France deploys 45000 police to quell 'unacceptable' riots - CNA

"VERY YOUNG" RIOTERS

Macron urged parents to take responsibility for underage rioters, one-third of whom were "young or very young".

And he vowed to work with social networks to curb "copycat violence" spread via services such as TikTok and Snapchat.

France has been rocked by successive nights of protests since Nahel was shot at point-blank range during a traffic stop captured on video.

In her first media interview since the shooting, Nahel's mother, Mounia, told France 5 television: "I don't blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son."

She said the 38-year-old officer responsible, who was detained and charged with voluntary manslaughter on Thursday, "saw an Arab face, a little kid, and wanted to take his life".

The government is desperate to avoid a repeat of 2005's weeks-long urban riots, sparked by the death of two boys of African origin in a police chase, during which 6,000 people were arrested.

The UN rights office said Friday that the killing of the teen of North African descent was "a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement".

A foreign ministry statement dismissed that charge as "totally unfounded".

On Thursday, two major police unions said they were "at war" with rioters, who they likened to "vermin".

Prosecutors in Marseille opened an investigation into attempted murder after two police officers in civilian clothes were attacked by a gang of 20 people in the southern city overnight.

"BULLET IN THE HEAD"

The Paris region's bus and tram lines remained "severely disrupted" on Friday, the RATP transport operator said, after a dozen vehicles were torched overnight in a depot and some routes were blocked or damaged.

There was daylight looting Friday in the eastern city of Strasbourg, where rioters targeted an Apple Store and other shops.

Police used teargas in the southern city of Marseille on Friday evening after youths threw stones at police vehicles in the Vieux-Port district, which is popular with tourists.

A curfew was installed in at least three towns in the Paris region and several others elsewhere in the country.

Nahel was killed as he pulled away from police who had stopped him for a traffic infraction.

A video, authenticated by AFP, showed two police officers standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

A voice is heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head."

The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off. The officer has been charged with voluntary homicide and remanded in custody.

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2023-06-30 23:16:00Z
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Ice cream shaped like tiles at Thailand's famous Temple of Dawn captures imagination - CNA

Its creator hopes this process would encourage people to appreciate the aesthetic value of the Temple of Dawn more deeply.

“Everything on the ice cream can be found in the temple. So, visitors can do something like a treasure hunt and seek where exactly these patterns came from,” said Namtan.

Since May, tourists and locals have flocked to the temple’s coffee shop – Arun Cafe. This is the only venue where they can buy the ice cream, whose massive popularity means it is often sold out in one day.

“I really like it. It’s delicious,” said a tourist from Brazil, Carol Young.

“The design is really interesting. It looks like the tiles of the temple. I think it’s clever in the way they do it. The colour is great and the flavour is tasteful,” she added.

Her friend Clara Kim told CNA the design made her want to look more closely at the tiles. She was also happily surprised to find a hidden message on the stick after finishing the ice cream. It reads “You look amazing today.”.

“I really like it. I think it’s something that will attract more people to the temple – to try the ice cream,” she said.

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2023-06-30 22:01:18Z
CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90aGFpbGFuZC1pY2UtY3JlYW0tdGlsZXMtZmFtb3VzLWxhbmRtYXJrLXdhdC1hcnVuLXRlbXBsZS1kYXduLWJhbmdrb2stMzU5NzI2NtIBAA

Putin and Modi discuss Ukraine, armed mutiny in phone call - CNA

India has not condemned its old ally Russia over the invasion of Ukraine and have urged both sides to resolve their differences through diplomacy. Modi told Putin last year that "today's era is not an era of war".

"While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM (Modi) reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy," New Delhi said in a statement.

The boss of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, shocked the world by leading Saturday's armed revolt, only to abruptly call it off as his fighters approached Moscow.

India's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, also spoke to his counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday on the failed mutiny, an Indian security establishment source said.

India remains dependent on Moscow for its defense needs and has sharply increased its imports of cheap Russian oil, frustrating the West.

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2023-06-30 16:10:06Z
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Singapore ranked 6th most peaceful country in the world: Global Peace Index - CNA

Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. 

Other countries that made the top 10 include Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Japan and Switzerland. 

Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the report, the world has become less peaceful over the last decade.

In the past year, 84 countries recorded an improvement, while 79 countries recorded a deterioration in peacefulness.

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2023-06-30 08:43:03Z
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Policeman who killed French teen says 'sorry' to the family: Lawyer - CNA

NANTERRE, France: The policeman who killed a French teenager in a Paris suburb on Tuesday (Jun 27), sparking violent protests across the country, has apologised to the family while in custody, his lawyer said.

"The first words he pronounced were to say sorry and the last words he said were to say sorry to the family," Laurent-Franck Lienard told BFMTV late Thursday.

"He is devastated, he doesn't get up in the morning to kill people," Lienard said. "He didn't want to kill him."

France has been hit by protests after 17-year-old Nahel was shot point-blank in Nanterre during a traffic stop captured on video that has unleashed rage and reignited debate about police tactics.

Lienard said the policeman was "extremely shocked by the violence of this video".

The officer has been charged with voluntary homicide and remanded in custody.

Lienard said he would on Friday appeal his client being placed in custody.
 

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2023-06-29 23:40:00Z
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Vietnam's coffee sector braces for compliance challenges under new EU deforestation laws - CNA

"The regulation will directly affect stakeholders in the supply chains and impact the livelihoods of farmers, especially the smallholders, who make up the majority of Vietnam’s coffee production," said Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Le Minh Hoan.

"They will face many challenges, particularly in terms of location data, traceability, monitoring systems, and deforestation-free supply chain management," he told a news conference on Thursday (Jun 29) in Hanoi.

Industry players said that most of Vietnam’s coffee production does not flout the new EU rule, as a majority of its plantations were established decades ago.

“Deforestation is no longer a concern in Vietnam's coffee industry,” said Mr Nguyen Xuan Loi, chief executive officer of An Thai Group, a company that supplies instant coffee. 

“Vietnam's coffee plantations are grown on lands that are stable. It is extremely rare for coffee trees to be grown on deforested land,” he added. 

The main challenge, industry sources said, is the process of providing evidence that their goods are in compliance with the new law.

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2023-06-30 05:16:31Z
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Knee-length skirt not long enough? Penang security guard stops woman from entering govt building - AsiaOne

Is a knee-length skirt not suitable attire for entering a government office?

It is not, according to a security guard at Social Security Organisation (Socso) in Penang, Malaysia.

Lawyer Ajit Singh Jessy told New Straits Times that his female colleague, known as May, was stopped from entering the building on Wednesday (June 28) because of her knee-length skirt.

The security guard said that it was the office's rule that her skirt should reach her feet.

"After we persisted to know what was wrong with her skirt, he replied in Malay: 'This time is ok, don't do the same in future'."

The pair entered the premises and Ajit noted that no one raised an issue about his colleague's outfit or asked any questions.

"In fact, the staff were very helpful and polite," he said.

Following the incident, the lawyer posed a question, asking: "Since when have security guards been given the authority to enforce dress code? I always thought their job was to guard the building."

"Please put a stop to this harassment of the public at government departments," he added.

In response, Socso's state director, Mustafa Deraman told NST that they do not set a specific dress code for customers.

However, he explained that there is signage put up advising customers to dress appropriately. Singlets, mini pants or short skirts, for example, are not allowed in the building.

"Looking at the picture given, the customer's clothes was appropriate. Maybe the guard on duty was wrong about this, and I apologise for that," Deraman said.

ALSO READ: Oversized T-shirt and shorts: Malaysian woman fined for wearing 'indecent' attire

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.

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2023-06-30 03:25:00Z
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Police brace for more violent protests over French teen's killing - CNA

PARIS: French authorities on Thursday (Jun 29) braced for more violent protests in the coming nights over the fatal shooting of a teen by a policeman, as they scrambled to contain an escalating crisis, halting public transport and enforcing curfews.

According to an internal security note, the "coming nights" are expected "to be the theatre of urban violence" with "actions targeted at the forces of order and the symbols of the state", a police source said.

One Paris suburb, Clamart, has already declared an overnight curfew, between 9pm and 6am from Thursday until next Monday.

