EXPANDING INFLUENCE On Monday, President Xi Jinping met with Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi, state news agency Xinhua said. China has a significant presence in the DRC, where it is keen on tapping vast natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals. But it has grappledContinue Reading
Along the crowded banks of the Marikina River in the eastern fringes of the capital, a siren was sounded in the morning to warn thousands of residents to brace for evacuation in case the river water continues to rise and overflow due to heavy rains. In Northern Samar province, coastContinue Reading
Tropical Storm Yagi was blowing over the coastal waters of Vinzons town in Camarines Norte province, southeast of Manila, on Monday with sustained winds of up to 75kmh and gusts of up to 90kmh, according to the weather bureau. The storm, locally called Enteng, was moving northwestward at 10kmh nearContinue Reading
SINGAPORE: Singapore is planning to introduce a new law that would enable police to order banks to restrict the accounts of individuals suspected to be targets of scams.
The proposed law, called the Protection from Scams Bill, will be introduced in the coming months, according to a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry on Friday (Aug 30).
Under this law, Singapore bank accounts and credit cards could be frozen without the account holders’ consent.
The Home Affairs Ministry said the number of scam cases involving victims voluntarily transferring money to scammers remains high, despite safeguards such as a “kill switch” that allows individuals to freeze their bank accounts if they suspect their accounts have been compromised.
It said 86% of reported scams in the first half of 2024 were “the result of self-effected transfers.”
Restriction orders will be issued only for scams conducted remotely, such as via phone calls, SMSes, or online platforms, the ministry said.
The orders would be for an initial period of 28 days and could be extended afterwards.
Individuals who have been locked out of their bank accounts can apply to the police to access their money to pay bills or for regular daily spending. They can also appeal to the Minister for Home Affairs if they disagree with the police’s decisions.
The ministry is seeking public feedback on the new Bill until the end of September. – Bloomberg
PUBLISHED : 31 Aug 2024 at 04:00
Bangkok will not be flooded because water levels in the capital and the weather are unlikely to conspire to produce conditions equal to or worse than those recorded before the 2011 disaster, said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Speaking during a visit to people whose houses and farms have been flooded in Sukhothai yesterday, she stated that the water level was beginning to drop and that she wanted to concentrate on aiding local communities.
She said she had spoken to a lot of people on her visits to the flooded areas and become aware of their present difficulties.
“Things are beginning to improve. The water level is beginning to drop. Every time there is flooding, there is a lot of loss and suffering. Therefore, I want to concentrate on assisting the people,” she said.
When asked about the official reports of a mass of water flowing down from the North to the Central region and Bangkok, Ms Paetongtarn said that the upper dams could store adequate water to mitigate against floods further downstream.
“Bangkok won’t experience flooding. Additionally, no storms are predicted. So, Bangkok is safe,” she declared.
When asked if the overall water situation this year would be like the Big Flood in 2011, she confirmed that it was definitely not as frightening as it was when five separate storms in October 2011 caused widespread damage across the city.
But now it is predicted that there will be two storms or maybe none at all in the country, she said.
When asked if there had been any preparation for the possible increase in rainfall from September to October, the prime minister said there had been sufficient preparation.
She said the year’s rainfall would not be as high as in 2011.
Meanwhile, in Nakhon Phanom, in the northeastern region, authorities have declared Na Thom and Sri Songkhram districts as disaster zones after three major tributaries of the Mekong River burst their banks, flooding more than 20,000 rai of paddy fields in the two districts.
According to a source, the water level in the Mekong River rose to almost 11 metres yesterday, just one metre below the overflow level.
This caused three major tributaries of the Mekong River — the Nam Oun, Nam Songkhram and Nam Yam rivers — to overflow, sending a large volume of water to flood more than 20,000 rai of fields in Sri Songkhram and Na Thom districts.
Provincial authorities declared the two flooded districts as disaster zones yesterday.
All boats in those areas must be equipped with safety gear, and drivers have been told to exercise more caution.
FinanceAsia’s annual Achievement Awards recognises excellence in bringing together those issuers, banks, investors, advisors and other market participants, who are working hard to develop and expand Asia Pacific’s (Apac) financial markets.
This year, for the first time, we are also looking to recognise excellence in the fast-growing markets of the Middle East.
We are looking to recognise the standout companies and strategies that are redefining the way issuers and investors are interacting with markets and adapting to evolving regulatory requirements and diverse needs, amid an increasingly competitive environment.
There are both Deal awards and House awards across a range of categories and markets. For more details please see here for Apac and here for the Middle East.
In addition, our Deal Maker Poll rewards individuals who have been instrumental in closing some of the region’s most ambitious deals over the last 12 months.
The timeline for the deals is October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.
