Trump card or wild card? What Trump 2.0 could spell for Taiwan, China and regional stability

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ALL EYES ON TRUMP’S CABINET PICKS

In light of this, observers claim that Mr. Trump’s team selections have attracted a lot of attention in Taiwan because of how much influence the appointees have over management plan.

” More so for the US than most institutions, staff is policy”, Mr Steven Okun, top assistant from the public affairs advisory firm APAC Advisors, previously told CNA.

Given their history of pro-Taiwan statements, Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from the National University of Singapore ( NUS) told CNA that the appointment of Mr. Marco Rubio and Mr. Mike Waltz as US secretary of state and as national security advisor was likely to some degree reassure Taipei.

In 2019, after Mr Xi made a new contact for Taiwan to embrace “peaceful unification” with China and accept independence, Mr Rubio reaffirmed his support for the island in a statement, describing it as” an impartial republic and strong supporter of the United States”. In response to China’s increasingly extreme rhetoric and deeds, he added that the US may strengthen ties with Taiwan.

Additionally, Mr. Rubio has introduced a number of laws to increase Taiwan’s help from the United States.

By establishing a status similar to that of an adviser to a foreign nation or international organization as required by the senate, one of these laws aims to strengthen US-Taiwan relationships.

Another initiative, the Taiwan Peace Through Strength Act, aims to boost joint military education, increase access to weapons, and establish a munitions consolidation account.

The new Trump 2.0 administration, which includes former military personnel and newscaster Pete Hegseth, even nominates two candidates for defence minister, along with Mr. Rubio and Mr. Waltz.

Observers have noted that all three people have a vehement criticism of China. They are known for calling for strong countermeasures and highlighting alleged and alleged threats that Beijing poses across a range of industries.

Dr. Wu anticipates that Mr. Rubio will use his position as secretary of state to support strong measures to issue Beijing on a global scale in fields like industry, technology, and security. This may preoccup China, according to the foreign affairs observer, which might lead to a lessening concentrate on putting pressure on Taiwan in the future.

Assoc Prof. Chong agrees that Mr. Trump’s government may benefit from having China hawks in crucial diplomatic and security positions. However, he also noted the great churn of important leaders during Mr Trump’s day in the Oval Office.

“( Trump ) has a tendency to cycle through his key personnel quickly, particularly when their loyalty is called into question. But, the question of how long Mr Rubio will remain in office is uncertain”, said Assoc Prof Chong, who is also a non-resident professor at Carnegie China.

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Captain America’s Anthony Mackie, K-drama stars in Singapore for Disney showcase

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The Disney Content Showcase APAC 2024, which ends immediately, was capped by a free fan function. Held at Sands Expo &amp, Convention Centre, the two-day occasion offered a sneak peek at some of the approaching shows from the likes of Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel Studios.

What transpired on the first day can be seen in this image:

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND MORE Avengers Producers

We caught a glimpse of potential projects such as the second year of What If?, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil: Born Once, Ironheart, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, and Captain America: Brave New World.

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Mobile phone green line complaints in Singapore doubled in 2024: CASE

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A natural line on the screen is most likely the result of a hardware problem, such as a damaged relation to the show, according to tech review sites like TechRadar.

Some people believe a software upgrade might have caused the phones to heat up so much that it may cause a hardware problem or worsen one already existing one, leading to a clean line.

According to what others have said, it may happen after one drops their phone.

WHICH MODELS ARE MOST AFFECTED?

The clean lines seem to mostly change Samsung’s Galaxy S21 line phones, according to media reports from earlier this year.

In specific, the Galaxy S21 Ultra and S21 FE designs have been cited more often.

SamMobile, which publishes information about Samsung, said the problem has also been reported on designs including the Galaxy A73, Galaxy M21, Galaxy S22 set and Galaxy Z Flip 3.

In response to questions from CNA, Samsung said it was committed to providing&nbsp, the best possible wireless experience.

