The distribution of basic necessities including rice, sugar, cooking oil, and canned goods to underprivileged Muslim convert families (Muallaf) continued yesterday in the Brunei-Muara district as part of the Fathul Barakah 3.0 Project.
The delegation from the Islamic Dakwah Centre (PDI) was led by PDI Assistant Director Abdul Aziz bin Haji Abdul Kahar who visited seven convert families at their homes in Kampong Sengkurong, Kampong Tanjong Nangka and Kampong Mulaut.
Also present were Head of Muallaf Development Division (Tarbiyah Muallaf), Dr Hajah Rohanita binti Haji Yaakub who handed over the Ramadhan Practice posters to female recipients. The distribution began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa by a PDI officer before the delegates made their way to the residences.
This year 400 packs of basic necessities were collected to be distributed to converts nationwide using the drive-through system and direct delivery. The dry food items were purchased using the funds collected from the Fathul Barakah 3.0 Project carried out on March 5 and 6 by the Ministry of Religious Affairs through PDI in collaboration with converts associations nationwide.
Meanwhile the Ramadhan Practices posters, initiated by Tarbiyah Muallaf in collaboration with PDI’s Research and Publication Division, guide converts in religious practices aside from performing their fasting obligation such as increasing the reading of Al-Quran, performing sahur, and filling Ramadhan nights with ibadah such as Sunnat Terawih prayers and Tedarus.
ABOVE & BELOW: Brunei-Muara District Officer Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim in a group photo; and PDI Assistant Director Abdul Aziz bin Haji Abdul Kahar distributing the necessities. PHOTOS: MPKJB/LYNA MOHAMAD
The Fathul Barakah 3.0 Project is a PDI initiative in collaboration with the convert associations in the country to provide a platform for the public to contribute basic necessities to the Muallaf community in anticipation of month of Ramadhan, to help ensure that they are able to carry out their fasting obligations.
The project also aims to strengthen ties between the converts and PDI in carrying out welfare activities for the wellbeing of converts in the country. Meanwhile, the Kampong Jerudong ‘B’ Village Consultative Council rekindled the spirit of gotong-royong as they organised a cleaning campaign at the Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam Mosque.
The event coincided with the presentation of basic necessities to 20 underprivileged families residing in the vicinity of Kampong Jerudong ‘A’ and Kampong Jerudong ‘B’.
Chaired by Acting Village Head of Kampong Jerudong ‘B’ Kamis bin Panjang, the annual event is held to welcome the month of Ramadhan and provide assistance to members of the community, especially those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brunei-Muara District Officer Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim was the guest of honour. Also present was Pehin Orang Kaya Lela Pahlawan Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jaafar bin Haji Abdul Aziz.
Fifteen members of the Single Mothers Movement Association (PGIT) led by its president Norliha binti Haji Besar began a refresher course on fasting practice yesterday at the Islamic Da’wah Centre (PDI) which will conclude on March 26.
The five-day refresher course is a collaboration between the Itqan Group from the 32nd Executive Development Programme for Middle Management Officers (EDPMMO) and PDI, Ministry of Religious Affairs through the Bangkit Bersama programme.
The Bangkit Bersama programme was initiated by Itqan Group and PDI to empower PGIT.
Members of the association in a group photo. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
LVIV, UKRAINE (AP) – Ukrainian forces said they retook a strategically important suburb of the capital yesterday, while Russia’s attack on the embattled southern port of Mariupol raged unabated, with fleeing civilians describing relentless bombardments and corpses lying in the streets.
While Russian forces carried on with the siege of Mariupol after the southern port city’s defenders refused demands to surrender, the Kremlin’s ground offensive in other parts of the country advanced slowly or not at all, knocked back by lethal hit-and-run attacks by the Ukrainians.
Early yesterday, Ukrainian troops forced Russian forces out of the Kyiv suburb of Makariv after a fierce battle, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said. The regained territory allowed Ukrainian forces to retake control of a key highway and block Russian troops from surrounding Kyiv from the northwest.
But the Defence Ministry said Russian forces battling toward Kyiv were able to partially take other northwest suburbs, Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, some of which had been under attack almost since Russia’s military invaded late last month.
