Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw to be redrawn following earthquake

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3 days before
Jamie Whitehead

BBC News

BBC Burmese
CINCDS Government building in Myanmar damaged by earthquake. CINCDS

The design of Myanmar’s investment capital Nay Pyi Taw may be redrawn after the devastating disaster last month, the government’s military king has said.

During a state meet, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that properties which collapsed during the disaster were but badly affected because they were built on smooth ground.

Office properties will be rebuilt and must be immune to potential disasters, he said, with checks on land likewise being conducted before any restoration is done.

The BBC has seen data indicating about 70 % of government structures were damaged by the collapse in the funds, and some agencies have reportedly been moved to Yangon.

Myanmar was devastated by a huge earthquake which hit the country on 28 March. The 7. 7 magnitude quake was so strong it was felt in Thailand and south-west China.

According to state media, over 3,500 people were killed and 5,012 were injured in Myanmar as a result of the quake.

The city of Nay Pyi Taw covers at least four times the area of London, but with only a fraction of the people. Its history is short: it has only existed since 2005, raised out of the flatlands by the then military rulers of Myanmar, which was previously known as Burma.

Myanmar Military Council Several Myanmar military council staff look on at cracked roads in the capital after the massive earthquake. There are several cars in the background. Myanmar Military Council

The name Nay Pyi Taw means” seat of the king”. The reasons for moving the capital some 370km inland from the largest city, Yangon, have never been entirely clear.

The city bears all the hallmarks of a planned capital: the road leading from parliament to the presidential palace is 20 lanes wide, but carries hardly any traffic. Shiny shopping malls and empty luxury hotels line the boulevards. There’s a safari park, a zoo, and at least three stadiums.

Since 2021, Myanmar has been plagued by civil war between the junta, which seized power in a military coup, and ethnic militias and resistance forces across the country.

A 20-day ceasefire was declared by the military council on 2 April, following the announcement of a pause in hostilities by an alliance made up of three rebel groups.

The ceasefires were announced to help relief efforts, but the military has reportedly continued to attack rebel-held areas.

The military council’s photo archives show that several government buildings, including the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Planning and the Court of the Union were severely damaged in the earthquake.

Most of the buildings are still in ruins as repair work on them has not yet started.

Map showing the locations of Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon in Myanmar. A full globe in the corner shows Mynamr's location in Asia.

The removal of important government documents has reportedly been ordered, along with equipment and other moveable items.

Reconstruction of the buildings could take years, and as a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism have reportedly moved their offices to the former capital Yangon- 366km ( 228m ) away.

Other departments are relocating their offices to open air halls called “hotai” in Nay Pyi Taw, which are built with steel frames.

Social media posts written by staff at the National Museum in Nay Pyi Taw say they have moved inscriptions and manuscripts and are trying to save as many as possible of the tens of thousands of books, along with literature and computers.

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Nvidia grasping to hold onto China’s AI chip market – Asia Times

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was in Beijing on April 17 two weeks after the Trump administration imposed a sales ban on his company to China.

Huang, whose visit merited a reception by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Great Hall of the People, also met with Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT ), and Liang Wenfeng, founder and CEO of DeepSeek.

He added that” We welcome more US businesses, including Nvidia, to deepen their presence in the Foreign market and utilize their talents these to gain an edge in international contest.” He is also a part of the Politburo. In response, Huang remarked,” We look forward to deepening our presence in China and supporting the development of the local software ecosystem.”

In a split conference arranged by CCPIT, Huang told Ren,” We hope to continue to collaborate with China”. He was quoted by Chinese media as saying,” Nvidia will continue to make every effort to improve its product lineup in accordance with regulatory requirements and will steadfastly offer the Chinese marketplace,” according to him.

Huang officially discussed how Nvidia may give DeepSeek with AI chips that would satisfy both the company’s needs and regulation requirements during a meeting with Liang.

Nvidia issued a statement saying,” We regularly meet with government leaders to discuss our company’s products and technology”, but these were not regular meetings. The business is now at the core of US-China commerce and technology disputes that are becoming more and more thorny.