In a show of tensions, a memorial march for 17-year-old Nahel M ended with riot police firing tear gas as several cars were set alight in the Paris suburb where he was killed.

France has been hit by protests after Nahel was shot point-blank Tuesday during a traffic stop captured on video that has unleashed rage and reignited debate about police tactics.

"The whole world must see that when we march for Nahel, we march for all those who were not filmed," activist Assa Traore, whose brother died after being arrested in 2016, told the rally led by the teenager's mother.

The policeman accused of shooting Nahel in Nanterre was charged with voluntary homicide and remanded in custody, but it remained to be seen what impact that may have on the unrest.

Some 40,000 police have been mobilised to try to keep the peace on Thursday, more than four times Wednesday's numbers on the ground when dozens were arrested.

Cars and bins were torched Wednesday night in parts of the country, while some 150 people were arrested nationwide following clashes and unrest that left a tramway's carriages on fire in a Paris suburb.

Paris bus and tram services will be halted after 9pm Thursday, the region's president said.

President Emmanuel Macron has called for calm and said the protest violence was "unjustifiable".

The riots are deeply troubling for Macron who had been looking to move past a half-year of sometimes violent protests over his controversial pension reform.

"BULLET IN THE HEAD"

The teenager was killed as he pulled away from police who tried to stop him for traffic infractions.

A video, authenticated by AFP, showed two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

A voice is heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head."

The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

Clashes first erupted as the video emerged, contradicting police accounts that the teenager was driving at the officer.

On Wednesday night, anger spread to Toulouse, Dijon and Lyon, as well as several towns in the Paris region.

Overnight Wednesday to Thursday, masked demonstrators dressed in black launched fireworks at security forces near the scene of Nahel M's killing.

A thick column of smoke billowed above the area where a dozen cars and garbage cans were set ablaze and barriers blocked off roads.

Graffiti on the walls of one building called for "justice for Nahel" and said, "police kill".

In Paris, police fired flashballs to disperse protesters who responded by throwing bottles.

In the southern city of Toulouse, several cars were torched and police and firefighters pelted with projectiles.

At France's second-largest prison complex, Fresnes, protesters attacked security at the entrance with fireworks.

The town hall of Mons-en-Baroeul outside the northern city of Lille was set on fire when some 50 hooded people stormed the building, the mayor told AFP.

Authorities in Lille stepped up measures Thursday aimed at preventing fresh violence, including a ban on gatherings and deploying drones.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, speaking in a town north of Paris where the mayor's office had been set on fire, said "obviously all escalation has to be avoided".

"INGREDIENTS FOR AN EXPLOSION"

France is haunted by the prospect of a repeat of 2005 riots, sparked by the death of two boys of African origin in a police chase, during which 6,000 people were arrested.

"There are all the ingredients for another explosion potentially," one government adviser told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The head of the right-wing Republicans, Eric Ciotti, called for a state of emergency, which allows local authorities to create no-go areas, but a government source told AFP this option was not currently on the table.

There has been growing concern over police tactics, particularly against young men from non-white minorities.

Last year, 13 people were killed after refusing to stop for police traffic checks, with a law change in 2017 that gave officers greater powers to use their weapons now under scrutiny.

"What I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight," said Greens party leader Marine Tondelier.

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2023-06-29 21:20:38Z
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Taiwan rejects Chinese officials entry permits for tourism expo - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan has rejected applications by Chinese tourism officials to enter the island for an international travel fair next month, authorities said on Thursday (Jun 29), citing the current "cross-strait situation" with China.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory - to be seized one day, by force if necessary - and exchanges between the two sides had tapered off due to political tensions as well as pandemic-driven border closures.

Taiwan reopened its borders to most tourists in October, but those from China remain barred. The island also does not allow tour groups from its territory to enter China, though individual travellers are free to do so.

Organisers of the Taipei International Summer Travel Exposition had invited provincial tourism officials from China, but their applications were rejected "after taking into consideration the overall cross-strait situation", the National Immigration Agency said on Thursday.

"There are doubts over the necessity, urgency and irreplaceability of their participation, and therefore their applications are not approved," it said in a statement.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council - which handles cross-strait issues - said about 70 officials had their entry permits denied.

