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State funeral held for former Zambian President Banda

LUSAKA (XINHUA) – Zambia on Thursday held a state funeral for the country’s fourth president Rupiah Banda.

President Hakainde Hichilema led hundreds of mourners, including foreign leaders, in paying homage to the former president who died last Friday aged 85 after battling with colon cancer since 2020 while others followed the proceedings live on state broadcaster ZNBC.

Among foreign leaders who attended the event held at the Showgrounds in Lusaka, the country’s capital, were Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Namibian president Hage Geingob, former Malawian president Bakili Muluzi, former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano and former Tanzanian President Jikaya Kikwete.

People lined Independence Avenue as the vehicle procession carrying the casket of the former president moved from Maina Soko Military Hospital to the Showgrounds.

The former president was given a 21-gun salute by the army while jets flew past the Showground area in his honour.

In his address, the Zambian president said Banda’s death has left the country heart-broken especially since it comes a few months after the demise of the country’s first President Kenneth Kaunda.

Soldiers surround the casket of former Zambian president Rupiah Banda. PHOTO: XINHUA

Hichilema said a dark cloud has engulfed the country following the former president’s death but was quick to state that the many contributions he made not only to Zambia but Africa will forever be cherished.

According to the Zambian president, Banda served in many areas in the public service for more than 60 years from the time he was a youth and he showed exemplary leadership.

“President Rupiah Banda’s death has left the nation heartbroken. But even as we mourn him, we do so with a great sense of gratitude to our Creator for having given him to us,” he said, describing the former president as a patriot and peacemaker and adding that he played a pivotal role during last year’s generation elections by encouraging all the aspirants to accept the will of the people.

He said Banda’s decision to peacefully handover power when he lost the 2011 presidential election showed that he had the interest of the nation at heart which African leaders must learn from.

Sri Lanka secures Indian lifeline as IMF signals help

COLOMBO (AFP) – Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has secured a billion-dollar credit line from India to buy urgently needed food and medicine, officials said yesterday, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed it would discuss a possible bailout.

The South Asian nation is suffering its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, with crippling shortages of essentials and fears it will default on its foreign debt or ask bondholders to take a “haircut” on repayments.

India and Sri Lanka formally entered into the credit agreement on Thursday during Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s visit to New Delhi, Treasury Secretary Sajith Attygalle told reporters in Colombo.

“India stands with Sri Lanka,” Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Twitter. “USD1 billion credit line signed for supply of essential commodities.”

The latest loan was on top of another USD500-million Indian credit line to help its island neighbour buy oil. Meanwhile, the IMF yesterday confirmed it was considering President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s surprise Wednesday request to discuss a bailout.

Socialist Youth Union members scuffle with police as they attempt to enter the president’s office during a protest against the worst economic crisis in memory in Colombo, Sri Lanka. PHOTO: AP

“We will discuss with the authorities how best we can assist Sri Lanka going forward,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a statement to reporters in the capital.

Rajapaksa’s announcement that he would go to the IMF – a U-turn from his previous position – increases the likelihood that Sri Lanka will seek to renegotiate some of its estimated USD51 billion in foreign debts.

Rice said the IMF had already highlighted the urgent need for Sri Lanka to implement a “credible and coherent strategy to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability.”

Around USD6.9 billion of Colombo’s debt needs to be serviced this year. Its foreign currency reserves stood at about USD2.3 billion at the end of February.

Sri Lanka earlier this year asked one of its main creditors, China, to help put off debt payments, but there has been no official response yet from Beijing.

Australia’s World Cup hopes hit as coach tests positive for COVID

SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia suffered a major setback yesterday ahead of their must-win World Cup qualifier against Japan next week with coach Graham Arnold testing positive for COVID-19.

Australia were already missing star playmaker Aaron Mooy after he too tested positive and was ruled out of the clash in Sydney on March 24.

Arnold took a PCR test on Thursday ahead of his arrival in the team camp, with the result meaning he needs to self-isolate for seven days.