We look forward to your participation and seeing your entries! Please click here to find out how to enter at our dedicated Awards website. For frequently asked questions click here and for list of our experienced judges see here.
Key dates:
August 19: Awards’ launch
Early-bird entry deadline: September 6, 2024
Main entry deadline: September 19, 2024
Entries’ evaluated by judges: October 2 to November 6, 2024
Winners’ announced: November 2024
Awards’ ceremony: February 2025, date TBD
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Water from north storms reaches the area.
As Bangkok prepares to flow the Chao Phraya River, waters from extensive flooding in inland northeastern provinces has reportedly reached Bangkok.
The second wave of liquid from the floods that devastated the upper northern regions eight weeks ago has flowed down the Chao Phraya to Bangkok after the Chao Phraya bridge storm in Chai Nat expedited the release of the water.
The Chao Phraya river basin’s downstream waterways are monitored by the barrage, which has a direct impact on the water quality in Bangkok and the Northern Plains provinces.
On Thursday, the storm released 1, 300 square feet of waters per minute, away from 1, 100 square metres per minute.
The Yom and Nan river, two of the four rivers of the Chao Phraya, are now swollen, which has forced the storm to increase the rate of liquid discharge.
As a result of the high volumes of water currently passing by, the discharge amount will be maintained at 1, 300-1, 400 square meters of water per second in the upcoming weeks, according to Thanet Somboon, chairman of the Bureau of Water Management and Hydrology.
The commission will be keeping an eye on rainfall patterns in flood-prone and flooded areas between September 1 and September 4, for which additional heavy rain is expected.
The lower North and the lower Central Plains regions are the areas to enjoy.
According to Mr. Thanet, flooding poses a significant threat to provinces in the middle Central Plains, where wheat is currently being harvested.
Farmers may be forced to financial ruin by these floods and sweep out this essential crop, he added.
The director claimed that the top priority should be given to first managing the principal rivers, which are overflowing with water.
After the corn harvest is completed, any extra water may be diverted to the bare fields to minimize water flow inland, he said.
” People should n’t panic”, he said, adding the surging water is not adversely impacting Bangkok as it is being managed according to the plan.
However, the government are bracing for more slippery conditions. Tuesday, more than 100 millimetres of rain was recorded in each of the top northern regions of Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Nan and Phrae, which are all reeling from various times of flood.
Water levels are rising in the Yom and Nan river ponds as a result of the snowfall.
The major sluice doorway at Hat Saphan Chan in Sukhothai has prevented any flow in the Sri Satchanalai, Sri Samrong, and Muang towns, keeping levels in check in the Yom River and rivers.
Municipal officials in Sukhothai, one of the regions worst-hit by storms in recent days, have reported more than 70, 000 ray of property being inundated. The Sawankhalok city saw the most damage to farmland.
The great Bang Rakam industry, which has a reservoir capability of up to 62 million square meters of water, will receive extra water from Klong Hok Bat, Klong Yom Nam, the Yom River, and the Nan River.
Sukhothai’s flooded open areas will then be drained to make room for the effects of additional storms forecast for the following month.
It may be required to siphon water from the Chao Phraya into water rivers, the ministry claims.
After crop planting is finished in the Central Plains place by the middle of next month, the commission anticipates that more empty fields will be available for irrigation.
Which fields will be opened to receive the water will be decided by the National Water Command.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt of Bangkok was given 50 sheets of fencing to bolster the hydro fence and maintain lower water levels along the Chao Phraya.
Meanwhile, the flooding has forced the closure of five state-run clinics in Phrae, said Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin.
On September 2, they are anticipated to reopen.
Delhi, India: Intense rain rains and floods in India’s Gujarat position killed at least 28 people in the past three weeks, some drowning and individuals hit by falling branches, federal officials said. More heavy rain is forecast for the western coastal state on Thursday ( Aug 29 ), according toContinue Reading
After Thaksin made comments in Chiang Rai, Embassy clarifies the rank of the Jinghong Dam.
PUBLISHED: 28 Aug 2024 at 20: 50
Following accusations that these releases may have caused flooding in Thailand’s north and northeast areas, China has denied releasing liquid from the Jinghong Dam in Yunnan into the Mekong River.
Since the dam has n’t released any water in a while, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok has stated in a statement that it has n’t been connected to the country’s flood situation.
Foreign rivers were in a typical condition for this time of year, according to Embassy officials ‘ inquiries of several state agencies. Between August 18 and August 25, according to the military, pools connected to the Lancang River, as the Mekong is known in China.
The Jinghong Dam’s average daily outflow of water had decreased by 60 % from August last year, and the dam has n’t recently released water, according to the embassy.
When visiting flood victims in Chiang Rai on Tuesday, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra claimed that China’s exceptionally high water release may have caused the Mekong to have experienced an abundance of water while it was even experiencing storms.