But "nearly 200 (tourism) operators and actors" from China were still attending the fair, said spokesman Jan Jyh-horng.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office had on Wednesday criticised Taipei for the travel restrictions on group tours from Taiwan to China.

"They should face up to the wishes and expectations of the majority of Taiwanese people and the tourism industry, and lift the unreasonable restrictions on group tours," said spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian.

She added that Taiwan should also "create conditions for cross-strait tourism industry exchanges".

But Jan on Thursday said there had been cases of Taiwanese people facing "all kinds of harassment, detention and unfriendly treatment" since Beijing reopened borders in January.

"Since the beginning of this year, there are people who have remained unaccounted for and have not been released or who were sent back on the same flights", he said, declining to elaborate on the number of cases.

He added that scholars and experts have increasingly voiced concern about travelling to China for seminars or meetings.

"We certainly hope that mainland China will improve their travel environment as soon as possible."

In April, Li Yanhe - a China-born publisher based in Taiwan whose printing house has released books critical of the Chinese Communist Party - was reported missing when he visited Shanghai.

Beijing later confirmed Li had been placed under investigation for "endangering national security".

Since 2016, Taiwan has experienced a sharp drop in tourism from China after President Tsai Ing-wen - who rejects China's claim over the island - took office.

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2023-06-29 13:59:38Z
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Passenger lost lower half of leg in travelator accident at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport - CNA

BANGKOK: A female passenger lost the lower half of her left leg while using a travelator at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on Thursday (Jun 29), according to local media.

The passenger was travelling from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand when the incident occurred in the domestic terminal, the airport said in a statement, adding she was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment. 

Don Mueang Airport director Karant Thanakuljeerapat was quoted by local media as saying CCTV footage showed that the passenger had fallen down on the travelator at about 8.30am local time. Her left leg then went into the moving machinery of the walkway.

Thailand's incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered related units to urgently conduct an investigation and provide assistance to the passenger.

Operation of the travelator has been temporarily suspended to allow engineers to conduct the investigation and safety checks, said the airport in a statement.

“Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation,” it added.

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2023-06-29 06:38:42Z
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'Presumed human remains' discovered in Titanic sub wreckage - CNA

WASHINGTON: Experts have recovered presumed human remains from what is left of the Titanic sub that imploded during a dive to the Titanic wreck, with the death of five people, the US Coast Guard said Wednesday (Jun 28).

"United States medical professionals will conduct a formal analysis of presumed human remains that have been carefully recovered," the agency said.

On board the Titan were British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush, CEO of the sub's operator OceanGate Expeditions.

They presumably died instantly when the Titan, about the size of an SUV car, imploded under the crushing pressure of the North Atlantic at a depth of more than two miles (3.2km).

Mangled debris recovered from the small submersible was offloaded earlier in the day in eastern Canada, bringing to an end a difficult search-and-recovery operation.

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2023-06-28 23:25:00Z
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Singapore makes breakthrough in global university rankings - Nikkei Asia

LONDON -- The National University of Singapore has moved up to No. 8 in the QS World University Rankings 2024, becoming the first Asian school to break into the top 10.

NUS moved up three spots and into a top 10 dominated by U.S. and U.K. universities. It placed No. 7 based on employment outcomes.

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2023-06-28 13:04:00Z
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Mbappe, France players slam police for fatal Paris shooting - ESPN - ESPN

• ESPN News Services

Jun 28, 2023, 07:52 PM

Kylian Mbappe has spoken out after a teenager was killed during a police check in Paris. Photo by Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images

Kylian Mbappe and other prominent France internationals have expressed their indignation after the death of a 17-year-old delivery driver who was shot and killed during a police check in a Paris suburb.

The killing of the teenager, identified as Naël M., prompted nationwide concern and widespread messages of indignation and condolences, and French president Emmanuel Macron called the young man's death "inexplicable and inexcusable."

It also triggered unrest in multiple towns around Paris. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said 31 people were arrested, 25 police officers injured and 40 cars burned in overnight unrest.

"I hurt for my France," Mbappe, who grew up in the Paris suburb of Bondy, wrote Wednesday in a Twitter message accompanied by broken heart emoticons.

"Unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the family and loved ones of Naël, this little angel gone much too soon."