Nvidia had a busy year. In the evening of April 15, Nvidia revealed that imports of its H20 AI computers and similar devices to China and other countries of concern then require a permit from the US government, an attempt that “addresses the danger that the included products may be used in, or diverted to, a computer in China”.

Nvidia’s promote price dropped 6.3 % to US$ 105.10 in after-hours investing. By Thursday’s close ( Friday was a holiday ), it was down$ 104.42, bringing its year-to-date decline to$ 26.7 %.

With no permit likely to be granted, Nvidia stated that its results for the current fiscal quarter ending on April 27 “are expected to contain up to around$ 5.5 billion of costs associated with H20 materials for inventory, purchase commitments, and associated reserves”.

AMD’s MI308 AI accelerators are subject to the same new restrictions, which dropped 7.1 % in after-hours trading on Tuesday and finished the week down 27.5 % from the beginning of the year. ADM anticipates publishing special charges in the neighborhood of$ 800 million.

Intel’s Gaudi 3 processor is also affected. In the month to Thursday, Intel’s share price dropped 27 % due to this and other factors.

AMD’s MI308 was created with less performance in mind to meet previous US government export restrictions, similar to those on Nvidia’s H20. So were redesigned versions of Intel’s Gaudi 2 and Gaudi 3 AI accelerators.

The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security ( BIS ) has placed a cap on the performance of AI processors that can be exported to China for the third time since October 2022, and Nvidia, AMD, and Intel have created new, less effective chips to lower the cap after Nvidia, AMD, and Intel have created new, less efficient versions of their chips. President Trump is implementing the same policy as President Joe Biden in this regard.

For Nvidia, the restriction timeline runs as such:

  • October 2022: The Biden administration halted exports of Nvidia’s most advanced AI processors, the A100 and H100 GPUs.
  • November 2022: Nvidia introduced the bogeyed-down A800, which was made compliant with BIS requirements for sale in China.
  • March 2023: Nvidia launched the&nbsp, H800, a low-performance version of the H100.
  • November 2023: BIS halted exports of A800 and H800 GPUs. &nbsp,
  • March 2024: Nvidia launched&nbsp, the H20, which met the new, tighter BIS requirements.
  • April 2025: Trump administration; exports; of; H20; GPUs; and a blockade.

First, the reasons for this chain of events are that, despite the limitations, Chinese demand remained strong despite the performance of the available chips, and that, second, Chinese AI capabilities continued to advance despite the restrictions.

In addition to revealing the behind-the-curve incompetence of US government analysis and response, it demonstrates that, in the case of semiconductors, anything the Chinese want to buy, the US will refuse to sell, all the while complaining about its trade deficit with China.

Another wave of McCarthyite paranoia was sparked by the astonishing success of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek, which was trained using Nvidia H800 chips. According to The New York Times in January, DeepSeek” created a less expensive, competitive chatbot with fewer high-end computer chips than US behemoths like Google and OpenAI, showing the limitations of chip export control.”

On April 16, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI ) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL ) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a report entitled” DeepSeek Unmasked: Exposing the CCP’s Latest Tool for Spying, Stealing, and Subverting US Export Control Restrictions”. DeepSeek poses” a serious threat to the United States ‘ national security,” according to the committee.

Chairman Moolenaar stated that:

DeepSeek isn’t just another AI app — it’s a weapon in the Chinese Communist Party’s arsenal, designed to spy on Americans, steal our technology, and subvert US law. We now know that this tool reportedly used cutting-edge Nvidia chips that shouldn’t have ended up in CCP hands and used US AI models. In order to demand answers, we’re writing a letter to Nvidia. American innovation should never be the engine of our adversaries ‘ ambitions.

However, only two days prior, on April 14, Nvidia made the announcement that it would produce up to$ 500 billion worth of supercomputers and other AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years.

