Dutch great Kluivert named football coach of Indonesia
Shin took Indonesia, who are 127th in the FIFA ratings, into the crucial third round of Eastern eligibility for the 2026 World Cup in North America. Indonesia has only ever attended the World Cup when, in 1938, during Dutch colonial law. In 1945, the nation regained its freedom. They areContinue Reading
Malaysia says royal document granting home detention for jailed ex-PM Najib Razak not withheld
KUALA LUMPUR: A purported , royal document , allowing Malaysia’s jailed former Prime Minister , Najib , Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest was never hidden, the communications minister said on Wednesday ( Jan 8 ). Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the state director, told a standard mediaContinue Reading
COE premiums for large cars cross S$120,000; highest in over a year
SINGAPORE:  , Certificate of Entitlement ( COE ) premiums for big cars crossed S$ 120, 000 ( US$ 87, 816 ) in the first bidding exercise of 2025 on Wednesday ( Jan 8 ), marking their highest price in over a year. Prices for larger and more powerful cars inContinue Reading
Thai mahout charged after Spanish tourist killed by elephant
Wild animals have killed 227 folks, including travelers, in the past 12 times, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. An , elephant , killed a 49-year-old person at a regional area in Loei state in northern Thailand next month.  , Although people and wild elephant frequently interact,Continue Reading
Australia: Missing hiker in Snowy Mountains found after 13 days
A traveler who went missing for nearly two weeks in New South Wales, Australia, has been found dead and has adapted from cultivated fruit and two granola bars.
Hadi Nazari, a medical student, vanished on Boxing Day after leaving Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains with his buddies to take photos there.
Hundreds of people, including Mr Nazari’s friends and family, joined research work to identify the 23-year-old.
He was found by other hikers around 15: 15 local time ( 04: 15 GMT ) on Wednesday.
Superintendent Andrew Spliet told investigators that Mr. Nazari had called out to the climbers and” told them that he had been lost in the tree and was thirsty.”
Mr. Nazari was winched over to the research order post by a plane after the climbers called emergency services. At the field, he was evaluated by doctors and transported to a doctor.
Mr. Spliet claimed that Mr. Nazari was found to be in good health, call, able to speak, and uninjured.
Mr. Nazari claimed that the two muesli bars, which he found in a house in the mountains, were “pretty much everything that he’s had to eat over the last two weeks,” adding that the climber had even discovered waters from creeks and farmed for berries.
Mr Nazari’s relatives, who were seen hugging him at the search base station on Wednesday, after confirmed to local media that he was okay. ” It is the happiest day of our life”, they told 9News.
Mr Nazari was found near Blue Lake, around 10km ( 6 miles ) away from the campground where he was supposed to meet his friends on 26 December.
” He’s covered a lot of ground in that time”, said Spliet, adding that police do” catch up with him” after he is checked out of hospital.
Mukesh Chandrakar: Journalist’s murder highlights risks of reporting in small-town India
Bastar Junction / YouTubeThe grisly murder of American journalist Mukesh Chandrakar has highlighted the risks of reporting from some of India’s most tense areas.
Chandrakar’s body was found last week in a septic tank in the compound of a contractor he had implicated in a story about corruption in Chhattisgarh state. Police have arrested the contractor and two others in connection with the 33-year-old’s murder.
Chhattisgarh, a mineral-rich position, has witnessed an armed conflict for more than three decades and attacks by Communist rebels on security forces are popular. The Maoists, who are active in a number of Indian states, claim to be fighting for greater rights for tribal people and the rural poor under communist rule.
Chandrakar’s killing was condemned by Indian media watchdogs. Many people who knew him praised his bravery and perseverance, with others claiming that he was deeply concerned about people and would go to great lengths to report on a significant story.
His passing also sparked discussions about the difficulties faced by independent reporters in states like Chhattisgarh, where there are few job opportunities and the power balance is constantly shifting between the state, rebel groups, and powerful mining companies, who frequently work as stringers or freelancers.