J'ai mal à ma France. 💙🤍💔💔💔
Une situation inacceptable.
Tout mes pensées vont pour la famille et les proches de Naël, ce petit ange parti beaucoup trop tôt.

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 28, 2023

The tensions focused around the suburban area of Nanterre, where lawyers say the teenager was killed Tuesday during a traffic check. The police officer suspected of firing on him was detained and faces potential manslaughter charges, according to the Nanterre prosecutor's office.

The Nanterre neighborhood where Naël lived remained on edge Wednesday morning, with police on guard around the regional administration and burned car wreckage and overturned garbage bins still visible in some areas. Bouquets of orange and yellow roses were tied to the post where the car crashed after the shooting, on Nanterre's Nelson Mandela Square.

Naël's mother appealed online for a silent march on Thursday in her son's honour, near the scene of his death.

Mike Maignan, another French international player, tweeted about the sense of injustice he felt.

"A bullet in the head...It's always for the same people that being in the wrong leads to death," he wrote. Maignan's France teammate Jules Kounde criticised the media coverage of the teenager's death.

"As if this latest police blunder wasn't enough, the 24-hour news channels are taking advantage of it by making a big fuss," he wrote. "The 'journalists' ask 'questions' with the sole aim of distorting the truth, criminalizing the victim and finding extenuating circumstances where none exist.

"An age-old method for masking the real problem. Why don't we turn off the TV and find out what's going on?"

Un jeune homme de 17 ans abattu à bout portant par un policier pour un refus d'obtempérer lors d'un contrôle. Telle est la réalité de la situation et elle est dramatique.

Comme si cette nouvelle bavure policière ne suffisait pas les chaînes d'information en continu en font leurs...

— Jules Kounde (@jkeey4) June 27, 2023

Darmanin said 1,200 police were deployed overnight and 2,000 would be out in force Wednesday in the Paris region and around other big cities to "maintain order."

Videos purported to be of the incident were "extremely shocking," Darmanin said, pledging a full investigation. The images show two police officers leaning into the driver's side window of a yellow car before the vehicle pulls away as one officer fires into the window. The car is later seen crashed into a post nearby.

Deadly use of firearms is less common in France than in the United States. Tuesday's death unleashed anger in Nanterre and other towns, including around housing projects where many residents struggle with poverty and discrimination and feel police abuse is under-punished.

A lawyer for Naël's family, Yassine Bouzrou, told The Associated Press they want the police officer pursued for murder instead of manslaughter and want the investigation handed to a different region because they fear Nanterre investigators won't be impartial.

The lawyers rebutted a reported statement by the police that their lives were in danger because the driver had threatened to run them over.

The government will hold a security meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss next steps, Darmanin said.

The victim was wounded by a gunshot and died at the scene, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. A passenger in the car was briefly detained and released, and police are searching for another passenger, who fled.

Several people have died or sustained injuries at the hands of French police in recent years, prompting demands for more accountability. France also saw protests against racial profiling and other injustice in the wake of George Floyd's killing by police in Minnesota.

Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.

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2023-06-28 12:44:08Z
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Belarus leader says Putin wanted to 'wipe out' Wagner chief Prigozhin during mutiny attempt - CNA

"I suggested to Putin not to rush. 'Come on,' I said, 'Let's talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.' To which he told me: 'Listen, Sasha, it's useless. He doesn't even pick up the phone, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone'."

Putin used the same Russian verb in 1999 about Chechen militants, vowing to "wipe them out in the shithouse", remarks that became a widely quoted emblem of his severe persona.

There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin on Lukashenko's remarks, which give a rare insight into the conversations inside the Kremlin as Russia, according to Putin's own account, teetered towards turmoil not seen for decades.

Lukashenko, both an old acquaintance of Prigozhin and close ally of Putin, said that he had advised the Russian president to think "beyond our own noses" and that Prigozhin's elimination could lead to a widespread revolt by his fighters.

The Belarusian leader also said that his own army could benefit from the experience of Wagner troops who, according to a deal struck with the Kremlin, are now free to move to Belarus.