In order to accomplish this, Nvidia is collaborating with Taiwanese contract manufacturers Foxconn ( Hon Hai Precision ) and Wistron to construct manufacturing facilities in Texas, Texas. The Blackwell AI processors at the heart of the AI supercomputers made there will be supplied by Taiwanese semiconductor foundry TSMC from its factories in Arizona.

Amkor and SPIL ( Silicon Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ), both located in Arizona, will take the chips together, package, and test them. As the name suggests, Amkor is Korean-American, whereas SPIL is Taiwanese.

CEO Huang said,” The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time. Addition of American manufacturing improves our ability to meet the enormous and growing demand for supercomputers and AI chips, strengthens our supply chain, and increases our resilience.

That was what Trump aspired to hear. ” It’s the Trump Effect in action“, read a press release from the White House.

Although it won’t cost much and may take longer than Nvidia hopes, building AI supercomputers in the US should eventually be done with the support of so many top-notch companies.

Chinese server manufacturer H3C reported at the end of March that Nvidia H20 processors, which appear to be nearly sold out, were short. Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance and other Nvidia customers will also be affected, indicating that the new BIS restrictions are likely to disrupt China’s AI computing industry as intended.

Additionally, Nvidia could lose up to$ 15 billion in annual sales in addition to the anticipated$ 5.5 billion in special charges, which will benefit H3C, Huawei and Cambricon, two Chinese AI chip designers, for example.

The most technologically advanced Chinese substitute to Nvidia is already Huawei’s new Ascend 910C AI processor, which is reportedly the most advanced. Cambricon, which was founded in 2016, is much smaller than Huawei but has become a darling of the Chinese stock market, rising by about five times over the past year. Huawei is not traded on the stock exchange.

DeepSeek has already been distributed throughout China to People’s Liberation Army support services, corporate services, finance and other businesses, city government, and government agencies. Rather than having been designed” to spy on Americans”, as Congressman Moolenaar claims, it aims to provide AI solutions to practical problems across Chinese society.

Meanwhile, Dylan Patel and his fellow editors at SemiAnalysis, a well-known publication, claim that Huawei’s new CloudMatrix 394 AI accelerator, which is based on the Ascend 910C,” competes directly” with Nvidia’s premium GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchip and that its “rack scale solution” is “more advanced than Nvidia’s rack scale solution”.

” Rack scale solution” refers to the complete data center system, including GPUs, servers, networking, storage, power management and cooling.

According to SemiAnalysis,” the engineering advantage is at the system level not just at the chip level, with innovation at the accelerator, networking, optics, and software layers… Huawei is a generation behind in chips, but its scale-up solution is arguably a generation ahead of Nvidia and AMD’s current products on the market.”

Although Huawei’s solutions required more electricity, SemiAnalysis came to the conclusion that” China’s power deficiencies are relevant but not a limiting factor.”

Once again, US sanctions appear to be too little, too late, and more likely to promote rather than prevent the advance of Chinese technology. Nvidia and its smaller American rivals are likely to find themselves increasingly marginalized in the booming Chinese market for AI processors unless Trump changes tack in a deal with Beijing.

Follow this author on Twitter at X: @ScottFo83517667.

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GE2025: Red Dot United calls for housing reset and ‘unconditional cash transfer’ for Singaporeans in manifesto

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In addition to other initiatives, Red Dot United ( RDU) has unveiled its manifesto for the upcoming General Election, calling for an “unconditional cash transfer” for all Singaporeans and a comprehensive housing reset.

RDU called what it called” a new vision for Singapore” in its 24-page manifesto released on Saturday ( Apr 19 ). The five “pillars of progress ” that it will emphasize in its policy proposals are collective prosperity, people divide, comprehensive housing reform, caring healthcare, and civil liberty.  

Secretary-general Ravi Philemon addressed journalists at the party’s Ubi headquarters, saying:” These are the new 5Cs – a platform for a Singapore where success is shared, respect is upheld, and chance is a promise for everyone.