Before switching to journalism in his 20s, Chandrakar was born in Basaguda, a remote village in the state. He had a history of odd jobs.
His mother, who worked hard to make ends meet, raised him after losing his father when he was still a child. He also developed up in a state where militia and rebel groups fought for supremacy.
To help support his family, he initially collected mahua flowers, which are used to make a liquor popular among tribespeople, and later worked in a garage.
Ganesh Mishra, Chandrakar’s friend, told the BBC that Chandrakar first became interested in journalism in 2013 after having conversations with friends and starting to work as one. He learnt on the job, gleaning tips from fellow journalists, and gradually developed a passion for reporting.
Before launching his own YouTube channel, Bastar Junction, he previously interned for the major media outlets. At the time of his death, the channel had around 165, 000 subscribers, a number that has since grown by about 10, 000.
Bastar is a hilly district in Chhattisgarh that is home to dense forests and is a part of India’s “red corridor,” a term for the area where the Maoist insurgency is most at risk.
Ganesh MishraWatching the videos, Chandrakar’s reporting comes off as a little melodramatic and occasionally departs from the norms of traditional reporting, such as not always granting all parties a right of reply. However, his videos highlighted details that the mainstream media frequently overlooks: reports of innocent villagers being killed in crossfire between Maoist rebels and soldiers, or tribal men being falsely accused of being insurgents and being held by the police.
His channel captured the hardships faced by locals in Bastar’s remote villages, where even basic necessities are scarce.
One video captured villagers crossing a river with groceries in tow because there isn’t a bridge, and another captured a key road that had been mined by Maoists to allegedly target security forces. His stories provided locals with a place to voice their grievances and hold government officials accountable.
Chandrakar used to also work as a” stringer” for news organisations, where his job involved providing outstation journalists with information about a story or sometimes, even chaperoning them through Maoist strongholds.
Most media outlets underpay these freelance reporters poorly, and despite doing a lot of the groundwork, they frequently don’t get enough recognition or a reputation.
A journalist who Chandrakar assisted in a sensitive story was quoted as telling the BBC how he had aided him in crossing Maoist camps and police checkpoints to access areas deep inside forests.
” It would have been impossible to access the terrain without him”, the person, who wanted to remain anonymous, said.
He described Chandrakar as a person who was enthralled by new experiences, who loved the chase, and who was proud when his actions caused change.
” He was also a deeply aspirational person. He didn’t want to be defined by his difficult life, he wanted to rise above that”, he said.
Perhaps this characteristic of Chandrakar’s has sparked some rumors about the true cause of his death. According to the police, one of the two people detained for his murder is a contractor.
There are whispers about Chandrakar’s lifestyle, which some colleagues found puzzling given the poor salaries of local journalists. Dipankar Ghose, his close friend and fellow journalist, acknowledged the difficulties of working in a profession where making difficult decisions frequently meant navigating difficult choices in a tribute.
“For me, Mukesh was the personification of bravery. I’m not going to pretend that in a universe where media organisations he [Chandrakar] worked for didn’t even pay for his petrol let alone a stable salary, sustenance wasn’t a problem, and therefore some wires weren’t crossed. But Mukesh loved journalism with a passion,” he wrote as part of a lengthy post praising Chandrakar on X.
Bastar Junction / YouTubeManisha Pande, managing editor at Newslaundry, an independent news platform, speaks about the challenges facing journalists in many small towns and cities across the country.
” There are many young, passionate journalists who are the first to report on and discover stories from their respective regions. But as a profession, we haven’t figured out how to make journalism financially sustainable for them”, she says.
Chandrakar’s murder is still under investigation, and more details about his death are expected to emerge in the coming days. However, his work continues to serve as an inspiration to many.
” I have lost a friend who was like a family member and Bastar has lost a good journalist,” says Mr. Mishra. His journalism had a lot of impact, and everyone there feels a deep sense of his loss.