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2023-06-28 09:19:00Z
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Taiwan detects two Russian warships off its coast - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan sighted two Russian frigates sailing off its eastern coast on Tuesday (Jun 28) and deployed surveillance ships and aircraft to monitor their movements, the island's Ministry of National Defence said. 

The Russian warships were "detected sailing from south to north in the waters off our eastern coast" as of 11pm local time, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Taiwan's military monitored their movements and "dispatched aircraft, ships and (activated) shore-based missile systems to keep watch", it added.

The ministry did not say how far the warships were from Taiwan's coast.

Self-ruled Taiwan reports a near-daily presence of Chinese vessels near its waters. China claims the island as its territory and has vowed to take it one day, by force if necessary.

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2023-06-28 02:50:46Z
CBMiWmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS90YWl3YW4tZGV0ZWN0cy10d28tcnVzc2lhbi13YXJzaGlwcy1pdHMtY29hc3QtMzU5MTYzNtIBAA

Commentary: Thailand's military machinations will define post-election political manoeuvring - CNA

Prawit-loyalist Assistant Army Chief General Suksan Nongbualuang has a chance to beat out Jaroenchai as Army Commander, after which Pana would succeed him. Should Pita or Srettha become prime minister, they would likely prefer the weaker General Ukrit Boontanonda to be army chief.

But a military selection board, dominated by arch-royalist service chiefs, votes on promotions above the level of general and it is doubtful that Ukrit would get the nod. Moreover, though Pita or Srettha could try to cancel Prayut’s reshuffle, Jaroenchai, as Deputy Army Commander, would simply become the acting chief and only he or Suksan could pass the board. 

The leadership of Thailand’s army-dominant military will not be obedient to progressive civilian leaders and look set to oppose any reformist measures by Move Forward or Pheu Thai.

Thailand’s progressive 2023 election winners are confronted by a gauntlet of obstacles. Move Forward and Pheu Thai face cases before the Election Commission and must pass the junta-appointed Senate. 

An alternative coalition comprising only conservative parties or Pheu Thai with conservative parties could easily form, especially if the Election Commission disqualifies Move Forward MPs. 

If a progressive prime minister takes office, Thailand will likely look forward to growing pandemonium. Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Prayut will use the reshuffle to ensure that the military leadership remains firmly independent of elected civilian control for years to come.

Dr Paul Chambers is Lecturer at the Centre of ASEAN Community Studies, Naresuan University, Thailand. This commentary first appeared on East Asia Forum.

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2023-06-27 22:11:08Z
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Vladimir Putin thanks Russian army for stopping 'civil war' - CNA

PILOTS KILLED BY MUTINEERS

Putin told those assembled on the Kremlin's Cathedral Square on Tuesday that an unspecified number of Russian military pilots had been killed when trying to stop the advance of the mutineers - who wanted to oust the top military brass over what they said was their incompetence and corruption - on Moscow.

"In the confrontation with the insurgents our comrades-in-arms, the aviators died," said Putin.

"They did not falter and carried out their orders and their military duty with honour."

Putin then asked for a minute's silence to honour the dead pilots.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, whose removal Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had demanded, was present on the square.

Putin said that Russia's military-security apparatus had ensured that key command centres and strategic defence facilities had kept functioning and had been protected during the mutiny and that the security of border regions was guaranteed.

There has been no need, he said, to withdraw combat units from what he called the zone when Moscow is carrying out its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

The mutineers and the people he said had been "dragged into the rebellion" had seen that the army and the people were not on their side, said Putin.

"The rapid and accurate deployment of law enforcement units made it possible to halt the extremely dangerous development of the situation in the country and to prevent casualties among the civilian population," he said.

After he had finished speaking the Russian national anthem, which shares the same music as the Soviet one, was played.

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2023-06-27 11:57:00Z
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Russia preparing to take over Wagner's heavy weapons - CNA

Putin on Monday accused Ukraine and its Western allies of wanting Russians to "kill each other" during the revolt, which stunned the country.

In his first address to the nation since the rebels pulled back, Putin said he had issued orders to avoid bloodshed and granted amnesty to the Wagner fighters.

Prigozhin had earlier defended his aborted mutiny as a bid to save his mercenary outfit and expose the failures of Russia's military leadership - but not to challenge the Kremlin.