As long as he tests negative on the day of the match, the 58-year-old would be out in time to be on the sidelines.

“Until his period of self-isolation concludes, Arnold will remain connected to Australia’s squad and staff digitally,” Football Australia said.

The Socceroos meet four-time Asian champions Japan ahead of a showdown with Saudi Arabia in Jeddah five days later.

They need to win both matches to ensure automatic qualification for the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Japan will book their spot if they beat the Socceroos.

Australia are three points adrift of Japan, with first-placed Saudi Arabia a further point ahead in Asian Group B.

Regardless of the results, Australia are guaranteed to finish at least third and move to a play-off against the third-placed team in Asian Group A.

Australia’s head coach Graham Arnold. PHOTO: AP

Partial closure of highway

Fadley Faisal

A portion of the Muara-Tutong Highway at KM17 near Kampong Lambak Kiri towards Muara has been temporarily closed from 8am to 5.30pm beginning yesterday until April 1, said the Public Works Department (JKR) at the Ministry of Development.

The partial road closure is to allow for Unified National Networks (UNN) to carry out monopole dismantling works and collection of dismantled items.

The department reminded road users to be cautious when passing the area, while adhering to road signs and abiding by the speed limits.

Part of the Muara-Tutong Highway at KM17. PHOTO: JKR

Russian strikes hit outskirts of Ukrainian capital

LVIV, UKRAINE (AP) – Russian forces pressed their assault on Ukrainian cities yesterday, with new missile strikes and shelling on the edges of the capital Kyiv and the western city of Lviv, as world leaders pushed for an investigation of the Kremlin’s repeated attacks on civilian targets, including schools, hospitals and residential areas.

Outside Lviv, black smoke billowed for hours after the early morning strike by several missiles, which the mayor said hit a facility for repairing military aircraft near the city’s international airport, also damaging a bus repair facility. No casualties were immediately reported.

The facility had suspended work ahead of the attack, said the mayor Andriy Sadovyi on the Telegram messaging app.

A soldier standing guard near the site said he heard three blasts in quick succession around 6am. A nearby resident described his building vibrating from the explosions and people panicking.

The missiles that hit Lviv were launched from the Black Sea, but two of the six that were launched were shot down, Ukrainian air force’s western command said on Facebook.

Burning buildings in a residential area in northeast Chernihiv, Ukraine. PHOTO: AP

Not far from the Polish border and well behind the front lines, Lviv and the surrounding area have not been spared Russia’s attacks. In the worst, nearly three dozen people were killed last weekend in a strike on a training facility near the city. Meanwhile, Lviv’s population has swelled by some 200,000 as people from elsewhere in Ukraine have sought shelter there.

Early morning barrages also hit on the northern edges of Kyiv. At least one person was killed by shelling on Podil, a neighbourhood just north of downtown Kyiv, according to emergency services.

In city after city around Ukraine, hospitals, schools and buildings where people sought safety from the bombardment have been attacked.

Rescue workers searched for survivors in the ruins of a theatre that served as a shelter when it was blown apart by a Russian airstrike in the besieged southern city of Mariupol.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that American officials were evaluating potential war crimes and that if the intentional targetting of civilians by Russia is confirmed, there will be “massive consequences”.

The United Nations (UN) political chief Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo also called for an investigation into civilian casualties, reminding the UN Security Council that international humanitarian law bans direct attacks on civilians.

Myanmar junta approves sale of Telenor subsidiary to Lebanon’s M1 Group

YANGON (AFP) – Myanmar’s junta has approved the sale of Norwegian telecoms giant Telenor’s Myanmar subsidiary to Lebanese conglomerate M1 Group, both companies said yesterday, in a move activist groups warn could put sensitive customer data in the hands of the military.

The Southeast Asian nation has been in chaos since a coup last year sparked huge protests and a bloody military crackdown on dissent, sending its economy into freefall. In July, Telenor announced that it planned to sell its subsidiary Telenor Myanmar and later cited junta demands that it install monitoring equipment on the network as a reason for leaving the country.