He claimed that the Chinese government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were negotiating ways to relieve water without the river filled.
It is not known if the diplomat’s statement responded to Thaksin’s remarks.
Chinese officials are concerned about the flood, according to the embassy.
The six nations in the Lancang ( Mekong ) River Basin are a community of a shared future that are connected by mountains and rivers, according to it on Facebook.
China “fully acknowledges and bears the concerns and interests of other basin countries,” according to the statement.” China is ready to further enhance information sharing and cooperation about water resources, improve the complete management capacity in the basin, and simultaneously address issues like climate change and floods.”
As of Wednesday, the ocean level in the Mekong in Nakhon Phanom had risen to around 10.4 feet, about 1.6 feet below the overflowing degree, with a mass of waters coming from the North.
Specialists in the towns of Muang, Ban Phaeng, Tha Uthen, and That Phanom have been issued a statewide advisory to mount big water pumps to prevent any flow. Residents have also been instructed to monitor weather reports.
Three decades into the civil war and six times before Theodore Ell was born, I traveled to Lebanon for the first time in 1978.
His opinions and judgments in his superb fresh book” Lebanon Days” that covers the turbulent period from 2018 to 2021, are in line very closely with my own, despite the fact that our experience of this amazing country were at different times.
At the request of the American Department of Foreign Affairs, I was studying Arabic in Cairo at the time of my second visit. In those days, DFA ( no” T” on the acronym ) was attempting to increase its Middle East expertise in response to the dramatic rise in oil prices engineered by Gulf oil producers following the Arab-Israeli War in 1973.
My office had approved the trip in order for me to expand my understanding of the Middle East and training Arabic in various settings where that terrifyingly challenging language is spoken. This was travel on the cheap through Lebanon, Syria and Jordan over three weeks – using” service” taxis ( taxis with several passengers ) and staying in hotels that would struggle to earn half-star ratings.
The goal was for me to fully immerse myself in settings where there is little to no English spoken, and I must learn Hebrew for all the realities of everyday life.
Before flying to Beirut, I had consulted ebooks on the area in the Cairo ministry’s collection. The civil conflict arose before those in Lebanon. I was struck by the beauty of Beirut’s center, mainly Martyrs Square, which is depicted on both sides of Ell’s text with large palm trees on its eastern and western factors.
At Beirut airport, just south of the city, I hailed a taxi and asked the driver in fus’ha ( formal ) Arabic to take me to Martyrs ‘ Square. He looked at me surprised, as I had assumed because his Arabic was n’t the colloquial dialect he was used to. However, when we arrived at the circle, I learned that there was another motivation. About a meter from the ground, high-velocity shots had shorn off all the hand plants.
I had stumbled onto the “green line” multiplying Beirut’s east and west, the principal battle area of the battle. The taxi driver, who was Muslim, was obviously concerned about being close to the square and would n’t let me enter the Christian east.
I went to Beirut many times throughout the war in later years. In the late 1990s, when the country appeared for a while to get regaining momentum, I worked there for three times.
While posted in Damascus, investment of Syria, in the mid-1980s, I occasionally went to Beirut with another team member to carry out different formal jobs during breaks in the battle. If we stayed in West Beirut, we often slept in the then-closed military building.
To reduce the chance of shattered glass getting sprayed on to the inside of the building, we used to move mattresses from bedrooms into the inner hallway.
Another brilliant memory from that time is receiving a business from Lebanon an invitation to lunch at one of Beirut’s top restaurants. French cuisine was served, and the setting was typical for premium European restaurants. The only drawback to a nice dinner experience was that the restaurant’s windows had sandbags on them.
The Taif Accord of October 1989 is usually regarded as the war’s official conclusion. But even then, René Moawad, Lebanon’s first post leader, served for just 18 days before mysterious assailants assassinated him on 22 November that time.
Rafiq Hariri, the prime minister for six years in the 1990s, contributed a significant portion of his own money to Beirut’s post restoration. In order to help with financing the restoration, he also invited other businessmen to give a 10 % voluntary tax on their earnings to the state at the time.
A business friendship once told me that he thought this request was a joke because no one would pay for a tax. I questioned how he anticipated that the position would be able to fund streets, institutions, and schools without paying taxes. He responded that in Australia, I may reasonably conclude that my taxes would be used for these purposes. In Lebanon, for bills may end up in European banks.
In” Lebanon Days”, Ell recounts some such tales, based on his experience accompanying his wife, Caitlin, an American diplomat who was on a posting at our military in Beirut.
The Syrian pound’s decline, among other things, contributed to its economic destruction during his time there. From 1999 to 2019, the Lebanese Central Bank had maintained the pound’s artificially high price of 1, 507.50 to the US dollar.
This distorted the economy by causing exports to be deliberately cheap and imports to be artificially cheap, preventing the growth of trade industries, and accumulating deficits that are unsustainable.
