The Bangladesh High Commission in Brunei Darussalam celebrated the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh yesterday with a flag hoisting ceremony at the Bangladesh High Commission office in Kampong Tanah Jambu.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Nahida Rahman Shumona, welcomed the guests from Bangladesh community members as well as locals.
The event saw the high commissioner pay homage to Bangladesh’s Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing floral wreaths at his portrait and the observing of a minute’s silence, along with recitation of prayers for the salvation of the departed souls of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members, and all martyrs of Bangladesh.
The high commissioner and other officials read out messages sent by the Bangladesh President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Nahida Rahman Shumona hoisting the Bangladesh National Flag to mark Bangladesh’s independence and national day. PHOTO: IZAH AZAHARI
A forum focussing on relationship between a married couple and emotional intelligence (EQ) was held by Persatuan Mawar in conjunction with International Women’s Day and themed ‘Gender Equality Today for A Sustainable Tomorrow’.
The forum entitled ‘Celebrating Collaboration In Marriage’ discussed family harmony while celebrating wives and mothers and their roles in the household.
Around 79 individuals attended the forum.
Former head of the Counselling and Career Unit at the Ministry of Education Haji Ali Yusri bin Haji Ghafor as well as head of Co-Curricular Unit at Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, as well as a married couple Muhammad Aidil Firdaus bin Haji Jukin and Nurizzatul Izzah binti Abdul Rahman spoke at the forum.
BRUSSELS (AP) – European Union (EU) leaders struggled for hours on Friday to find a compromise on a deal aimed at curbing energy prices that have gone through the roof and hurt households and businesses across the 27-nation bloc.
There was a clear rift between the bloc’s southern and northern nations during the day-long talks in Brussels, with Mediterranean countries led by Spain pushing for intervention on the market with measures like price caps while Germany and the Netherlands resisted drastic options.
Leaders, however, did agree on a proposal from the European Commission to move toward the joint purchase of natural gas and ensuring that the bloc’s storage facilities are nearly full to try to avoid another energy crisis tied to the EU’s dependency on Russian energy.
The war in Ukraine has made EU nations realise they have been way too reliant on Russia for natural gas and oil to warm their homes and run their industries.
Facing protests at home from farmers, truckers and the fishing industry, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had put forward plans to the EU to decouple electricity from gas prices. Yet the radical options failed to gather an immediate consensus. The EU will revisit the matter in May but Spain and Portugal could receive special dispensation to weather price hikes in the meantime.
European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a media conference after an European Union summit in Brussels. PHOTO: AP
“The Iberian peninsula has a very special situation. There, their energy mix is with a high load of renewables, this is very good,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after the summit. “Therefore, we agreed on a special treatment… so that the Iberian peninsula can deal with this very specific situation they are in and manage the electricity prices in the way we have been discussing.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said divergent views within the Council paved the way for the very long debate, “because the different states’ interests and energy models are not the same”.
With energy prices high and supplies low, the EU is looking at its last crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic – as a blueprint. The member states joined up to buy vaccines in huge quantities for an equitable distribution.
“The root cause of high electricity prices is, in big part, high and volatile gas prices,” von der Leyen said. “So we will join forces, pool our demand and use our collective bargaining power when purchasing gas. In addition, we must complete pipeline infrastructure and ramp up our storage. This will be our insurance policy against supply disruption. It’s also time to look at the design of our energy market.”
Europe was already facing a tricky test before Russia’s invasion because of an outlook for slowing economic growth accompanied by surging inflation, which is being driven by high energy prices. The European commission has predicted that the bloc’s economic growth would slow from 5.3 per cent last year to four per cent this year and 2.8 per cent in 2023.
EU leaders agreed in principle at a March 11 summit to phase out dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal imports by 2027.
An online workshop promoting women in the field of art and entrepreneurship was organised by the Community Development Department (JAPEM) and Projek Feed on Thursday, in conjunction with International Women’s Day.
The workshop entitled ‘Menyokong Minat Isteriku’ was attended by some 50 individuals comprising government officers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students of higher learning institutions and the public.
Administrative and Human Resource Officer of Projek Feed moderated the workshop, divided into two categories – ‘Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Arts and Creativity’.
Hajah Sarifah binti Haji Laki of Al Baqi Traditional and Chief Executive Officer and owner of Aman Optimum Fitness, Sherry Abdul Karim spoke during the ‘Entrepreneurship’ section while owner of Mikayla Bridal House Roslina binti Haji Minggas and Rai Ranie co-founder Raifana Ranie spoke during the ‘Arts and Creativity’ category.