The rogue warlord's first audio message since calling off his troops' advance on Moscow was released as Russian officials attempted to present the public with a return to business as usual, with authorities in the capital standing down their enhanced security regime.

Prigozhin, who did not reveal from where he was speaking, said in an online audio message that his revolt was intended to prevent his Wagner force from being dismantled, and bragged that the ease with which it had advanced on Moscow exposes "serious security problems".

"We went to demonstrate our protest and not to overthrow power in the country," Prigozhin said, boasting that his men had "blocked all military infrastructure" including air bases on their route before they stopped 200km from Moscow.

Prighozin called off the advance and pulled out of a military base his men had seized in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, a nerve centre of the war in Ukraine, late on Saturday after mediation efforts from Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko.

Saturday's extraordinary sequence of events has been seen internationally as Russia's most serious security crisis in decades. Wagner shot down six Russian helicopters and a command and control plane during their advance, according to Russian military bloggers.

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2023-06-27 10:04:00Z
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Hong Kong high-rise aims to become 'village' of the dead - CNA

Kirchhoff said his design was inspired by traditional Chinese graveyards, which are often perched on mountainsides. His columbarium carried over those undulating lines, greenery and textures of hewn rock.

Ashes are stored in ornate compartments, some as small as 26cm by 34cm, that line the walls of air-conditioned chambers.

Kirchhoff said he designed rooms on each floor to provide intimacy, in contrast to the cramped confines of public columbariums, which he said feel like being in a "warehouse".

"How do we maintain quality of life and dignity for the people in this high density?" he asked.

"Is it just a shoebox or is there something else?"

URN SPACE SHORTAGE

Much like apartments in Hong Kong, rent for the units is not cheap, putting them beyond the reach of most people.

A basic two-person option at Shan Sum is sold for US$58,000 while the top-tier package, meant for a whole family, costs nearly US$3 million.

The median monthly household income in Hong Kong is currently around US$3,800, according to government data.

Places like Shan Sum were created in response to Hong Kong's shortage of urn spaces a decade ago.

At the time, cremated remains were often stored in drawers at funeral parlours for years while waiting for spots to open up, or were housed in unlicensed columbariums in temples or refurbished factory buildings.

Historian Chau Chi-fung, who wrote a book on Hong Kong's funeral practices, said the seeds of the crisis were sown decades prior by the British colonial administration, before the city was handed over to China in 1997.

"Laws at the time were strict about how to treat dead bodies, but once they were turned to ash, the government did not have a comprehensive policy for them," he told AFP.

The ethnic Chinese population in Hong Kong historically preferred burials, but the government popularised cremation in the 1960s - a shift seen in dense urban centres across Asia.

Now around 95 per cent of Hong Kong's dead are cremated each year, which Chau attributed to changing social mores.

The government estimates that deaths will increase by 14 per cent to 61,100 per year by 2031.

Officials say that the city is prepared for the uptick, with about 25 per cent vacancy among the current 425,000 public columbarium spots and more public and private supply in the pipeline.

"The situation has improved compared to a few years ago... The problem has been eased, but not solved," Chau said.

"OCEAN VIEW"

Wing Wong, 43, last year laid her father to rest at Tsang Tsui Columbarium, a sprawling 4,800sq m complex in Hong Kong's northwestern corner that began service in 2021.

She said her experience was a far cry from the horror stories seen in headlines years ago.

"Losing a loved one was painful enough. It would be a torment for family members if they couldn't find a place for the ashes, with no idea how long they needed to wait," she said.

Wong said her family chose the government-run location for its good feng shui, adding that its affordable pricing meant they had no incentive to consider private options.

"My father once said he wanted an ocean view... His (niche) was angled towards the sea, and we felt it was what he would have wanted."

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2023-06-27 02:51:00Z
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Russia's Putin says he let mutiny continue to avoid bloodshed - CNA

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a defiant televised address on Monday evening (Jun 26), saying he had deliberately let Saturday's 24-hour mutiny by the Wagner militia go on as long as it did to avoid bloodshed, and that it had reinforced national unity.