After months of stalled negotiations, yesterday Telenor and M1 – which is helmed by former Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati – both said the sale had been approved by junta authorities.

“M1 Group has been informed that the Myanmar Investment Commission has approved Telenor Group’s application for the sale of Telenor Myanmar to Investcom PTE Ltd, an M1 Group affiliate,” M1 said in a statement.

A separate statement from Telenor said the sale had been given “final regulatory approval”.

Customers line up outside a showroom to buy SIM cards at Telenor telecommunication company in Yangon, Myanmar. PHOTO: AP

M1 will partner with local consortium Shwe Byain Phyu to take ownership of the new entity, according to the group’s statement.

Founded in 1996, Shwe Byain Phyu started out distributing petroleum products for the then-military government, and employs more than 2,000 people in Myanmar.

It has interests in petroleum trading, manufacturing, commodities trading and marine products, according to its website, which lists no previous telecoms experience.

“Sanctions screening from external consultants has assured Telenor that Shwe Byain Phyu and its owners are not subject to any current international sanctions,” the Norwegian firm said in a statement.

Last year 474 civil society groups in Myanmar called Telenor’s decision to pull out irresponsible, saying it had not sufficiently considered the impact on human rights.

Activist groups said any new owner could comply with future requests from the junta to provide cellphone data of dissidents protesting against the putsch that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government last year.

Bey bags 51 as Detroit Pistons thrash Orlando Magic in NBA

MIAMI (AFP) – Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points as the Detroit Pistons thrashed the Orlando Magic 134-120 in a battle of the NBA Eastern Conference’s already eliminated teams on Thursday.

Bey made 10 three-pointers from 14 attempts and was 17-of-27 from the field, with 10 rebounds and four assists in a one-sided drubbing at the Magic’s Amway Center in Florida.

Marvin Bagley backed Bey with 20 points while Isaiah Stewart added 16, in a game the Pistons led from the middle of the second period.

Bey set the tone for his career-best evening with a devastating burst of scoring in the first quarter, finishing with 21 points.

German rookie Franz Wagner led the Magic scorers with 26 points while big brother Moritz Wagner finished with 16 points.

Terrence Ross added 17 from the bench for Orlando.

The win saw the Pistons improve to 19-51, while Orlando dropped to 18-53, the worst record in the NBA. Both Detroit and Orlando, 14th and 15th in the Eastern Conference, had already been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.

Detroit Pistons forward Saddiq Bey shoots in front of Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner. PHOTO: AP

Cuomo says he is open to running again

NEW YORK (AP) – Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is contemplating a political comeback and dangling the possibility he may run for his former job just six months after he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.

Cuomo gave a campaign-style speech on Thursday to a friendly audience of about 100 people in the Bronx, where he framed his fall from power as “cancel culture” run amok. The Democrat behaved like a candidate, posing for pictures with attendees and a baby.

Asked after his speech if he would run for office, Cuomo told reporters he is “open to all options”.

He wouldn’t say whether he was thinking about challenging his former lieutenant governor and successor Governor Kathy Hochul, but he ripped the state’s current governance during his speech.

Cuomo, who quit in his third term, indicated he was open to possibly gathering enough petition signatures to get on the ballot in the general election, a step that would allow him to bypass the Democratic primary in June.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a meeting. PHOTO: AP

“I know how to get on the ballot, I did it a couple times,” Cuomo told reporters.

“The election isn’t until November. So there’s a lot of time to gather petitions, depending on how you want to run.”

Cuomo resigned from office in August after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.

He denied allegations he touched women inappropriately and claimed his accusers had misconstrued comments he’d intended to be friendly banter.

Two teams of lawyers, one hired by Attorney General Letitia James and the other working for the state Assembly, said they found the harassment allegations credible. The attorney general released a report that concluded he had harassed 11 women.

At the same minute Cuomo was scheduled to start speaking on Thursday, James tweeted that “too often workers endure unlawful advances that put their lives and livelihood at risk”.

“Under my office, sexual harassment will never be tolerated. We will continue to fight for brave women who share their stories,” she said.