In order to keep the currency’s value, the Central Bank had to be able to obtain the funds at a lower price than it sold them. October 2019: It was a trust method that was doomed to ultimately fail. The outcome was cultural panic – thowra, or trend, involving protests over months.
Demonstrators of all faiths gathered in Martyrs ‘ Square to chant slogans and perform protest music as a result of the likewise affected 18 religious cults in Lebanon. According to Ell, one like phrase described Lebanon as” a state of animals, run by wolf, owned by animals”.
Therefore, in early 2020, Covid struck the state, Ell and Caitlin included. However, that did not stop the rebellion, which ultimately led to yet another disaster that was about to occur: the tragic explosion in Beirut’s slot in August 2020 from careless storage of a sizable amount of ammonium nitrate.
Ell wrote an essay for the Australian Book Review that won the 2021 Calibre Essay Prize and vividly described the blast and its effects on capital people.
In his guide, he goes into more information about that. I found his claim that no one had developed a way to make money from the nitrogen oxide had not been moved to safer store particularly impressive.
Ell’s text exudes fact to anyone who has lived in Lebanon. He vividly describes the Palestinian sense of fun, the bars in East Beirut where customers could drink and dance until sunrise, as they had done before the civil war.
The Syrian people’s resolve to keep their appearances as the business sank in front of them was on the flip side. People who had frequented fashionable shopping stores but no longer had money to spend it on the bare necessities would continue to walk the corridors, buying nothing but carrying comfort brand shopping bags that suggested otherwise.
Ell makes the appropriate level that the civil war did never stop; it simply vanished in” Lebanon Days.” As he describes it,” Lebanon’s theological differences refined disillusionment into a way of life”.
His portrayal of Genevieve, a Maronite Christian woman, is especially poignant because she” told us, in all honesty, as though it was evident points could be no other manner, that she had never met a Muslim.”
Genevieve” spoke as though the number of Muslims in her country – in her entire region of the world – was something unpleasant and nasty to get resisted” (quoting a quote from Wikipedia ).
A federal unity government was established in the early 1990s made up of the several religious leaders who had prosecuted the war in order to make the Taif Agreement job. The major hold-out from this design was Samir Geagea, the president of the Lebanese Forces, a Christian army.
Geagea objected to continuing Arab impact in the government’s management. He was detained and imprisoned in 1994 for supposedly committing war crimes. Another officials who might have been accused of crimes related to those who were charged did not.
I recall the US Ambassador’s 1997 meeting with a group of Lebanese officials and some European diplomats to discuss these wartime arrangements with the US congressional delegation.
A representative inquired as to whether there had been a” truth and reconciliation commission” in Lebanon following the war in the same way that South Africa did following the end of racism. One of the visitors was the capricious Druze head Walid Jumblatt, at the time a secretary.
He soon responded,” No, we were more advanced in Lebanon. We placed all of the war offenders in the cupboard, and any one who resisted becoming a minister was imprisoned. The confused group was told by the US embassy that this was essentially what had happened amid the laugh.
Ell builds his tale chronologically, but with a foreword that explains how Lebanon came to be the nation it is.
He describes the impressive stelae (standing stone slabs used as markers in antiquity ) on the rock face north of Beirut, close to the Dog River. Every tomb contains an invading army, from Ramses II of Egypt to the Romans, the Ottomans, the French under Napoleon III, and a force from the Australian Imperial Force whose monument lists its invasion of Lebanon in 1941.
He describes the conspiracy theories that Syrian have propagated as a result of the continuous threat of Israeli military action. Hezbollah, a Shia militia that is better armed than the Lebanese Army and over which the government has no authority, has typically brought up that danger following strikes on Israel. Jewish aircraft’s sound-damaging booms over Beirut lead to intuitive requests for places to sleep in as they fly past the sound barrier.
Ell concludes the book with a terrible account of his and Caitlin’s exit. Some of their Syrian friends were leaving as also, but they had already made some. Duplicacy gave them a foreign bolthole in the event of another catastrophe, making the only ones who were still able to remain relatively content.
The guide is also presented. A valuable historical timeline, a vocabulary of Arabic conditions, a chart showing the locations mentioned in the tale, and a list of recommended readings are included.
” Lebanon Days” is a prayer on a region that always leaves its customers intact. Ell is a brilliant writer: his narrative is intact, accurate and elegant. He has used the play from his three years in Lebanon to highlight the amazing history of this amazing nation and point to a future that, for the time being, seems hopeless, especially given the ever-present threat of war between Israel and Hezbollah. However, the people’s resilience also shows up.
This absurd nation has made survival a form of art.
The Australian National University’s Center for Arab and Islamic Studies employs Ian Parmeter as a research scientist.
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.