” Product value continues to be one of our best objectives”, a spokesperson said.

However, Android Authority said devices made by companies like OnePlus, Oppo, redmi, live, Xiaomi, Huawei and Apple have also been affected in the past, with the primary cause also attributed to a technology fault.

” The only common thread between all reports on the green line issue on smartphones is that the phone has an AMOLED display”, the site reported, referring to a type of organic light-emitting diode ( OLED ) technology. &nbsp,

It added that this issue does not appear to exist for phones with LCD or liquid crystal displays.

HOW CAN IT BE FIXED?

According to various guidelines, restarting the phone should be the first thing that needs to be done.

If the natural range disappears, it was definitely a software problem.

If it persists, equipment is likely to be involved, and the screen will need to be changed in a repair or service facility.

Buyers should go to an authorized service center, according to Samsung.

As long as there is no obvious physical or water damage, users who are still covered by the guarantee are likely to be able to get completely repairs or replacements, according to Android Authority.

Customers in India reportedly received a gratis, one-time screen substitute for some of Samsung’s Galaxy devices. Customers there are also offered a free lifetime display guarantee.

HOW TO AVOID THE Matter

There is no universally accepted solution to the natural line matter, which is unfortunate and impossible to fix.

The Tom’s Guide online tool does recommend, however, that mobile users delay application updates for the time being. If not, do the release in a nice and well-ventilated place to reduce the chances of the telephone overheating.

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Bo Guagua: Son of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai reportedly in Taiwan and getting married

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According to local media reports, Bo Xilai’s son, a disgraced former high-ranking Chinese politician, is reportedly in Taiwan and getting married this Saturday ( Nov. 23 ). &nbsp,

Apparently, the ceremony will take place in the city of Hsinchu, which is located west of Taipei. &nbsp,

Bo Xilai, 36, the younger brother of past Chongqing party chief Bo Xilai, who was also a part of the strong Politburo before being expelled and given a life sentence for fraud, larceny, and abuse of power.

According to a report from Taiwan’s Central News Agency ( CNA ), which cited official information from the Mainland Affairs Council ( MAC ) on November 15 and is reportedly in town to visit his fiancee’s parents, the younger Bo has been granted legal travel authorization to visit Taiwan. &nbsp,

According to the CNA report, his rumored bride is a Chinese lady from a well-known family in northeast Yilan County. &nbsp,

The couple met while Mr. Bo was worldwide, according to Chinese news website The Taipei Times, and they were planning to get married this year. &nbsp,

In its speech, carried by Chinese media outlets, MAC officials said they were closely monitoring the situation given Mr Bo’s “unique history” and urged people to “respect his protection and his wish to keep a small page”. &nbsp,

Out of respect for his protection, MAC stated that his visa application would not be made public. &nbsp,

While the information was censored in China, it drew attention and comments from Chinese netizens on Twitter, many praising Mr Bo on his relationship while others criticised the media’s “obsession” with his arrival. &nbsp,

Some also made fun of Mr. Bo’s and his Chinese bride’s union, which meant that Xi Jinping’s government referred to two sides as “one family.”

According to reports, Mr. Bo Guagua has been employed by the Power Corporation of Canada as a business analyst.

Before his families were arrested, he was well-known for his colorful attitude, frequent events, nightclub parties, and photo opportunities at parties. He has since studied at prominent international universities, including Oxford University in the UK and Harvard and Columbia in the US.

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How did China tackle its once-deadly air pollution, and is it gone for good?

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AIR POLLUTION AND LIFE EXPECTANCY

According to Dr. Hasenkopf, “air waste is frequently cited in terms of the number of people it kills.” Millions of people are born every year around the world, but that number is so huge and challenging to link to one’s life.

The Air Quality Life Index, based on her study, incorporated air pollution into its impact on human life duration.

According to the index, people are losing as much as 3.2 years of life on average in China’s most poisoned place of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.