In Mariupol, with communications crippled, movement restricted and many residents in hiding, the fate of those inside an art school flattened last Sunday and a theatre that was blown apart four days earlier was unclear. More than 1,300 people were believed to be sheltering in the theatre, and 400 were estimated to have been in the art school.
A firefighter looks at the destruction caused after a bombing in a shopping in Kyiv, Ukraine. PHOTO: AP
Perched on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is crucial port for Ukraine and lies along a stretch of territory between Russia and Crimea. As such, it is a key target that has been besieged for more than three weeks and has seen some of the worst suffering of the war.
Over the weekend, Moscow had offered safe passage out of Mariupol – one corridor leading east to Russia, another going west to other parts of Ukraine – in return for the city’s surrender before daybreak on Monday. Ukraine flatly rejected the offer well before the deadline.
Mariupol had a prewar population of about 430,000. Around a quarter were believed to have left in the opening days of the war, and tens of thousands escaped over the past week by way of the humanitarian corridors. Other attempts have been thwarted by the fighting.
Mariupol officials said on March 15 that at least 2,300 people had died in the siege, with some buried in mass graves. The number is feared to be far higher after six more days of bombardment.
For those who remain, conditions have become brutal. The assault has cut off Mariupol’s electricity, water and food supplies and severed communication with the outside world, plunging residents into a fight for survival. Fresh commercial satellite images showed smoke rising from buildings newly hit by Russian artillery.
DALLAS (AP) – A 15-minute rain delay in an arena before the game, another interruption during a tedious and wild finish for teams jockeying for playoff position in the Western Conference.
Reggie Bullock must not have minded either wait.
The Dallas guard scored 18 points with a clutch three-pointer late after missing four games for personal reasons, and the Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-108 yesterday.
Luka Doncic had 15 points and 10 assists, the final one setting up a three by Dorian Finney-Smith from the same right corner where Bullock connected moments later for a five-point lead with 40 seconds left.
Dwight Powell scored 22 points on eight-of-eight shooting as the Mavericks avoided their first three-game losing streak since December and pulled within a game of Utah for the fourth seed in a tight middle-of-the-playoff pack in the West.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 points for the Timberwolves, who had a four-game winning streak stopped with just their second loss in 12 games. They missed a chance to pull within a half-game of Dallas for the fifth seed.
“It’s mid- or late March, and we understand what’s at stake,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said.
“Minnesota’s a very good team. They’re hot.”
The 15-minute delay at the start came from heavy rain that led to a leak from the rafters above the stands not far from the Minnesota bench. Almost three hours later, coach Chris Finch stormed off that bench when Patrick Beverley was fouled going up for a three-pointer and an official ruled it was before the shot. Beverley wasn’t happy, either.
Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie. PHOTO: APDallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Patrick Beverley chase the ball. PHOTO: AP
The Timberwolves were down 110-107 when that call came with 6.5 seconds left, and it meant Beverley got just two free throws.
“It was wild, really,” Finch said. “Just looking at the tape, I thought (Beverley) got fouled on the shot. He was clearly in the gather and the turn. I thought for sure that should have been a three-point shot.”
After missing the first free throw, Beverley missed on purpose and got the rebound when he threw the ball hard off the glass and it skimmed the rim.
Doncic was called for a foul as Beverley went up for a layup, and Dallas disagreed. The Mavericks won the challenge, resulting in a jump ball at midcourt after a lengthy delay for the review.
Towns won the jump and the ball bounced toward the left corner on Minnesota’s offensive end, where Beverley ran it down. Before he could put up a three that went in, Doncic fouled him again with 2.5 seconds to go. Beverley made the first before missing the second on purpose again, but the Timberwolves couldn’t secure the loose ball before the clock expired.
“We talked about what we needed to do, and Luka executed the foul out of that jump ball,” Kidd said. “Because if he doesn’t, the way things go, Bev makes the three.”
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 for Dallas while Jalen Brunson and Finney-Smith joined Doncic with 15 apiece. It was the first time since April 4, 1989, that the Mavericks had six players with at least 15 points in a game.
TIP-INS Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards scored 19 points and D’Angelo Russell added 18. Former Baylor player Taurean Prince scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half, going three of four from long range.
Mavericks: F Davis Bertans didn’t play after showing up on the injury report earlier in the day with right knee soreness. Maxi Kleber was one for nine from the field and is 10 of 44 since missing two games with an ankle injury.
