Rokiah Mahmud
A full dress rehearsal of the 38th National Day celebration was carried out at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in the capital yesterday.
The rehearsal adhered to the standard operating procedures and guidelines set by the Ministry of Health.
Participants were required to sceen for COVID-19 using antigen rapid test kits at designated areas prior to joining their agencies and organisations.
KYIV, UKRAINE (AP) – Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilisation yesterday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.
The head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, released a statement announcing a full troop mobilisation and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices. A similar announcement quickly followed from Leonid Pasechnik, separatist leader in the Luhansk region.
Pushilin cited “immediate threat of aggression” from Ukrainian forces, accusations that Ukrainian officials vehemently denied earlier. The separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting for almost eight years. But the violence along the line of contact separating the two sides, including a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk and a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling, has risen in recent days.
With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraine’s borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow’s efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.
The head of the Donetsk rebel government, Pushilin, said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. Fears of such escalation intensified amid Friday’s violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk, according to an Associated Press journalist there. The head of the separatist forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported.
There were no reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the blast. Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.
ROME (AFP) – Italy said on Friday it was forking out nearly EUR6 billion in fresh aid to help households and firms buffetted by soaring energy bills.
The Cabinet-approved package comes of top of some EUR10 billion already budgetted since last summer to shelter customers and businesses.
“We are putting nearly eight billion euros on the table, including six billion in energy aid,” Prime Minister Mario Draghi told a news conference.
The decree signed on Friday introduces measures to simplify and speed up the construction of renewable power plants, he said.
It includes EUR1 billion in support for the Italian automotive industry and less polluting vehicles, which Draghi said were “at the heart of the ecological transition”.
And will also see the government “intervene in a structural manner to increase Italian gas production”.
Italy, which has not produced nuclear energy for over three decades, is extremely dependent on imports and consumes a lot of gas.
Gas accounts for between 35-40 per cent of its primary energy consumption, compared with around 15 per cent in France, according to official statistics for both countries.
Natural gas prices have reached historic highs in recent months, sending electricity costs spiralling across Europe and pouring cold water on the economic post-pandemic recovery.
A virtual talk on Brunei Vision 2035 was delivered to the sixth cohort of the Young Executive Programme (YEP) in conjunction with the 38th National Day celebration.
The talk was organised by the Prime Minister’s Office through its Wawasan Brunei 2035 Office, in collaboration with the Civil Service Institute and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to enliven the national day that carries the theme ‘Menjayakan Wawasan Negara’.
The event commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah followed by the talk delivered by Special Duties Officer Grade I Siti Multazimah binti Haji Ibrahim from the Wawasan Brunei Office, who emphasised the importance of adapting the whole-of-government service approach in realising Brunei Vision 2035.
The talk concluded with a discussion session between the YEP participants and Wawasan Brunei Office officers, where the participants shared their views on the implementation of the national vision.
The objective of the briefing was to inform and provide information to 29 new government officers.
Fadhil Yunus
Former DPMM FC midfielder Blake Ricciuto will continue his term with Tanjong Pagar United after the Singaporean club confirmed his return for the upcoming 2022 season in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
The former DPMM FC fan favourite, widely known for his ability as a combustive midfielder during his stint with the Gegar Gegar men, had previously left for Uruguay for a post-season break following the conclusion of the Singapore league season.
The club has since quashed uncertainty surrounding his future after announcing his return for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to commence next Friday.
Ricciuto carved his name in the history books of DPMM FC after playing an important role in the club’s title triumph in the SPL in 2019.
During his time with the Brunei outfit, the midfield general was renowned for his marauding runs and high energy, which in turn contributed to the team’s unprecedented success.
The Sydney-born, who is of Uruguayan and Italian descent, rarely missed a game with 23 league appearances under his belt and nine goals.
He was awarded both player and goal of the month for April in recognition of his stellar performances as DPMM FC cruised to the summit of the league.
However, the central midfielder’s time in Brunei came to an end after just one season following his decision not to renew his contract in December 2019.
During a pandemic-induced football season globally, Ricciuto appeared to have joined Spanish fourth tier club Velez CF in September 2020, but less than a month later administration delays saw his European adventure fall through.
In December that year, Singapore-based club Tanjong Pagar – who had rejoined the league after a six-year hiatus, signed him for the 2021 season.