We think Singaporeans should sign a new social agreement that restores their sense of pride and respect. “

Mr. Philemon added that a “H. E. A. R. T. for Singapore, ” specifically in the areas of housing, fair healthcare, assured success, resilience, and accountability.

The group will run for office under the slogan “First-class members, fairer Singapore”.  

This will be RDU’s next day contesting the general vote. A five-member crew was put forth by the group in Jurong GRC that same year after it was established in May 2020.  

25 were made available by the group. The incumbent People’s Action Party ( PAP ) slate, led by then-Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who resigned from politics in 2023 to seek the presidency, received 39 % of the vote.

RDU has so far announced its intention to contest in the four Group Representation Constituencies ( GRCs ): Holland-Bukit Timah, Jurong East-Bukit Batok, Nee Soon, and Tanjong Pagar. and three Single Member Constituencies ( SMCs ): Jalan Kayu, Radin Mas, and Jurong Central.

In addition to these, the party has announced its potential candidates for Nee Quickly GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC as well as “team leads” for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC and Jurong Central SMC.

In the party’s poll statement, some important policy proposals are included:

UNCONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER FOR Singapore

RDU is calling for the creation of a” Citizen’s Dividend,” which the statement refers to as an “unconditional money transfer” and would provide a financial safety net to all Singaporeans.

The group claimed that the income aims to give workers financial support in times of job shortage and underemployment, enabling them to look for better opportunities, reskill, and develop without feeling the need for “constant stress of economical survival”.  

In light of a looming deal war between the United States and China, Mr. Philemon predicted that more job losses would be inevitable.

According to what we have seen so far, Singapore’s efforts to retrain and retrain resilient and under-educated workers have, regrettably, caused several to fall through the cracks, he added.

It is obvious that the jump has too many cracked waters, so it is time to install a real safety net. ”

Former deputy prime minister Tharman responded to a BBC reporter’s question about Singapore’s concept of a security net with the statement,” I believe in the idea of a bounce.” ”

RDU recommends starting with the “most susceptible employees,” before gradually expanding to all citizens to “ensure a reliable revenue ground for everyone”.

RESETTING A Complete Casing

In its manifesto, the party advocated for each Housing and Development Board ( HDB) estate to be eligible for the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme ( SERS ).    

RDU thinks this may prevent older apartments from being “left to decay” and ensure that they are kept up and are renewed.  

It is also promoting the introduction of a rent-to-own system and the expansion of public rental housing as another housing-related policy changes it is supporting.  

By giving them a “structured pathway ” to owning a home, the party added that a proposal like this would appeal to the bottom 20 % of income-earners who are struggling to live independently and as young single Singaporeans.    

The declaration also suggested that those who have completed the National Service and have a contract that has not been renewed for more than 79 years should be prohibited from purchasing resale apartments.  

A “WELLBEING ECONOMY” IS SHIFT.

RDU said that in order to address rising cost of living issues “from the root,” it would include placing a priority on fair wages and ensuring job security with a” citizens-first ” hiring policy.  

Every member should get paid what they deserve, according to Mr. Philemon.  

The distressing truth is that the majority of Singaporeans are aware of the fact that pay increases hardly kept up with inflation next year. Singapore continues to get investment from the world’s billionaire club, but we do not see this flowing down to regular employees. ”

RDU also called on the government to support small-medium businesses ( SMEs ) by ensuring fairer procurement practices, tackling late payments, moderating rents, and making grants more accessible.    

In an economy that has “increasingly prioritized ” big firms and foreign assets, it added that this would enable local businesses to prosper.

Medical, SUSTAINABILITY, and CIVIL FREEDOM

Beyond these, the party even demanded changes to legislation in terms of care and sustainability.

The manifesto argued that the current carbon tax system places an “undue burden ” on consumers while failing to effectively reduce emissions. It suggested that it be replaced with “enforceable emission limits on high-impact corporations ” to promote accountability.

RDU even made suggestions to “redesign” MediSave to make it work as a supplement account rather than as the main source of medical expenses.