ANOTHER DELAY
The “rain delay” was the second time in less than two months a game in Dallas has been interrupted. The Mavericks’ 107-98 win over Philadelphia on February 4 was delayed 44 minutes because of a rim malfunction.
Water from heavy rain could be seen dripping from the rafters. Arena workers had to dry the area around that bench as players stayed loose by continuing their pregame shooting. The leak stopped after storms moved.
STOCKHOLM (AP) – Two teachers were killed by a student at a high school in southern Sweden, police said yesterday.
The 18-year-old student was arrested at the scene on Monday in Malmo. The victims were two women in their 50s, police said.
The suspect wasn’t previously known to the police and had no criminal record, and police didn’t disclose how the teachers were killed. A motive hasn’t been established.
Malmo Police Chief Petra Stenkula said officers arrived and found the suspect and two victims on the third floor of the downtown Malmo Latin School 10 minutes after they were alerted, adding that the situation was then “under control”.
The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) through the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department (BDMD) is actively undertaking several projects under the 11th National Development Plan (RKN-11) in ensuring the strengthening of infrastructure that supports more accurate weather monitoring, forecasts, advisories and warnings in the country.
The projects are the replacement and upgrading of weather radar network, Automatic Weather Observation System (AWOS) at Brunei International Airport and replacement of National Automatic Weather Stations (NAWS) nationwide.
This was said by Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof in his message to mark World Meteorological Day 2022, themed ‘Early Warning and Early Action’.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib said Brunei Darussalam with fellow members of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), every year on March 23, celebrates World Meteorological Day to commemorate the emergence of the WMO convention on this date in 1950. This celebration is also to acknowledge the important contribution provided by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the global community.
This year, he said “the theme chosen by WMO ‘Early Warning and Early Action’ emphasises the importance of hydrometeorological and climatological information for disaster risk reduction”.
According to WMO, over the past 50 years, there were more than 11,000 disasters attributed to weather, climate and water-related hazards recorded, which resulted in more than two million casualties and economic losses of USD3.64 trillion. In terms of global daily average, there are 115 casualties with economic losses amounting to USD202 million.
Meanwhile, data from Atlas of Mortality and Economic Loses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes 1970-2019 published by WMO showed the number of disasters between 1970 and 2019 increased five-fold, while economic losses increased even higher, up to seven-fold. However, the number of casualties has decreased nearly triple since 1970, resulting from the increasingly improved early warning and disaster risk reduction strategies.
Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof. PHOTO: MTIC
The minister also cited the capability of issuing early warnings is the result of various technological advances as well as the result of research done over decades.
“Development in terms of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as the use of supercomputers and satellite technology have greatly helped in the preparation of faster and more accurate forecasts. The research also helped provide services according to the users’ needs, while the advancement of communication technology such as mobile phones, enabled the delivery of early warnings more quickly and can even reach remote areas.
“Brunei Darussalam through BDMD also emphasises the use of Early Warning System in providing weather warnings to the public. Colour-coded weather warning is a method that has been used since 2010. The same method is also used by most WMO member states and it is a method that is easy to understand and very effective,” the minister added.
The issuance of these colour coded warnings, he said, “ is also intended to support the efforts of National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) in making any coordination with relevant agencies in addressing issues related to national disasters. This includes increasing public preparedness and awareness to disaster risks and to take action when facing disasters.”
“The National Weather Briefing (NWB) is also conducted by BDMD four times a year in which it is a programme for user groups which include the safety and first responders, industry and economy and mass media group. This programme, among many others, enables users to make early preparation and take action in the face of any weather impacts such as heavy rain or drought,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of WMO Petteri Taalas stressed on this year’s celebration noting great achievements of national meteorological and hydrological services in improved early warning systems. It also highlights the vital work of the disaster risk reduction community in making sure that these early warnings lead to early action.
However, he also iterated “We cannot be complacent. We face many challenges, especially in making sure that early warnings reach the last mile to the most vulnerable who need them most.”
Climate change, he described, “is already very visible through more extreme weather in all parts of the world. We are seeing more intense heatwaves and drought and forest fires. We have more water vapour in the atmosphere, leading to extreme rainfall and deadly flooding.