The former governor did not directly address the specific allegations on Thursday or make any apologies. He accused “extremists” in the Democratic Party of orchestrating his downfall because they felt he was standing in their way.

“There are people who wanted to run against me. They wanted my job. And they used this opportunity to help themselves politically,” he said.

He also blamed “cancel culture” for the firing of his brother, former CNN host Chris Cuomo, and called out by name the top corporate leaders of the network’s ownership group.

Chris Cuomo was ousted in December after a report from James’ office showed how the journalist advised his brother to fight the harassment allegations.

The harassment allegations were not the only controversy he faced when he resigned.

A report by the attorney general found his administration undercounted the COVID-19 death toll of New Yorkers in nursing homes by thousands.

Thailand to scrap pre-travel COVID-19 test to boost tourism

BANGKOK (AFP) – Travellers to Thailand will no longer have to take a Covid-19 test before boarding the plane, under plans announced yesterday as part of efforts to reboot the kingdom’s pandemic-battered tourism sector.

From April 1, the requirement to take a negative test within 72 hours of travel will be scrapped, and instead visitors will be tested on arrival in Thailand, spokesman for the country’s Covid-19 task force Taweesin Visanuyothin said.

Draconian travel curbs helped Thailand limit Covid-19 case numbers and deaths in the early stages of the pandemic, but hammered its crucial tourism industry, which accounts for about a fifth of the country’s economy.

Thailand is currently recording around 25,000 new cases of Covid a day as the Omicron variant spreads around the country, but officials hope this will tail off in time for them to move to a “post-pandemic” phase from July.

Seeking to bounce back from its worst economic performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Thailand has gradually eased travel restrictions over the past nine months.

A medical assistant waits to test arriving passengers for Covid-19 at Phuket International Airport. PHOTO: AFP

Messi left to pick up pieces at PSG after jeers and Champions League failure

PARIS (AFP) – A season that started with such feverish excitement is turning out to be nothing short of a fiasco in Paris for Lionel Messi, who suffered the ignominy of being booed by his own supporters last weekend.

Unhappy Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans targetted the Argentine as well as Neymar during the 3-0 win over Bordeaux that followed the club’s spectacular Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.

“We understand their disappointment, their feeling of hatred,” admitted PSG defender
Presnel Kimpembe.

Adored in Barcelona, from where he made a tearful exit last August, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner suddenly found himself in a position he had never previously experienced during his remarkable club career.

The 34-year-old still has 10 games left with PSG this season, including tomorrow’s trip to Monaco, but he could be forgiven for wishing the campaign were already over.

In some respects it is, given PSG have again failed to win the Champions League.

PSG’s Lionel Messi controls the ball. PHOTO: AP

When Messi was unveiled at the Parc des Princes at the start of the season he admitted winning another European Cup was his “dream” and said he felt he was in the “ideal place” to do it.

It was not to be, at least this season, and Messi will be 35 by the time the next campaign begins. Instead all he can look forward to for now is winning the Ligue 1 title.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team are currently 15 points clear of Marseille and Nice, and surely PSG cannot throw that advantage away.

In any case, reclaiming the domestic title will be a very hollow victory for a club who enjoy such an enormous financial advantage over their rivals – Messi’s salary alone is reported to be around USD33.4 million net in his first season in Paris.

The player who is arguably the best of all time has failed to come remotely close to the form he produced so regularly in Barcelona.

He has just seven goals in all competitions this season, only two of which have come in Ligue 1 – in contrast he scored at least 31 goals in each of his last 13 seasons at the Camp Nou.

A campaign that started late due to his lack of a pre-season was also interrupted in the middle when he tested positive for COVID-19 during a trip back to Argentina.

Messi has therefore missed significant chunks, and the flashes of his genius have been too fleeting.

There has already been speculation in France that he could seek a move away from Paris, but for now he must try to focus on what is left of the season and the remaining games alongside Kylian Mbappe before the France superstar’s expected departure for Real Madrid.

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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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