*Some names in the narrative have been requested at request.
Apple to set up AirTag production factory in Batam to meet 65 per cent of global demand, says Indonesian minister
The minister added that Apple had now “taken a search” at its possible Batam factory page.
” The ( construction ) should begin immediately, we are targeting to have this facility completed by early 2026″.
While Rosan appeared to suggest tempting developments in the discussions, Agus commented that the US$ 1 billion funding promises is also “insufficient”.  ,
Apple has adhered to four of Jakarta’s “fairness rules,” according to Tempo, including evaluating the tech giant’s purchase activities in different nations, investments made by different mobile phone manufacturers in Indonesia, the potential for increased value and revenue for Indonesia, and the development of local job opportunities.  ,
” We want to see how huge Apple’s assets are in other countries, for example Vietnam and India and second, how much has Apple’s companies like Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei has invested in Indonesia”, Agus was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Globe.  ,
He added:” Most notably, ( we want to see ) how big is the job creation from Apple’s purchase”.
He added that Indonesia does not want to set a deadline for Apple’s investment in Indonesia, and that the software giant may take its time to ensure that its purchases will result in as many jobs as possible.  ,
” We don’t set a time frame, we can reach a done deal today, tomorrow or next week or even next month … all that matters to us is the substance ( of the investment )”, he added.  ,
However, Ammann- the Apple professional- told writers that he had a “great conversation” with the Indonesian ministers.  ,
Apple, according to Reuters, does not currently have any production facilities in Indonesia, but has established application developer schools since 2018 that enable it to promote its older products.
Skills atrophy, obsolescence likely behind decline in literacy proficiency among older adults in Singapore: Chan Chun Sing
Several Members of Parliament had questioned the conclusions of the PIAAC study, asking if the Ministry of Education ( MOE ) has policies in place to help people in Singapore maintain their literacy levels as they get older and whether the decline in literacy will have an impact on the employability of people over 35.
On Wednesday, Mr. Chan stated that there is growing research interest in how technology has altered how people consume and process information, with some people switching from lengthy, complicated writing to shorter social media posts and movies.
There is also a chance of serious thinking and reflection being eroded as mental freelancing becomes more widespread with AI, he said.
UPSKILLING BEYOND FIRST 15 YEARS OF FORMAL EDUCATION
Mr. Chan responded to questions about what the benefits ‘ impact on the workforce’s competitiveness meant for local workers ‘ employment.
Different factors will need to be taken into account, such as whether employees have job-specific abilities that are essential to their attractiveness.
Mr. Chan added that other factors are used to evaluate a country’s competitiveness or workplace, such as the employment rate, the number of companies continuing to invest in Singapore’s great jobs, and whether employees are still earning good wages.
” However, to mitigate the degeneration and failure results, it is necessary for us to continually train and reskill throughout existence, beyond the first 15 years of formal education”, he added.  ,
” I always emphasize that while we have done well for the first 15 years of our students ‘ academic performance in school, we must also concentrate on the next 50 years of their lives after graduation.”
Illegal migrant killed, 2 injured in crash near border
PUBLISHED: 8 Jan 2025 at 14: 14
KANCHANABURI: On Wednesday morning, two pickup trucks carrying unlawful immigrants crashed in the Sangkhla Buri city, killing a woman from Myanmar and injuring two men.
The crash happened on Road 323, the Sangkhla Buri-Three Pagodas Pass path, in tambon Nong Lu. I ,
Pol Maj Chantphong Thammasorn, analysis chief at Sangkhla Buri, said the incident was reported shortly after midnight.
A robotic pickup vehicle with Bangkok plates was discovered parked on the side of the road with minor injury, according to police and volunteers on the scene. In the ditch by the side of the road was a further damaged and abandoned delivery vehicle with Nakhon Pathom sheets.
A girl was discovered lying dead on the side of the road, her arms severably from a tree limb. She was an illegal immigrant from Myanmar, officers said.
