St Joseph’s Church stabbing: 37-year-old suspect taken back to crime scene
SINGAPORE: The man who is accused of stabbing a priest at St Joseph’s Church , last month was taken to the scene of the crime by the police on Friday ( Dec 6 ).
Basnayake Keith Spencer, 37, of Singapore, was charged with one count of deliberately injuring Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng with a dangerous weapon on November 11.
He is accused of slitting Father Lee in the mouth at around 6.30pm on November 9 at the temple in Upper Bukit Timah with a portable weapon.
The person, who was remanded for three months for clinical examination, was placed on additional trial on Monday with authority to be taken out for investigations.
On Friday, Basnayake drove a light vehicles to the church just before 3 p.m. He wore a helmet and was dressed in a light shirt clothing, dark-coloured pants and boots.  ,
With his arms and legs in constraints, he was escorted up a flight of stairs to the church house by four police authorities.  ,
Ahead of expected war games, Taiwan urges China to ‘unclench its fists’
Beijing detests Lai, branding him a” separatist”, and has rejected multiple offers of talks by him. A spokeswoman for China’s overseas ministry, asked on Friday about the potential for conflict game, said the Taiwan issue was the” base of China’s key interests”. China’s unwavering commitment to protect its national sovereigntyContinue Reading
Temasek creates S$10bn private credit fund | FinanceAsia
A wholly-owned personal funds platform has been established by Singapore’s state-owned investment company Temasek, according to a media release from December 6.
The platform’s initial portfolio will amount to around S$ 10 billion ($ 7.46 billion ), consisting of direct investments and credit funds.  ,
According to the transfer, the investment will be managed by a group of around 15 record investment professionals across offices in New York, London, and Singapore, who have been transferred from Temasek’s credit &, cross solutions team. Nicolas Debetencourt, the CEO of Temasek, will be in charge of the world platform. He has been in charge of funds & and cross solutions at Temasek since 2016.
Temasek has invested in credit cards for more than ten years. Temasek established a credit &, cross solutions team in 2016 to develop its direct and indirect investments in order to exploit a wider range of opportunities in the personal credit market.
The new system will be in contrast to Seviora Group, Temasek property management company, which includes SeaTown Holdings International, which offers personal credit options in Asia.
When FinanceAsia reached out for more info, a Temasek director said that at this point the company had nothing to add to the media transfer.  ,
The decision comes after BlackRock made the deal to purchase HPS Investment Partners, a worldwide record manager based in New York, for$ 12 billion earlier in the month. In the world, personal funds is rapidly expanding, with Asia Pacific not a case in point.  ,
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‘Stay calm, focus on the problem’: Chee Hong Tat on handling MRT breakdowns, SQ flight turbulence and oil spills
The delayed suffer classical now stands at 12.9 per cent, along from 15.6 per share before this year’s review.
He claimed that Singapore needs to take strict measures to reduce the delayed particle.
The debt are present, and I believe we should acknowledge that we do need to progressively close the gap, but we must do so in a way that doesn’t have an impact on the cost.
NO NEED TO TIGHTEN CAR People
For private transport, Mr Chee said he is confident of the decision to inject 20, 000 new Certificates of Entitlement ( COEs ), which will begin from February 2025.
He pointed to the shift in consumption habits since the COVID-19 crisis and the implementation of ERP 2.0, which will allow the use of “virtual gantries” to maintain traffic.
” The trouble with cars is not so much equity, but consumption, especially during peak time”, he said. ” If persons own the car, but they don’t pull it all at the same time during peak periods and there’s no congestion, truly that itself is not a problem”.
When asked if car owners could be persuaded to leave their vehicles, Mr. Chee claimed that some Upper Thomson people prefer to take the Thomson-East Coast Line station to Orchard once the line has opened.
They claim that taking the MRT is basically quicker, more convenient, and less expensive than driving because parking is already more expensive than the MRT charges.