The 29-year-old made 20 appearances for the Jaguars last season and contributed to the team’s fifth-place finish with two goals and five assists.
Ricciuto joins former DPMM FC teammate Charlie Clough who is currently playing in a league based in Southeast Asia, with the latter lacing up for Thai top flight club Nakhon Ratchasima FC.
The central midfielder follows the career paths of DPMM FC alumni Rodrigo Tosi and Roberto Alviz, having represented a Singaporean club after a spell in the Sultanate.
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM (AFP) – Leeds’ 18-year wait to welcome Manchester United in front of an intimidating full house in the Premier League comes to an end tonight (10pm Brunei time) in the latest chapter of a rivalry that dates back 500 years.
The Wars of the Roses between 1455 and 1487 between the House of Lancaster and the House of York was fought for control of the English throne, but set in motion a battle for superiority that has existed ever since between the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Initially inflamed by the Industrial Revolution and the formation of county cricket, the two Uniteds of Leeds and Manchester have become the truest outlet for that enmity on the football field since first clashing for honours in the 1960s.
Even one of English football’s greatest families was divided as Bobby Charlton led Manchester United to win the European Cup in 1968, two years after winning the World Cup alongside his brother and Leeds great Jack.
Leeds’ golden era came under Don Revie in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning two league titles, an FA Cup and reaching the European Cup final.
However, even then they did not have the riches of the Red Devils.
When Scottish internationals Joe Jordan and Gordon McQueen crossed the Pennines in 1978, a painful trend was set for Leeds of losing their best players to Old Trafford.
History repeated itself after Leeds’ only other league title in 1991/92.
A charismatic young Frenchman Eric Cantona played a key role in the run-in to beat United to the title, but manager Howard Wilkinson quickly wrote him off as a disruptive influence in the dressing room.
United swooped with a fee of GBP1 million for a transfer that transformed English football history as Cantona became the catalyst for success under Alex Ferguson.
Just as Leeds rose again in the early 2000s, Ferguson picked off Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith.
Yorkshire born and bred, Smith said he “would never play for Manchester United”, but did so after a financial collapse that saw Leeds enter administration and relegated in 2004.
They did not make it back to the top-flight until 2020, but coronavirus restrictions meant last year’s forgettable 0-0 draw at Elland Road was played behind closed doors.
“Because we were all away during COVID and out of the top division for so long, everyone will be straining at the leash on Sunday,” said Dan Moylan of Leeds fanzine The Square Ball.
Both sides are under pressure to perform, but as is customary Leeds’ struggles put United’s problems into perspective.
Failure to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League would be deemed disastrous for a squad bolstered by the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane with the aim of challenging for the title this season. However, Leeds are in a battle at the bottom just to make sure they do not undo all the good work of Marcelo Bielsa’s reign by being relegated.
Bielsa described staying up as “an obligation” on Friday and is keen to reward a loyal fanbase for their unwavering support in the Argentine.
“It’s difficult to imagine a support bigger than the one we’ve already received,” added Bielsa.
“The presence of a classic opponent increases the enthusiasm and it will be precious to be able to witness it.
“Of course, we think more about what we need to give to the public rather than what we need to receive from them.”
What Leeds fans crave is victory when the whites and reds of Yorkshire and Lancashire clash again tonight.
LONDON (AFP) – NatWest bank said on Friday that it returned to profit last year as the economy recovered from the pandemic and stands to gain this year from rising interest rates.
The British state-owned lender said in a statement that net profit hit GBP2.95 billion in 2021, compared with a loss of GBP753 million a year earlier, when it set aside GBP3.2 billion in provisions to cover potential fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the United Kingdom (UK) economy rebounded, the bank said it was able to release almost GBP1.3 billion from those provisions.
NatWest is the first of Britain’s biggest banks to publish 2021 results.
“NatWest Group delivered a strong performance in 2021,” said Chief Executive Alison Rose.
The decision to release some of the provisions reflected “an improvement in the economic outlook and a low level of defaults”, she said.
NatWest last year also cut costs by EUR256 million, while EUR3.8 billion was redistributed to shareholders via dividends and buybacks.
Amid heightened anxiety among Britons over the soaring cost of living as inflation surges, the bank increased its total payout in annual staff bonuses by around 50 per cent to GBP298 million, slightly below its pre-pandemic level.
Rose acknowledged that Britain’s banks stood to gain from rising UK borrowing costs this year.