The warming of the ocean fuels more powerful tropical storms and rising sea levels increase the impacts”.
“We expect this negative trend to continue. Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels, locking in climate change to continue for decades to come, melting of glaciers and sea level rise up to centuries. In addition to climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation is a top priority. Early warning systems are a powerful way to adapt,” Taalas added.
“Last year, WMO published a report on disaster statistics for the past 50 years. It showed that there were more than 11,000 disasters linked to weather, climate and water-related hazards, almost equal to one disaster per day. There were two million deaths recorded – or 115 per day.”
He added, “The number of disasters has increased five-fold in the past 50 years. And the economic cost has soared. But the good news is that the number of casualties has fallen dramatically. We are better than ever before at saving lives.” Supercomputers, satellites and advances in science, he added, “have greatly increased the accuracy of our forecasts. Mobile phone alerts and weather apps can reach even remote areas”.
WMO, he said, “is promoting impact-based forecasting, of what the weather will be and what it will do. That is needed to enhance the preparedness and early action of various user and customer groups, who are dependent on weather. But much more remains to be done. Only half of the 193 members of WMO have multi-hazard early warning systems in place. There is also a major need to enhance the impact based forecasting skills of a large fraction of members.”
He explained that there are severe gaps in weather and hydrological observing networks in Africa, some parts of Latin America and in Pacific and Caribbean island. This undermines forecasts local and globally. WMO has therefore created a financing mechanism known as SOFF (Systematic Observation Financing Facility) to drive investment in the basic observing system and fill data gaps.
WMO is an implementing partner in the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative, which builds resilience among vulnerable countries and communities.
“WMO is spearheading a new water and climate coalition to focus more attention on water-related hazards and shortages. We have highly successful programmes and projects on tropical cyclones, coastal inundation, floods and drought. In Geneva we have joined forces with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to form a centre of excellence on climate change and disasters.
“WMO has been developing a support mechanism to provide reliable and authoritative information to the UN humanitarian agencies to be able to optimise the humanitarian aid before and after a weather-related disaster. We are working together with financing institutions like the World Bank, European Union, UNDP, Green Climate Fund, to allocate more funding to early warning services and to ensure sustainability of the investments.
“WMO is committed to the 2030 international agenda on climate action, sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. WMO’s vision is that by 2030, we see a world where all nations, especially the most vulnerable, are more resilient to the socioeconomic consequences of extreme weather, climate, water and other environmental events.
“Early warnings work. They must work for everyone. They must lead to early action,” he said.
Forty-four pints of blood were collected at a donation drive held at the Water Services Department of the Public Works Department, Jalan Tasek Lama yesterday.
The initiative was held as part of the activities in ushering the World Water Day 2022, engineer at the Water Services Department Amal Aqilah binti Noorilham said. She added that it was also to answer calls to organise blood donation drives to help replenish supplies.
An encouraging response was received from the department’s personnel and the building’s security members, she said, adding that it was also open to the public.
Amal Aqilah urged the public to support blood donation initiatives organised by the public and private sector to help save lives.
“Wherever there is a blood donation drive, please support. Althought we are facing an outbreak of COVID-19, we can still do our part by being responsible citizens. We are trying to save lives, so adhere to the health guidelines and standard operating procedures, and Insya Allah everything will be fine,” she said.
Standard operating procedures were in place during the drive including providing and performing the antigen rapid test (ART) for all donors before they were allowed to donate.
ABOVE & BELOW: Donors at the drive; and a donor registers prior to donating blood. PHOTOS: LYNA MOHAMAD
LAHORE, PAKISTAN (AP) – Sedate half-centuries by Cameron Green and Alex Carey lifted Australia to 391 all out against relentless reverse swing from Pakistan on the second day of the third test yesterday.
Allrounder Green made a career-best 79 in his 12th test match and Carey scored 67 in nearly three hours before Pakistan claimed five wickets for 50 runs in the middle session and bowled out Australia just before tea.
Recalled 19-year-old fast bowler Naseem Shah grabbed 4-58 and Shaheen Shah Afridi took 4-79 as their pace and reverse swing on a slow and low-bouncy pitch netted four wickets in the session in hot conditions.