When more residences are within walking distance of MRT facilities, yet car owners may be encouraged to take public transportation, he said.
ADDRESSING HOT-BUTTON ISSUES
In the wide-ranging discussion, Mr Chee even fielded questions on ERP 2.0, COE, Singapore’s interface and private-hire cars.
He claimed that Singapore is studying distance-based charging for ERP 2.0 and is considering various designs. Location and time must also be taken into account.  ,
This is a significant legislation that affects various groups of partners. We want to get careful”, he said. ” It can change lives, it can affect different groups of road users. I believe it is wise for us to be careful and cautious before making any changes.
On COEs, he said he hopes that rates will stabilise, but that the state is only power source and no need.
With the cut-and-fill method and the treatment of 20, 000 fresh COEs, the government hopes to decrease the difference between the top and basin in source, he said.
There is a cap on how much can be cut from decades with higher offer, according to Mr. Chee, and the government are wary not to “overdo” the cut-and-fill process. If no, there may not be adequate supply in peak times.
The 20, 000 new Offerings give the option of increasing offer in the basin times, without cutting from the top, he added.
On the other hand, some of the COEs can be slowed down until the top has passed, even though Mr. Chee said that does not seem possible if not so much source is required during the peak decades.
The secretary said more time is needed and an update may be made available at the Committee of Supply conversations next year regarding the review of the point-to-point transportation market, which was scheduled to be finished by the end of this year.
One of the issues being discussed is urging those who want to drive private-hire vehicles to think about using taxis instead. Taxis still play an important role, catering to different commuters in different situations, he said.
Peak-hour crowd management scheme to be expanded, up to 80% fare discounts to be given
SINGAPORE: More bus service and portions of the MRT system will be covered by an incentive program to reduce congestion on public transportation during the morning rush hour.
Additionally, there will be greater discounts of up to 80 % of the cost thanks to the Travel Smart Journeys program. This is in addition to the current 50-cent disregard for MRT excursions that begin before 7:30 am.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat revealed the scheme’s expansion during a media interview on Tuesday ( Dec 3 ).
The North-East Line ( NEL ) commuters who typically take the MRT but switch to some buses between 7am and 9am on weekdays are currently offered incentives.
Riders receive 150 items per walk upon reaching their places in Tai Seng, MacPherson, Paya Lebar, Parkway Parade, Shenton Way or Marina Boulevard.
The points can be redeemed in 500-point blocks, equivalent to S$ 5 ( US$ 3.70 ), on the SimplyGo app.
From beginning January next time, more van services will be included in the program.
If commuters change their travel times to avoid the morning top, they can get up to 80 % of the fare savings from the NEL or Punggol and Sengkang LRT facilities.
” We hope this can help to spread the maximum weight on the system”, Mr Chee told investigators. ” It is a win-win result for everyone, but … we want to discuss some of the cost savings with our travellers”.
He stated that the Land Transport Authority will release additional information when they are available.
From November 25 through January 1st, the Travel Smart Journeys program will not be accessible for structure upgrades.
Prabowo’s special envoy Gus Miftah resigns after uproar over him calling street vendor ‘stupid’
His derogatory remarks have been criticized by users as being disrespectful to those who are attempting to support their country’s economy.
Which poetry of the Quran allows you to attack the weak and refer to them as” idiotic”? X person Mr. Akbar Faizal said on Wednesday that he might try to find a way to support himself instead of selling the religion.
Why make fun of those who are attempting to support their families? Is it amusing to you”? said X person @cingreborn on the same day, with the blog garnering over 11, 000 memes.
Following the incident, Mr. Sunhaji reportedly received a lot of funds, some even offering to pay his expenses on a trip to Mecca.
A netizen, Mr Budi Irwanto, who runs a contribution company told local media Liputan6.com on Wednesday that 38-year-old Mr Sunhaji started his cold tea firm a year ago. He had previously been a blacksmith before sustaining a bone damage.  ,
According to Mr. Budi,” He is now supporting his wife and his kids who are still in primary and secondary school.”