The Bank of England (BoE) earlier this month lifted its main interest rate for the second time in a row aimed at bringing down inflation, which is rising faster than workers’ wages.
UK inflation surged to a 30-year high of 5.5 per cent in January, official data showed this week, adding pressure to the cost of living and on the BoE to keep raising rates.
Rising interest rates benefit savers and boost banks’ bottom lines.
However, they also push up loan repayments, dealing a major problem in particular for governments that borrowed vast sums to prop up economies during the pandemic.
“We do benefit from higher interest rates,” Rose told Bloomberg television.
“This is the first time probably in 10 years that both businesses and consumers have had to face inflation and rise in cost of living so what we can do is provide practical support.”
Formerly known as Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest remains just over 50 per cent owned by the UK government after its rescue during the financial crisis more than a decade ago.
In late morning deals, NatWest shares dipped almost three per cent to 233.20 pence on the rising London stock market.
Azlan Othman
A Doa Kesyukuran ceremony, mass Maghrib and Isyak prayers and the recitation of Surah Yaasiin to mark the country’s 38th National Day celebration will be held at mosques, suraus and religious halls nationwide, with special focus on Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the capital, on February 22 at 5.45pm.
Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji Idris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar, 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, and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar witnessed a rehearsal yesterday.
Chief Syar’ie Judge Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar, Syar’ie Court of Appeal Judge Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Suhaili bin Haji Mohiddin, permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and committee members also attended.
The religious event will also be held at Jame’ ‘Asr Hassanil Bolkiah in Kampong Kiarong, Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque in Kampong Mentiri, Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam Mosque in Kampong Jerudong, Mohamed Bolkiah Mosque in Kampong Serusop, Sultan Sharif Ali Mosque in Mukim Sengkurong, Al-Muhtadee Billah Mosque in Kampong Sungai Kebun, Setia Ali Mosque in Pekan Muara and Perpindahan Lambak Kanan Mosque in Brunei-Muara District.
For Belait District, the event will be held at Mohammad Jamalul Alam Mosque in Kuala Belait, RPN Kampong Pandan Mosque and Pekan Seria Mosque; while in Tutong District, it will be held at the Hassanal Bolkiah Mosque; and Utama Mohammad Salleh Mosque in Temburong District.
CORFU, GREECE (AP) – Rescue teams in Greece yesterday searched for 12 people believed to be missing from a ferry that caught fire in the Ionian Sea while en route to Italy and continued burning for a second day.
After working all night to extinguish the blaze, firefighting vessels surrounded the Euroferry Olympia, which was carrying more than 290 passengers and crew members when the fire broke out onboard on Friday. The Greek coast guard and the crews of other boats evacuated some 280 people to the Greek island of Corfu.
“A very large rescue and firefighting effort is still underway, as is the search for the 12 people missing that include three Greeks and our thoughts with all their families,” Shipping Minister Giannis Plakiotakis told private Skai television.
Authorities increased the number considered missing from 11 to 12 after discovering that a person from the ferry was not listed on the passenger manifest. The other missing passengers were believed to be mostly from Bulgaria. Officials said the people rescued included citizens of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania.
The fire broke out three hours after the ferry left the port of Igoumenitsa in northwest Greece for the Italian port of Brindisi. The vessel was transporting 153 trucks and 32 cars. The cause of the blaze was unclear. The Italy-based company that operated the ferry said the fire started in a hold where vehicles were parked.
DALLAS (AP) – Investigators arrested a 60-year-old Dallas man on a capital murder charge in the 1984 killing of a 21-year-old woman after linking him to the crime through genealogical databases, prosecutors said on Friday.
Edward Morgan was arrested in the killing of aspiring model Mary Jane Thompson, who was also sexually assaulted, the Dallas County district attorney’s office said.
Morgan was being held on Friday at the Dallas County jail. Bond was not yet listed for him, nor was an attorney.
Prosecutors said Dallas police re-opened the case in 2009 and that DNA testing was done on swabs from the autopsy. A male DNA profile was identified by never matched to a specific suspect and the case went cold again.
After police opened the case again in 2018, they worked with a team from the district attorney’s office and the Federal Beureau of Investigation (FBI). Prosecutors said Morgan was identified as a suspect through technology that uses genealogical websites to identify potential relatives of a suspect based on DNA collected at a crime scene. DNA testing confirmed this week that he matched the profile taken from the autopsy in 1984.
