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 yesterday attended the Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony, marking the start of the royal wedding celebrations between Her Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah and Yang Mulia Awang Abdullah Nabil Mahmoud Al-Hashimi.

Accompanying His Majesty were His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Jefri Bolkiah.

The Istiadat Bersuruh Diraja ceremony, which refers to a marriage proposal or declaration of acceptance, began with Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof informing Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar that the ceremony was set to begin.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

A fire in a storehouse at the Sungai Bera Industrial Area in Kuala Belait was extinguished by firefighters within 45 minutes yesterday. No casualties and injuries were reported.

Some 45 firefighters from SPARK Fire Station, Seria Fire Station and Kuala Belait Fire Station, led by Deputy Commanding Officer of Operation ‘B’ Branch Superintendent of Fire and Rescue (SFR) Ajahrin bin Mail, rushed to the scene after the fire broke out around 1.56am.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

A total of 21 new COVID-19 cases comprising 12 local and nine imported cases were recorded in Brunei Darussalam yesterday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 15,881.

The new cases were detected through 3,356 laboratory tests carried out in the last 24 hours. The infection rate of positive cases is at 0.63 per cent, a Ministry of Health statement said.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

Brunei Darussalam national winger Faiq Jefri Bolkiah registered a first assist for new club Chonburi FC during a 3-2 defeat to Nongbua Pitchaya FC in the Hilux Revo Thai League 1 at the Pitchaya Stadium in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand on Saturday.

The forward’s accomplishment in the Thai top football division further marked a new milestone in Brunei’s football history during his second league appearance in a Sharks shirt.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

WELLINGTON (AFP) – A massive volcanic eruption in Tonga that triggered tsunami waves around the Pacific caused “significant damage” to the island nation’s capital and smothered it in dust, but the full extent was not apparent with communications still cut off yesterday.

The eruption on Saturday was so powerful it was recorded around the world, triggering a tsunami that flooded Pacific coastlines from Japan to the United States (US).

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

HONG KONG (AP) – Beijing has reported its first local Omicron infection, according to state media, weeks before the Winter Olympic Games are due to start.

The infected person lives and works in the city’s northwestern district of Haidian and had no travel history outside of Beijing for the past two weeks. The individual experienced symptoms on Thursday and was tested on Friday for COVID-19, officials said in a news conference on Saturday.

The news of the infection comes less than three weeks before the Winter Olympic Games’ opening ceremony on February 4, and around two weeks before the start of Lunar New Year celebrations in China.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

DUBAI (CNA) – Iran’s Health Ministry reported the country’s first three deaths from the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday.

“The number of patients with Omicron in the country has reached 1,162 and… one death has been reported due to Omicron in each of the cities of Tabriz, Yazd and Shahrekord, and one critically ill patient is hospitalised in Ahvaz,” ministry spokesman Mohammad Hashemi told state broadcaster IRIB.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

FLORENCE, UNITED STATES (AFP) – Donald Trump delivered a crowd-pleasing speech to thousands of adoring supporters in Arizona on Saturday, insisting yet again that he won the 2020 United States (US) presidential election.

Some of the faithful had arrived in the area days in advance from as far away as Florida or Texas, waiting to hear the former president trot out a familiar list of grievances.

Their patience was soon rewarded.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) – A protest march by 1,500 far-left activists in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki turned violent on Saturday towards its end, when some protesters threw firebombs and rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades and tear gas.

Police prevented the marchers from reaching their intended destination, the campus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Thirty people were detained, of whom 27 will face charges, police said.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin

UPI – A British service dog charity said officials were shocked when a German shepherd gave birth to a litter of 16 puppies.

The Guide Dogs National Centre, near Leamington Spa, England, said the 16-puppy litter is about twice the average number for the breed. The charity said the puppies, born to a German shepherd mother and a golden retriever father, will spend time in volunteer foster homes and will be trained as guide dogs.

More details on Monday’s Borneo Bulletin