REPRIMANDED BY PRESIDENT PRABOWO
Through the National Communications Office and his Gerindra Party, Mr. Prabowo weighed in on the event following the public outcry.  ,
According to Hasan Nasbi, head of the National Communications Office,” we are concerned about the unpleasant incident that involved a Special Envoy to the President of Indonesia, and we would like to emphasize here that President Prabowo Subianto has profound respect for all ( in the country ), street vendors, sailors, and farmers,” according to local media outlet Detik.
” The President has given a warning to him ( Mr Miftah ) through the Cabinet Secretary ( Teddy Indra Wijaya ) and ordered him to apologise immediately to Mr Sunhaji”, Mr Hasan added.
Following Mr Teddy’s censure, Mr Miftah had privately gone to Mr Sunhaji’s mansion in Magelang to repent to him straight.
However, the Gerindra group, which Mr Prabowo is part of, had even posted a video on Instagram reiterating Mr Prabowo’s deep appreciation for streets vendors in the country, with the post garnering over 568, 000 wants.  ,
” Let me remind you, I have deep respect for street vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers and bakso ( meatball ) sellers. In the film, which also included clips of Mr. Sunhaji trying to sell his cold tea, Mr. Prabowo stated that the street vendors “put in hard labor, they pour in his breath and energy into his work, striving hard for his family and maintain that his wife and children have a better life.”
Modi’s BJP says US State Department targeting India
OCCRP’s reports have likewise accused state-sponsored thieves in India of using Israeli-made Pegasus malware to targeted government critics. The state has recently denied both allegations. The BJP has recently accused Gandhi, the OCCRP and 92-year-old businessman financier-philanthropist George Soros of attacking Modi. On Thursday, it cited a French press reportContinue Reading
Celebrity ‘Film’ reports to police over alleged B20m extortion
Law claims customer was tricked into saying” 20 million bass” in conversation
PUBLISHED: 6 Dec 2024 at 14: 06
Rattapoom” Film” Tokongsup, an actor-cum-singer, turned himself in to the Crime Suppression Division ( CSD ) on Friday to answer charges of allegedly defrauding a well-known television show host and bringing false information against him.
Accompanied by attorney Praman Luengwattanawan, Mr Rattapoom met Pol Col Anek Taosupap, assistant CSD chief, and Pol Lt Col Sathap Panyawayak, deputy director of the CSD sub-division 2, around 11am to listen to the costs of cooperation in an attempted bribery and slander.
The charges stemmed from a popular music clip featuring the 40-year-old star and 47-year-old Kritanong Suwannawong, who were requesting 20 million baht from prospective clients of The symbol Group direct sales organization. The artist was even accused of defaming well-known news outlet Phudit Kamnerdploy, also known as Kanchai” Number” Kamnerdploy, after supposedly demanding that customers pay the money to look on the reporter’s favorite show, Hon Krasae.
The chief executive officer and a significant sign Group dealer were among the potential customers. The CEO, Waranthaphon” Boss Paul” Wratyaworrakul, is among the 18 individuals detained pending research into various alleged crimes, including common scams and participation in a pyramid scheme.
Mr. Rattapoom claimed on Friday that he had” 100 % confidence” in bringing the charges because he had provided sufficient evidence to support his claim and had not done anything wrong.
Since the incident took place, the artist claimed that Mr. Phudit had never contacted him. Regarding Mr Phudit’s news to sever ties with him, he felt unswayed, saying that it was the Screen owner’s right to do so.
Lawyer Praman claimed to have examined the evidence and concluded that his lawyer’s deeds did not amount to defamation or blackmail as claimed. Earlier, Mr Rattapoom , maintained his innocence, claiming that the prospective clients had consulted with him about their communications strategy and had a 20-million-baht funds for it.