CNA – Spotify said on Friday it will suspend its streaming service in Russia in response to the country’s new media law.
The audio streaming platform closed its office in Russia indefinitely earlier this month, citing what it described as Moscow’s “unprovoked attack on Ukraine”.
Russia’s new legislation makes it illegal to report any event that could discredit the Russian military.
“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information from the region,” Spotify said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalising certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and the possibility of even our listeners at risk.”
The service is expected to end in early April, according to one person with knowledge of the situation.
Another streaming service, Netflix, suspended service in Russia earlier this month after saying it had no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service, despite a regulation that would require it to do so.
CNA – It is “foolish” to believe that Western sanctions against Russian businesses could have any effect on the Moscow government, Russian ex-president and Deputy Head of Security Council Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying on Friday.
The sanctions will only consolidate the Russian society and not cause popular discontent with the authorities, Medvedev told Russia’s RIA news agency in an interview.
The West has imposed an array of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, but one month into the war, the Kremlin said it will continue the assault until it accomplishes its goals of Ukraine’s “demilitarisation”.
Some of the sanctions have specifically targetted billionaire businessmen believed to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Let us ask ourselves: Can any of these major businessmen have even the tiniest quantum of influence of the position of the country’s leadership?” Medvedev said.
“I openly tell you: No, no way.”
Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow. PHOTO: CNA
Medvedev said there are several grounds under which Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons, including an attack on the country or encroachment on infrastructure as a result of which Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces would be paralysed.
That demonstrated Russia’s “determination to defend the independence, sovereignty of our country, not to give anyone a reason to doubt even the slightest that we are ready to give a worthy response to any infringement on our country, on its independence”, he said.
However, negotiations – even in the most difficult situations such as those around Ukraine – are Moscow’s preferred path to proceed, he added.
Medvedev said opinion polls showed three-quarters of Russians supported the Kremlin’s decision to carry out a military operation in Ukraine and even more supported Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While downplaying the economic impact of sanctions, Medvedev said the Russian government will have to find “adequate solutions” on its own to spur the development of the aircraft, automotive and IT industries, among others.
“Now, it will be more difficult to tackle those issues, but on the other hand, we cannot rely on anyone,” Medvedev said. “In this case, we will have to solve those problems ourselves.”
He lashed out at those Russians who spoke against the invasion while staying outside Russia.
“You can be dissatisfied with some of the authorities’ decisions, criticise the authorities – this is normal,” he said.
“But you cannot take a stand against the state in such a difficult situation, because this is treason.”
Thousands of people were earlier this month detained at Russia-wide protests against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.
Three heads of families affected by floods in Temburong District and one fire victim family in the Tutong District received financial assistance from 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’s provision for the Community Development Department (JAPEM) of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) yesterday.
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 presented the donation in two separate ceremonies.
The minister first presented the financial assistance to three heads of families affected by floods in Kampong Puni in the Temburong District during a ceremony at the ministry’s Citra Budaya Hall.
Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan also presented the donation to the head of the fire victims family in Kampong Kandang, Sengkarai at a ceremony at Pusat Bahagia in the Tutong District. The event also saw the recitation of Tahlil and Doa Arwah for the victim who died in the fire.
According to JAPEM, a heavy downpour on March 5 affected low lying areas around Jalan Ujong Jalan, Kampong Puni in the Temburong District causing floods. No injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, a fire on March 16 destroyed the house owned by Rohaya binti Haji Abdullah, claiming the life of a 23-year-old differently abled individual. A 36-year-old individual sustained light injury injuries while attempting to save the 23-year-old individual.
ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show 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 presents the donation to recipients. PHOTOS: MCYS
The Student Council of Kemuda Institute yesterday presented donations to the Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER) Brunei to help prepare for garage sales during Hari Raya to raise funds for the organisation.
Kemuda Institute’s Student Council representative, Sari Nurtas’a Sahira binti Haji Naweh led the delegation to distribute donations comprising clothing items.
The donation is aimed to support individuals with autism and encourage charity and working towards a good cause, while fostering ties among the students and the community.
SMARTER Brunei will hold a Hari Raya garage sale from tomorrow to April 1.
The public is welcome to join while baju cara melayu, baju kurung, songkok and hijab among the items on sale.