” That’s not just necessarily at the end of a long life”, Dr Hasenkopf pointed out. &nbsp,

The number also factors in life that are cut small, “like children or infants who are even more seriously affected by air pollutants than, say, child populations”, she said. &nbsp,

NEW ACTION Program

In December next month, China released a new air quality action plan to cut PM2.5 levels by 10 per share next year, compared with 2020.

The plan also includes lowering nitrogen oxide emissions and volatile organic compounds by 10 % and reducing the annual percentage of heavily polluted days to 1 % or less.

By 2025, China wants non-fossil power to accounts for at least 20 % of its total energy intake. It is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060.

Although China has made amazing progress, according to experts, new goals are getting harder to hit.

” There’s also a long way to go”, said Professor Huang Yanzhong, senior fellow for global wellbeing at American think tank Council on Foreign Relations.

” But improving air quality, because the low hanging fruit is no longer there, will be a more uphill battle” .&nbsp,

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Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific in talks to launch direct flights between Tasmania and Asia

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Tasmania’s government is negotiating with Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines ( SIA ) to establish direct flights between the two countries. &nbsp,

In a Facebook post on Monday ( Nov. 18 ), Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff stated,” We are working to lock in direct flight routes between Hobart and Asia due to the upgrades at Hobart Airport.” &nbsp,

” We’re currently in discussions with Cathay Pacific and SIA to establish direct routes to some very interesting Asian spots,” said the company.

SIA now flies to seven American cities – Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Darwin and Adelaide. The second five places are served by the Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific.

Visitors from Singapore must take a private flight once in Australia to get to Tasmania. &nbsp, Otherwise, they may take a boat from mainland Australia to the beach position. &nbsp,

In response to CNA’s questions, SIA said it “regularly reviews” its system and sites. The flight did not disclose whether a flight had been made from Singapore immediately to Tasmania.

” Should there be any new improvements to our system, we will reveal them officially at the correct time”, it added. &nbsp,

CNA even contacted Cathay Pacific&nbsp, for more information.

According to Mr. Rockliff, according to regional news website Pulse Tasmania, new global atmosphere services would increase both the tourism and freight offerings in big Asian markets. &nbsp,

” These are two world-leading air ships and we’d like to see them flying clear to Hobart”, he said.

Singapore and Hong Kong are “peak price” areas for Tasmania’s tourism power because customers from these sites typically spend more money there over the course of their keep.

Singapore was the fifth-highest saving luxury marketplace for the position in December 2019, with 15, 300 tourists arriving from the state. &nbsp,

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From local ice cream parlour to global food behemoth: What’s next after Jollibee’s acquisition of Tim Ho Wan?

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Mr Jose Antonio Cipres, a research scientist at the AP Securities trading, said Jollibee’s most remarkable acquisitions were of Chinese-Filipino fast-food network Chowking and cooking restaurant team Mang Inasal.

Chowking had 162 trees when it was acquired in 2000, and that amount has now grown to 566, he said. And Mang Inasal has 573 businesses, away from 303 when Jollibee took over in 2010.

” Since its founding, Jollibee’s quest is testament to successful brand, resilience and a strong understanding of consumer choices”, said Mr Jonathan Ravelas, managing director of eMBM, which provides expert service.

He continued,” It is remarkable that Jollibee has grown from a small local business to a global player in the foods business.”

CONCERNS OVER Value

However Jollibee’s method of acquiring companies has never come without censure. &nbsp,

According to Banderlipe, Banderlipe of De La Salle University, several customers believe that Jollibee’s companies may experience a decline in their food and service standards with a focus on generating higher profits.

” When the bread firm Red Ribbon was acquired, some loyal users complained about losing the’ liqueur-ish’ taste of the Black Forest pie that made Red Ribbon famous”, he said.

A tie-up with a major mall operator in the Philippines will allow the coffee beans and tea leaves to appear in 89 malls as shops, which Mr. Banderlipe described as a drop for devoted customers.