The attorney said his client was lured into saying” 20 million thai” in a observed talk.
Ms Kritanong, who was in the conversation, was arrested in Pathum Thani state on Nov 17 on charges of bribery and corruption in connection with complaints against The image Group’s firm, which sold nutrition supplements through networks of dealers.
Mr. Rattapoom left the Palang Pracharath Party ( PPRP ) in opposition last month. He was given a six-month held sentence and a 50, 000 ringgit fine by the Criminal Court in December 2018 for using a mobile phone application to make illegal cash payments.  ,
A Ukraine war deal that puts the energy squeeze on China – Asia Times
Donald Trump’s returning to the White House is causing a stir six months before his official announcement.
The President-elect’s receiving Russia-Ukraine minister, Keith Kellogg, his former intelligence chief, Richard Grenell and Vice President J D Vance are all proposing some variant of freezing the Line of Contact and blocking Ukraine from entering NATO, Reuters reported.
On the Russian area, Kyiv is suddenly signaling an attention in compromise. Volodymyr Zelensky, president, just made a hint to Sky News that he might take NATO membership and Russia’s ongoing possession of land that Ukraine recognizes as its own. This is a significant departure from his previous nihilist demand that Russia entirely leave Ukraine’s 1991 borders as a prerequisite for the resolution of the conflict.
The Wall Street Journal finally reported that his closest consultant, Andriy Yermak, met this week with members of Trump’s team, including Kellogg, Vance, and incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Trump’s coming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, even presumably met with Zelensky.
Ukraine plans to declare its preparation for peace, according to a statement from the Wall Street Journal. According to Bloomberg‘s statement, “Ukraine’s allies have switched their efforts from pursuing a victory to trying to position President Volodymyr Zelensky to best counteract Russian advances or discuss a possible ceasefire.”
Russia continues to make vehement demands that Ukraine reaffirm its democratic neutrality, demilitarize, denounce, and acknowledge the new regional realities brought about by the referendum on September 2022 that saw four of its original areas vote to join Russia.
Russia also requests that all of its freezing assets be returned to Russia with the lifting of all punishment. Russia will probably have to reach a compromise on some or all of these issues, but it’s not known how flexibly Vladimir Putin may be.
At this year’s” Russia Calling”! purchase forum, Putin said, “despite the , political pressure, some of , our partners, including those from Western Europe and , the , United States, have never left the , Russian market…I , am positive that relations with our European partners will eventually adjust, mainly because it is in , their interest and , ours, of , course, as , well”.
This suggests the potential contribution that business can make to uniting Russia and the US. In the event that Nord Stream II is sued in a European bankruptcy court in the first half of the following year, The Wall Street Journal reported late last month that Miami funder Stephen Lynch, who has a history of operating in Russia, wants to buy it.
He has officially sought the US government’s authorization to do so. If the job is approved, it goes to bid, and Lynch makes the necessary agreements, putting an end to the biggest war in Europe since World War II.
The key might be power politics. Trump’s earlier concerns to Nord Stream II were that it wasn’t under British control and may cause Russia to exert unfavorable effects on US objectives.
If Lynch purchases the network, however, then the matter had evidently been resolved. The next intact pipeline that Putin mentioned at a press conference after the BRICS Summit in October could then be used to help Germany avoid its rumored impending recession.
For that to happen, nevertheless, some American restrictions would have to be lifted. Trump might be able to continue using the SWIFT payment method and let deals to be conducted in US dollars for convenience, which would help him combat de-dollarization policies that he warned about in a late last month social media post.
The added benefit is that preventing a crisis may also help the entire EU avoid one, helping to keep it on par with US exports.
The US can continue to sell comparatively less expensive Gas to Europe and maintain the market share it has seized from Russia during the past nearly three years of hostility toward Ukraine, but some discounted oil from Russia may be required to maintain economic security in difficult economic times.