Green and Carey denied the home team in the first session by adding 88 runs, but Pakistan broke them up in the fourth over after lunch.
Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali ended the 135-run, sixth-wicket stand when Carey was plumb leg before wicket as the batter tried to play across the line and was hit on the front pad.
Australia’s Camron Green and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. PHOTO: APPakistan’s Naseem Shah celebrates with teammates. PHOTO: AP
Carey faced 105 balls and dominated the spinners with his reverse sweep shots.
Naseem, who replaced allrounder Faheem Ashraf in the only change Pakistan made from the epic drawn second test, denied Green his maiden test hundred when he clean bowled the tall right-hander off a delivery which shaped into the batter and hit the stumps through a big gap between bat and pad.
Green showed lots of patience and used his feet well against the spinners during his 163-ball knock that spanned well over three and a half hours.
Earlier, Green’s and Carey’s partnership defied Pakistan’s ambitions of restricting Australia after the visitors resumed the day on 232-5.
Left-handed Carey successfully overturned a controversial caught behind decision while Green also completed his half-century in the first session.
Umpire Aleem Dar adjudged Carey out on 27 off Hasan Ali’s full-pitched delivery, but video suggested the ball missed Carey’s bat and might have clipped the off stump as wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan caught the bumped ball.
Carey raised his second half-century on the tour off 73 balls when he smashed two successive boundaries in offspinner Sajid Khan’s one over before pushing the ball to wide mid-on for a single.
Green, resuming on 20, reached his half-century off 117 balls when he drove past a diving Sajid for two runs.
DALLAS (AP) – Severe thunderstorms with reports of possible tornadoes spread damage across parts of North Texas on Monday, injuring at least four people, officials said.
Officials reported damage throughout Jacksboro, about 100 kilometres northwest of Fort Worth. There, photographs posted on social media showed a storm ripped the wall and roof from parts of Jacksboro High School.
The storm also struck the city’s animal shelter, but the amount of damage wasn’t immediately clear.
Fifty kilometres northeast of Jacksboro, near Bowie, damage was also reportedly widespread with reports of some people trapped in collapsed structures.
City manager Bert Cunningham said the worst damage was east of the town, with as many as four entrapments reported. Four people suffered minor injuries, said Emergency Manager Kelly McNabb.
A storm system had been predicted to bring strong tornadoes and large hail to parts of Texas on Monday, then move toward the Deep South, where forecasters warned a severe weather outbreak was possible.
Parts of central and east Texas, especially the Austin and College Station areas, also saw severe storms reported as tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.
Photographs posted on social media showed damage to buildings in the Austin suburbs Round Rock and Elgin. No injuries were immediately reported.
Several homes on Oxford Drive and Stratford Drive in Round Rock, North Texas were heavily damaged by a tornado. PHOTO: AP
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (AP) – A drive to vaccinate more than nine million children against polio was launched this week in four countries in southern and eastern Africa after an outbreak was confirmed in Malawi.
The urgent vaccination campaign has started in Malawi where drops of the inoculation are being placed in the mouths of children across the country, including in the capital, Lilongwe, and the country’s largest city, Blantyre.
The vaccination campaign will be expanded tomorrow to include the neighbouring countries of Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, according to UNICEF which is working with the governments and other partners.
Three more rounds of vaccinations will follow in the coming months with a goal of reaching more than 20 million children.
“This is the first case of wild polio detected in Africa for more than five years and UNICEF is working closely with governments and partners to do everything possible to stop the virus in its tracks,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Mohamed M Fall.
“Polio spreads fast and can kill or cause permanent paralysis,” he said.
A child receives a polio vaccine, during the Malawi Polio Vaccination Campaign Launch in Lilongwe Malawi. PHOTO: AP
UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are supporting governments with the vaccination drive after it was confirmed in February that a three-year-old girl was paralysed by wild poliovirus in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.
People most commonly contract polio when they drink water contaminated by the faeces of someone who carries the virus. Children under the age of five and those living in areas with poor sanitation are most at risk.
“A regional response is vital as polio is extremely contagious and can spread easily as people move across borders,” said Mohamed M Fall.
“There is no cure for polio, but the vaccine protects children for life. We are working with the WHO and other partners to make sure parents, as well as community and religious leaders, know how important it is that every child receives their vaccine.”