On CNA’s Instagram post about Jollibee’s merger of Tim Ho Wan, one person posted:” Good luck with the high-quality”!

Another responded:” Agree. Costs fluctuate, while food and service quality fluctuates.

According to Mr. Banderlipe,” Jollibee must concern itself to increase or maintain the quality of the products and service of the models it purchases.”

As Jollibee expands its brand portfolio, Jollibee did not respond to CNA’s issues immediately. &nbsp,

STILL ON THE Fall

However, experts who spoke to CNA were convinced of Jollibee’s continuing progress, as it pushes towards its owner’s purpose to have 50 per cent of system-wide sales, which include owned and franchised stores, to travel from international company.

For the first nine months of the year, global operations made up 40.3 per share of system-wide income.

According to AP Securities ‘ Cipres, Jollibee was making corporate moves to expand its market share in various industries.

He pointed to another&nbsp, new acquisition- of Compose Coffee Company in South Korea- which he said would soon increase Jollibee’s earnings, since the chain is successful. &nbsp,

According to Prof. Gutierrez of the University of the Philippines, Jollibee could acquire Chinese, fast-food, or coffee shops.

Jollibee CFO Shin made a point during the media conference on Tuesday that the company had not yet entered some Southeast Asian markets like Indonesia and Thailand. &nbsp,

Those remain opportunities for growth, he said.

The fried chicken restaurant chain, which saw an increase in same-store sales of 8.2 % in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to the same period last year, is still a major success.

” Jollibee… will always be the’ nightmare’ of the’ M ‘ brand”, said&nbsp, Mr Banderlipe. ” (McDonald’s is ) the world’s number one, but not in the Philippines” .&nbsp,

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SportSG, ex-national table tennis player Feng Tianwei refute allegation that she misappropriated public funds

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SINGAPORE: Sport Singapore ( SportSG) has refuted an allegation made against former Singapore national table tennis player Feng Tianwei.

Feng, Singapore’s most bemedalled Olympic, has even denied any wrongdoing. She serves as the ActiveSG Table Tennis Academy associate producer at SportSG.

SportSG stated in a statement on Tuesday ( November 19 ) that it was aware of “recent allegations” that involved a personal relationship between retired Feng and her ex-personal fitness coach.

According to a legal table representative,” SportSG’s assessments on our information indicate no evidence of theft of public funds,” because one of the allegations involved the potential fraudulent use of public funds.

Thereafter, it was stated that a similar claim made by the same man in 2021 was determined to remain unsupported.

” The other concerns raised belong to personal and commercial problems between both parties”, said the director.

CNA received an email earlier this month outlining the complaints made against Feng.

The receiver claimed to become Feng’s past “personal real manager” Zhou Xiang. Among other allegations, he claimed Feng asked him to teach her how to swim, and cited this as an example of” suspected… misappropriation of public funds for personal use”.

WHAT FENG SAYS

Feng revealed to CNA that she personally paid for Zhou Xiang’s training costs, living expenses, and travel expenses while working with him for seven times between April and October 2018.

” During this period, there were no economic issues”, she added.

She claimed that Zhou was a grad student at the time and that he had been working with her while they were together. According to Feng, the position even served as Zhou’s internship while also supporting his intellectual thesis.

Zhou resigned in October 2018, citing the need to concentrate on his thesis, she added.

There were no wars between us during this time, and I thought it had the ability to continue doing so.

But, Feng said that since 2018, Zhou has &nbsp, been harassing her, her family and friends through “insults, defamatory notes, personal problems, and other abusive behavior, causing significant psychological pressure” for her home and herself.

” In 2021, Zhou Xiang also made false accusations against me to Sport Singapore. Following an investigation, Sport Singapore found the says unfounded, and issued a proper response to him”, she said.