Additionally, the party suggested passing a “ Freedom of Information Act ” to “empower people ” with access to information.

According to the manifesto, current laws like the POFMA and POHA have been used to” stifle dissent and silence independent voices” ( poFMA ).

Singapore’s status as a knowledge-based market is hampered by restrictions on critical thinking, creativity, and public discourse, according to RDU. ”

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‘Joe Ferrari’ death ruled a suicide after autopsy

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At the time of his suicide, an ex-policeman was serving a life sentence for the murder of a drug user.

PUBLISHED: 19 Apr 2025 at 19: 14

Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon was convicted along with five subordinates of murdering a 24-year-old drug suspect by placing black plastic bags over his head at a police station in Nakhon Sawan in 2021. He was found dead in his prison cell on March 7, 2025.
In 2021, Thitisan” Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon was found guilty along with five colleagues of murdering a 24-year-old medicine believe by stuffing dark plastic bags over his head at a police station in Nakhon Sawan. On March 7, 2025, he was discovered dead in his body in his cell.

A police officer who was convicted of the torture-murder of a substance suspect, Thitisan” Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon, a former police officer, committed suicide while he was being held in Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison. According to an inquest report, the death was committed while he was a prisoner.

The Rights and Liberties Protection Department at the Ministry of Justice released a speech detailing the results on Saturday.

On March 7, Thitisan was found hanged in his body at the maximum safety facility. In 2021, he and five employees were found guilty of murdering a 24-year-old medicine believe by stuffing black plastic bags over his head at the Muang city police stop in Nakhon Sawan.

The office reviewed data from the Royal Thai Police, as well as autopsy reports from the Central Institute of Forensic Science and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The Committee on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance received a description as a result of its work as the committee’s committee.

Under Thitisan’s Adam’s apple, a knot mark ran diagonally towards the right ear and was about 1.2 centimeters broad and 14cm much.

No petechiae or petechiae, which are small, bleeding under the skin, were found. According to the autopsy report, the internal left upper arm had small abrasions, which were consistent with post-mortem mosquito bites.

Different cuts on his neck and back were thought to be between one and two weeks old.

He had high blood pressure medication medication, the sleep-inducing compound 7-Aminoclonazepam, a metabolite of clonazepam, and the opioid fluoxetine.

No indication of combat

No evidence of muscles bruising or physical assault were discovered beneath the neck mark. The lack of challenge and the ligature’s horizontal pattern suggested a self-inflicted hanging.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 7, prison officers received a notification of an inmate’s death. The prisoner was discovered sitting against his body door, according to a declaration from the Department of Corrections at the time. He had “bruised hands and no pulse.” He was tied to the mobile phone door with a handkerchief around his neck.

According to a summary of the inquest report, the official cause of death was asphyxiation caused by hanging.

According to the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, authorities are working on next steps and will be submitting the situation to a prosecutor.

Thitisan had already served 3 years and 6 months of his life statement at the prison’s Zone 5 at the time of his death.

After it was revealed that Thitisan was exceedingly rich, the highly publicized torture-murder situation gained even more popularity. Due to his extensive collection of expensive sports cars and a glamorous life, which included a palace in Bangkok, he was given the nickname” Joe Ferrari.”

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Five dead as ‘hazardous’ waves hit Australian east coast

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At the start of the Easter holiday, five persons have drowned in large tides that swept parts of Australia.

Off the shores of Victoria and New South Wales, two more people are missing.

The body of a person was discovered in the water near Tathra in southeastern New South Wales on Saturday. A 58-year-old man and two other men were discovered dead in separate instances in the position the day before.

Volunteers are searching for a person who was washed into the waters near Sydney. One lady drowned and one person is missing after their team was swept into the ocean in San Remo, Victoria, on Friday.

One of the people made it back to sea, but the other woman and the man were unable to, according to Victoria officers.

It marked a “worst stop” for Victoria’s Premier, Jacinta Allan, according to the Victoria Premier.

” My views are with the home of someone who lost their life in such tragic circumstances, and possibly there will be more difficult news to come,” she said.