Students load the donated itemsKemuda Institute’s Student Council representative, Sari Nurtas’a Sahira binti Haji Naweh presents the donation to SMARTER Brunei
LONDON (AP) – The 25-foot tall sculpture of a shark crashing through the roof of Magnus Hanson-Heine’s house in rural Oxford, England, is now a protected landmark – and he’s not happy about it.
Hanson-Heine loves the installation, erected by his father and a local sculptor in 1986 as an anti-war, anti-nuke protest that still remains relevant now as bombs fall on Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin rattles his nuclear weapons.
But he said the Oxford City Council ignored his father’s other message this week when it designated the structure a heritage site that makes a “special contribution” to the community. Bill Heine installed the shark without the approval of local officials because he didn’t think they should have the right to decide what art people see, and the council spent years trying to remove the sculpture.
“Using the planning apparatus to preserve a historical symbol of planning law defiance is absurd on the face of it,” Hanson-Heine, a quantum chemist, said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Bill Heine, an American expat who studied law at the University of Oxford, got the idea for the sculpture after he heard United States (US) warplanes fly over his house one night in April 1986. When he woke up the next morning, he learnt that the planes had been on their way to bomb Tripoli in retaliation for Libyan sponsorship of terrorist attacks on US troops.
A fibreglass sculpture known as the Headington Shark and originally called ‘Untitled 1986’, by British sculptor John Buckley stands appearing to crash through the roof of a house in the Headington area of Oxford, England. PHOTO: AP
The image of a shark crashing through the roof captured the shock civilians must feel when bombs smash into their homes, Magnus Hanson-Heine said. His father died in 2019.
Heine and his friend sculptor John Buckley built the great white out of fibreglass, then installed it on August 9, the 41st anniversary of the day the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The shark’s anti-war message is just as important today as Russian bombs fall on Ukraine, Henson-Heine said.
“That’s obviously something that the people in Ukraine are experiencing right now in very real time,” he said. “But certainly when there’s nuclear weapons on the stage, which has been through my entire life, that’s always a very real threat.”
But the sight of three-quarters of a great white shark sticking out of the roof of a row of brick houses on a quiet suburban street isn’t always a serious subject.
The shark house has its own website, which features photos of Bill Heine and Buckley sharing a glass of drinks alongside the sculpture and a young passer-by in a pose that makes it look as if she’s eating the shark.
Hanson-Heine recently had it repainted to restore the blue-green shimmer to the shark’s hide – keeping it in tip-top shape.
He laughed when asked whether the shark’s head can be found inside the house.
“I believe it was an urban myth for a while that it was poking above the toilet,″ he said. “But no.”
SINGAPORE (CNA) – Bookings for flights out of Singapore, as well as overseas accommodation, more than doubled as of Friday, just a day after the country announced that it would re-open its borders to all fully vaccinated travellers.
Among the slew of border measures announced – which will take effect from 11.59pm on March 31 – all fully vaccinated travellers, as well as children aged 12 and below, will be able to enter Singapore with just a pre-departure COVID-19 test.
In addition, fully vaccinated travellers from Malaysia entering Singapore via private vehicles through the land borders are not required to do pre-departure or on-arrival tests.
The new simplified framework will replace the existing vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) and unilateral opening arrangements and instead, classify countries and regions into either the general travel or the restricted category.
Data provided by regional online travel platform Traveloka showed a surge in demand for flights and hotels following the announcement, with a 152-per-cent increase in average search volume and a 227-per-cent in average booking volume.
A Singapore Airlines passenger jet taxis along the tarmac at Changi International Airport terminal. PHOTO: AFP
Similarly, online travel giant Expedia said it had also seen a doubling of flight searches when compared to a day before the announcement was made.
It added that New York, Tokyo, Bangkok and London, were among the top most-searched destinations on its website.
With the relaxation of Singapore’s border measures, travel agencies told CNA that they are expecting a further surge in bookings, particularly for outbound travel, due to pent-up demand.
Luxury travel specialist Intriq Journey, which focusses on exotic destinations, said it received two confirmed bookings immediately after the announcement on Thursday.
However, prior to this, it had already observed a high demand for bespoke vacations to countries under Singapore’s VTL scheme.
The company had started a recruitment drive for local talents earlier this year to cope with the increasing demand and volume of enquiries.
“We anticipate even greater demand and inquiries in the coming days,” said the company’s co-founder Jess Yap, adding that she expects that enquiries will “easily” double very soon.