I’ve avoided speaking publicly about this issue, but I want to take advantage of this opportunity to fully reply as I want to end this six-year suffering and concentrate on my post-retirement career and my family life.

Feng also said that to” guard” her freedom, she has since engaged a constitutional lawyers to gather information of Zhou’s “defamatory claims and deeds of private breaches”.

” Does he persist in his immoral behavior, I am prepared to pursue legal steps to protect my rights and passions”, she said.

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Malaysia to expand QR code clearance to cars and lorries at Johor land checkpoints next year

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From next month, Malaysian vehicles and riders will be able to travel between Johor and Singapore using QR codes rather than documents.

Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail reported on Monday ( Nov. 18 ) that this trial had been successful, starting in June and concluding this month.

For now, just Indonesian people on Malaysian-registered vehicles&nbsp, will be able to use QR code at the Johor area gates, a spokeswoman from the Home Ministry told CNA on Tuesday. &nbsp, It is questionable if Malay using Singapore-registered cars are available.

Their documents are linked to the applications for QR-code certification. &nbsp,

According to press outlet The Star, there are long-term plans to expand the use of QR codes to foreigners, related to how foreign visitors are able to utilize Malaysia’s autogate ability at its flights. &nbsp,

Following a specific commission meet to ease congestion at the Causeway, Mr. Saifuddin stated at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur that trial participants had a significant impact on the time it took to clear emigration during peak times.

According to Mr. Saifuddin, referring to the use of the MyBorderPass program by motorcyclists,” the present method takes eight seconds while the QR code program reduces it to five seconds for a second rider and six seconds for those with a pillion rider.” &nbsp, &nbsp,

This means over 750 drivers are able to clean immigration in an hour, away from 500 to 600 motorcyclists recently, said Mr Saifuddin.

At the Sultan Iskandar Building ( BSI) linked to the Causeway, bus users managed to cut waiting times during peak hours from 120 minutes to 15 minutes, according to the Malay Mail. &nbsp,

According to Mr. Saifuddin, the decision was reached in theory now, and it will be expanded to other modes of transportation once the two procurements are finalized.Continue Reading

CPF Special Account will be closed for those 55 and above next year. What should you do?

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The maximum amount that can be put into a CPF pension account at the same time may be increased.

From January 1, 2025, the Enhanced Retirement Sum may increase from the latest three days to four times the Basic Retirement Sum.

These amounts are CPF Board retirement goals, with each receiving a unique level of regular payments ten years later. They are adjusted periodically to take prices and different factors into account.

The Basic Retirement Sum, followed by the Full Retirement Sum, and the Enhanced Retirement Sum, is the smallest.

For 2025, the Basic Retirement Sum is S$ 106, 500 ( US$ 79, 200 ). In turn, the Full Retirement Sum, which is half the Basic proportion, is S$ 213, 000 and the revised Enhanced Retirement Sum may be S$ 426, 000.

IF YOU ARE TURNING 55 SOON…

Not everyone will be affected.

Only those who have accumulated” substantially” more than the Full Retirement Sum in their Specific Records will&nbsp, feel an influence from the plan shift, said&nbsp, Mr Loo Cheng Chuan, the founder of local private banking activity 1M65.

He recalled how the group’s Telegram chat party was flooded with questions at the time of the statement.

By the age of 65, couples are being taught how to save up to$ 1 million in their CPF accounts. Understandably, some of its people will be affected by the future law change, including Mr Loo who turns 55 in three years.

” When it was first announced, there were many questions. Even though it took me a while to fully grasp the implications, he said, citing other Pension guidelines that may help with concerns about the elimination of accommodating withdrawals.

After the age of 65, users born in 1958 and after that year can remove up to 20 % of their Retirement Account savings, excluding money top-ups, CPF transfers, and federal grants, from their accounts.

These will also allow you to borrow some money, not the entire amount, but a considerable sum that will be sufficient for most people, according to Mr. Loo.

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