Eastern state of Australia have been hampered by risky waves.

After their statistics revealed 630 drowned at uninhabited beaches in the past ten years, Surf Life Saving Australia‘s CEO, Adam Weir, advised visitors to browse patrolled beaches.

” But these coastal areas is present dangers, some of which you can see and some of which you didn’t, so we have to offer some straightforward advice: Halt, Look, Stay Alive.”

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Bhumjaithai Party expels B400m fraud MP

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Ekarat Changlao is contesting his conviction for stealing money from the teachers ‘ savings cooperative.

PUBLISHED: 19 Apr 2025 at 17: 53

Khon Kaen MP Ekarat Changlao is currently free on bail while he appeals his conviction for embezzlement. (Photo: Phuen Ekkarat Facebook page)
Ekarat Changlao, a member of Khon Kaen’s MPs, is currently free on bail while appealing his larceny judgment. ( Photo: Phuen Ekkarat Facebook page )

Following his faith in an larceny situation, Khon Kaen’s MP Ekarat Changlao was found guilty by the Bhumjaithai Party.

The second-largest group in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government announced on Friday that the executive committee and MPs ‘ unanimous decisions were made.

Ekarat was given a roughly 13-year prison sentence by the Khon Kaen Provincial Court on Thursday for allegedly stealing 405 million ringgit from the Khon Kaen Teachers Savings Cooperative.

Additionally, the judge required him to pay the entire sum.

The group’s ethics committee made the recommendation, which led to the eviction. According to the party, Ekarat had the opportunity to listen to the allegations but the party claimed that he did not give clarification within the required time frame.

On March 31, 20 Bhumjaithai people in Khon Kaen lodged a formal issue, urging party leaders to take disciplinary action. The organization may inform the Election Commission of the selection.

Ekarat is now barred from leaving the country and is currently free on parole of 3 million baht while making an appeal against his judgment.

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Fake trading firm a front for B3.2bn gambling website

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Bangkok and Songkhla authorities are still looking for the website’s international managers, with six Thais detained.

PUBLISHED: 19 Apr 2025 at 16: 58

Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), announces the arrest of six Thais linked to a major gambling website, during a media briefing in Khon Kaen on Saturday. (Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri)
During a media briefing in Khon Kaen on Saturday, Pol Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiewphan, the head of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB ), announces the arrest of six Thai individuals linked to a significant gambling website. ( Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri )

Six Thai nationals have been detained by hacking police after allegedly starting a big gambling website with more than 3.2 billion baht in circulation with a fictional agricultural trading company.

According to Pol Lt. Gen Trairong Phiewphan, head of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB ), five men and one woman were taken into custody during searches in Bangkok and Songkhla in connection with the Fun586 website.

He claimed that the suspects set up a false agricultural trading firm as a front for the website, which was run by three foreigners and had 3.2 billion ringgit in circulation. They allegedly opened mule accounts and set up a false agrarian trading company.

According to CCIB authorities, the organization received money from the gambling activity. &nbsp,

The company’s office was a room in a row house, according to the officers when they arrived there. At a lecture in Khon Kaen on Saturday, Pol Lt. Gen Trairong claimed that the six offenders were business associates of the phony company.

According to Pol Lt Gen Trairong, the money gambling placed entered the pony accounts, was finally transferred to the business, and then onward to the users, who were two Chinese citizens and one Indonesian.

The CCIB has contacted Interpol to request their assistance in bringing the three international offenders to justice.

More than 20 Thais and six other immigrants, including five Malaysians and one Thai, were also identified as part of the investigation, according to Pol Lt Gen Trairong. According to him, permits have been issued for their prosecutions.

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About 4.7kg of heroin among drugs seized from car at Woodlands Checkpoint

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A 41-year-old Singaporean man was detained at Woodlands Checkpoint on Wednesday night ( Apr 16 ) for attempting to smuggle drugs, including about 4 kilos of heroin.