Two additional illegal workers, both men, were also injured and were sent to Sangkhla Buri Hospital. One was seriously hurt, suffering a broken leg and head injury, and was eventually transferred to Phaholpolpayuhasena Hospital.
The two wounded men told authorities that they were one of 30 people who illegally crossed the border using a natural path to avoid safety gates in Nong Lu.
The two delivery vehicles involved in the collision were waiting for them when they arrived on Thai earth.  ,
Both individuals fled after the accident, along with the other illegal workers.  , The two people said they even tried to flee, but their wounds held them back. What caused the accident was unknown.  ,
Authorities were continuing their research, including viewing on the cars ‘ authorized users.
Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat: What both PMs agreed on to resolve airspace, maritime boundary issues
At the frontrunners ‘ surrender, Malaysia and Singapore also signed MOUs to engage in the areas of higher learning, urban development, family growth, carbon capture and storage, coal credits, as well as preventing and combatting international crimes.
In a follow-up to Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal during his first meeting with Singapore equivalent Lawrence Wong in June last month, both countries signed a Letter of Intent for the Malaysia-Singapore English Volunteers Programme.
A pilot program is being planned for after this month, according to Malaysian Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn and the Singapore International Foundation. Participants from Singapore may help with the English language’s training in some schools and states in Malaysia as part of the program.
Lower EDUCATION
Singapore and Malaysia may further enhance participation in the field of higher learning, and pave the way for more intensive administrative partnerships, people-to-people markets, and information sharing between Malaysia and Singapore.
Under this MOU, both parties will promote and encourage higher education assistance between institutes of higher learning in the areas of staff and student exchanges, exchange of information and experiences, team training programmes, change of scholarships, and the company of shared activities and programmes.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The MOU on industrial growth aims to promote cooperation between the Housing and Local Government Ministries of Malaysia and Singapore.
Officials from both ministries may deepen their common understanding in areas like property use planning to create lasting and tolerable cities, the construction of high-quality, smart homes, and municipal management. Knowledge-sharing on these subjects will be done through activities like professional exchanges and study visits.
FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
Given that both countries have “mutual interests and related values” in areas relating to the community, the MOU on cooperation in the fields of social welfare, women and people with disabilities ‘ independence, home, children and community development, and household, children, and development, said Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development.
In addition to fostering relationships between government organizations and social development organizations, information exchange on policies and programs, institution visits for networking and technical cooperation, and joint workshops, seminars and training programs to develop human capacity in social work and community development, among other things.
CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
Singapore and Malaysia will engage in bilateral discussions in accordance with this MOU to facilitate cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS) and discuss the terms of a government-to-government agreement that will be legally binding.
Both nations will also offer industry-led research projects and best practices in addition to CCS. Additionally, to facilitate the implementation of the MOU, a joint committee made up of representatives from both parties will be established.
CCS involves capturing, moving, and permanently storing carbon dioxide to prevent atmospheric emissions. The process could decarbonise hard-to-abate emissions for which there are no ready alternative solutions, in sectors such as energy and chemicals, power and waste.
CARBON CREDITS
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, the signing of the MOU to collaborate on carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement signals Singapore’s and Malaysia’s intention to pursue voluntary cooperation to meet the nationally determined contributions ( NDC ) set out in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
Singapore and Malaysia will work together to create a legally binding Implementation Agreement that will provide a bilateral framework for the creation and transfer of carbon credits that have been appropriately adjusted according to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
The implementation agreement will enable the creation of projects utilizing carbon credits that increase the potential for mitigation, promote sustainable development, and provide benefits to local communities.
TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES
Under the MOU, Singapore and Malaysia will enhance cooperation in combatting transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, cybercrime and scams, including cyber-enabled scams.
A joint working committee will be established to identify and develop activities, policies, or programs to be carried out in accordance with the MOU framework, along with the home affairs ministries of both nations.