Additionally, the proposed raising of some sanctions against Russia, even if only primarily for its oil exports to Germany via what might be the US-controlled Nord Stream II, may open the door to further lifting them.
After all three parties engage in various concessions to that end, the energy industry may be involved, at least at second, and could be phased as a reward for ratifying any peace, truce, or peace agreement the US supports brokering between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump 2.0 is anticipated to be very hawkish toward China, so it follows that it might want to halt Russian energy exports from the People’s Republic over time, which could be accomplished through more imaginative diplomacy.
Russia’s oil exports to India could be included in the initial lifting of some sanctions, which would allow for the organization to move some of its gas exports to Germany. These exports could also once again be done in dollars and via SWIFT for convenience.
Excluding China from these exemptions might lead to lower prices on Russian oil, which would increase the total cost of its oil purchases from other countries. The US might even allow some of its companies to invest in Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, which it earlier sanctioned.
The goal would be to reduce the amount of energy that its systemic rival can import from Russia in the future by replacing Chinese investments with American ones. If the right conditions are created, Russia’s LNG gas exports might instead help fuel the Japanese economy.
In spite of the sanctions, Japan is determined to keep its LNG imports from the nearby Sakhalin 2 project uninterrupted, which could set the stage for the redirection of other such exports in the future.
The recent injection of foreign currency, particularly dollars, into Russia might ease the strains it is currently experiencing in terms of macroeconomics, encouraging the Kremlin to abide by any agreement that is ultimately reached with Ukraine.
Additionally, it’s possible to exchange some of its frozen assets for stakes in these same energy projects or other assets. Additionally, they could be used to purchase Western technologies, which are essential to the energy sector of the country.
The US might try to persuade Russia to reject the basement-bargain prices that China is reportedly demanding in exchange for signing a deal on the Power of Siberia II gas pipeline, depending on how effective such creative energy diplomacy is.
The Power of Siberia II project might be shelved if more lucrative markets emerge after the US stops obstructing some Russian exports, such as if it permits Russia to construct southern-directed pipelines to Iran and/or India via Iran or, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
It is in the US’s top strategic interests to encourage Russia not to give China cheap energy. The strategy could foreseeably be advanced through creative energy diplomacy, which might start with Lynch’s plan to buy Nord Stream II and move on until Russia stops building any additional pipelines to China. The only way to get the Kremlin on board, however, is through creative compromises on Ukraine.
Russia needs some of its maximumist demands to be met, aside from the relief of sanctions. This might involve the US compulsion to force Ukraine to accept the new territorial realities brought on by the conflict, restrain some of its armed forces, and rescind laws that Russia deems to be discriminatory against ethnic Russians and Russian speakers by withholding weapons as retribution if Zelensky refuses.
As Trump 2.0 makes its transition to Asia, the US would pay these small sums of money for allowing Ukraine to pay for the US to force Russia to end the war.
New community-led fund providing financial help to migrant workers with critical illnesses launched
SHAPED BY EXPERIENCES
The fund was created as a result of Mr. Vincent Ng and Ms. Anthea Ong’s experiences, who had previously assisted migrant workers in starting betting campaigns to raise money for their medical expenses.
These people include Ms. Bhing Navato, a immigrant domestic worker with cervical cancer, and Mr. Fazley Elahi, a migrant worker with colon and afterwards liver cancer.
Ms Ong is a elected member of parliament and a cultural investor, while Mr Ng is the founding part of a local joint.
Ideas are underway to contain representatives from state agencies and employers in the effort to ensure that “diverse perspectives” are represented in its management, said the secretary.
Next year, the fund aims to raise S$ 410, 000 ( US$ 306, 000 ) through a “whole-of-society effort” from public donations, foundations and corporate partnerships , to support at least 20 migrant workers over two years.
Looking beyond providing immediate comfort, the account is also aiming to” catalyse long-term change” by collecting information to “advocate for more inclusive insurance policy and structural reforms”, said the secretary.