed war crimes in Ukraine and would work with others to prosecute offenders.

Western leaders arrive at the North Atlantic Council at NATO Headquarters in Brussels for a summit on Ukraine. PHOTO: AP

The US is not a member state of the ICC, but could still assist a prosecution there by helping to gather evidence against Russian forces in Ukraine, using some of the vast abilities it has deployed to track and monitor what has been happening in the conflict.

The US could also provide support and backing to a commission of inquiry established by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

The meeting in The Hague happened as Biden and other NATO leaders gathered in Brussels on the one-month anniversary of the Russian invasion.

The United Kingdom (UK) is a member of the court and Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said London will donate GBP1 million in extra funding for the ICC and assign soldiers with expertise in intelligence gathering to the court to help uncover evidence of war crimes.

A war crimes team in the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is also being mobilized to help the investigation.

“Today, the UK is uniting a coalition of international partners to provide the funding and law enforcement support to reinforce the ICC’s investigation into potential war crimes in Ukraine,” Raab said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

“President Putin and his commanders should know that they will be held to account for their actions, and risk ending up spending the rest of their days behind bars.”

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Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

© 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

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