When they noticed the passenger acting strangely, officers from the&nbsp, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ( ICA ) had directed it to a Malaysian-registered car for enhanced checks.

According to ICA soldiers, they conducted a research and discovered a block of 10 pills that were thought to be controlled drugs on him, according to a joint media release from ICA and the Central Narcotics Bureau ( CNB) on Saturday.

More than 3.2 kg of heroin, 1.6 kg of ice, and 1, 000 Erimin-5 tablets were found on the car’s ground, along with money, including S$ 689.60 ( US$ 525.85 ), plus more than 3.2 kg of cannabis, 1.6 kg of frost, and

Officers searched the man’s home in the Woodlands Drive neighborhood the following day and found about 307g of morphine, 172g of snow, 99g of joy, and smoke smuggled drugs suspected of containing controlled drugs.

According to ICA and CNB, the drugs seized have an estimated total price of more than S$ 845,500 and could potentially serve about 3,730 abusers for a week.

Anyone who is found guilty of importing or exporting more than 15 grams of pure cocaine, 250 grams of methamphetamine, or 500 grams of cannabis from Singapore may be subject to the death penalty.

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Hong Kong retail property fund suffers 30% capital loss on three deals amid market gloom

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Bridgeway Prime Shop Fund Management, which invests in wholesale and factory plenty in Hong Kong, has suffered a strike of about 30 per share in three deals over the past two months as geopolitical tensions and reduced bets on price cuts hurt prices and market attitude.

The bank sold a ground-level factory at Tung Lee Mansion in Sai Ying Pun for HK$ 15. 6 million ( US$ 2 million ) last week, founder Edwin Lee told the Post on Thursday. It purchased the property for HK$ 24. 5 million three years ago, according to Land Registry files.

Earlier this month, it sold a ground-level factory at One Eighty in Shau Kei Wan for HK$ 20. 1 million, versus its ordinary acquisition cost of HK$ 25 million in July 2023. Next month, Bridgeway divested a ground-level store at 126-128 Woosung Street in Kowloon for HK$ 18. 7 million, after paying HK$ 27. 5 million for it three years ago.

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Nevertheless, the bank suffered a HK$ 22. 6 million funds lost from the three disposals.

“We will keep offloading our assets to cash out around HK$ 300 million, ” Lee said. The bank is boosting its cash to invest in other assets with great potential amid the business anxiety, Lee added.

The capital market would definitely be impacted by the US-China trade war as investment confidence weakens, he said, reiterating his view during an interview last month.

US President Donald Trump has imposed cumulative tariffs of 145 per cent on Chinese goods over several rounds since early this month. China, which raised its tariff on US goods to 125 per cent, now faces up to a 245 per cent levy as a result of its retaliatory actions, the White House said on Tuesday.

Founder Edwin Lee says Bridgeway is raising funds for new investment opportunities. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Hong Kong ’s economy is bracing for a slowdown, as the external environment is clouded by uncertainties, including escalating geopolitical tensions disrupting global trade and weaker investment appetite as a result of potentially slower global rate cuts, according to property consultancy CBRE.

Hong Kong ’s retail property market has been suffering because of slowing retail sales and a poor rental outlook. Leasing momentum was weak last quarter as retailers continued to wait for stronger recovery signs as Hong Kong ’s retail sales tumbled in January and February, despite an increase in tourist arrivals, CBRE said.

Vacancy rates, however, were stable across all core districts, standing at 6. 3 per cent in Central, 5. 3 per cent in Causeway Bay, 14. 3 per cent in Tsim Sha Tsui and 6. 9 per cent in Mong Kok. The overall vacancy rate remained at 7. 8 per cent.

CBRE said rents for high-street shops rose at an annual pace of 1 per cent last quarter.

Futu Securities scooped up a street-level shop on Russell Street earlier this month, according to market sources. The Chinese brokerage could be paying HK$1.2 million a month to occupy the lot in Soundwill Plaza, according to some property agents. The space was vacated by the operator of Transformers: The Ark restaurant in February.

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