The statement, his first on the issue since he spoke on Saturday promising to crush the mutiny, appeared intended to draw a line under an event that numerous Western leaders saw as exposing Putin's vulnerability since invading Ukraine 16 months ago.

Wagner's fighters, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, succeeded in taking control of the city of Rostov-on-Don with its military command centre steering the Ukraine campaign, and driving an armed convoy across Russia to within 200km of Moscow.

"From the very beginning of the events, steps were taken on my direct instruction to avoid serious bloodshed," Putin said.

"Time was needed, among other things, to give those who had made a mistake a chance to come to their senses, to realise that their actions were firmly rejected by society, and that the adventure in which they had been involved had tragic and destructive consequences for Russia and for our state."

Putin made no mention of Prigozhin, who had demanded that Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, come to Rostov to speak to him. Prigozhin called for both of them to be dismissed.

Nor did Putin mention any planned personnel changes at the Defence Ministry, although at around 11pm Moscow time he was shown on television addressing a meeting of heads of his security departments, including Shoigu.

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2023-06-26 21:24:00Z
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Russia defence minister shown visiting troops in first appearance since Wagner mutiny - CNA

MOSCOW: Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was shown speaking to troops in a video released by his ministry on Monday (Jun 26), his first known appearance in public since a mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group.

There was no sound on the video and it was not immediately clear where or when the visit had taken place.

Shoigu was shown flying in a plane with a colleague and hearing reports at a command post run by Russia's Zapad (West) military grouping.

The Defence Ministry TV channel, Zvezda, said Shoigu, who looked physically unharmed and calm, had listened to a report by Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov, the group's commander, about the current situation on the front lines in Ukraine.

In his mutiny during which he seized control of Russia's military headquarters in southern Russia, renegade Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had demanded that Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, be handed over to him so that he could "restore justice".

Prigozhin accused both men of gross incompetence and corruption and had long been agitating for their removal.

Gerasimov has not been seen since in public, and there was no word from the Kremlin about any new personnel changes when it described the deal that had ended the mutiny.

The Kremlin said the question of personnel changes was the sole prerogative of President Vladimir Putin and could hardly have been part of any deal.

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2023-06-26 10:04:00Z
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Is Putin's power eroding? What's next for Russia's president after the Wagner rebellion - CNA

The Wagner mercenary group's mutiny marked the biggest challenge yet to Russian President Vladimir Putin's long rule and the country's most serious security crisis since he came to power in 1999.

The aborted weekend revolt led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin - who declared a sudden pull-back after marching towards Moscow - damaged Putin's image, boosted morale among Ukrainian troops and generated confusion.

But has it weakened Putin’s grip on power? And how might it affect the course of the war in Ukraine?

Here is what analysts have to say.

What does the revolt say about Putin's position?

In a fiery speech on Saturday, Putin vowed to punish the mutiny's perpetrators, accusing them of treason and for pushing Russia to the brink of civil war.

Just hours later, however, he had accepted a deal brokered by Minsk granting an amnesty for the Wagner chief and his men, and exile to Belarus for Prigozhin himself.

This response could have harmed Putin's standing, said William Alberque, the director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

"This episode weakens the credibility of Putin, who appeared to be in panic on television on Saturday," he said.

"Everyone in Moscow is wondering: 'If it was a five-minute insurrection, why did the president talk about civil war?'"

Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at IISS and a former British ambassador to Belarus, said that the incident "has sowed really profound anxiety across Russia's elites".

"It's one more example, after the launching of the invasion against Ukraine itself and the disastrous conduct of the war, one more example of Putin just being out of time and having consistently poor judgment and making mistakes, and the history of other times and places shows that an apparently very, very strong personalistic leader of the Putin type can, with great suddenness, lose authority and power if a critical mass of elites ceased to have confidence in his ability to keep the ship of state going and to protect their interests," he said.

"So the immediate crisis may be averted, but the longer-term consequences will ripple out and are changing Russia's political landscape, I would say."

"The most important thing is that the failures of Russia's war in Ukraine are reverberating increasingly within Russia itself and beginning to create instability and uncertainty and division at home," Gould-Davies added.

Speaking to CNA on Sunday, senior adviser on Russia and Europe at the United States Institute of Peace Donald N Jensen said that the future looked bleak for Putin.

"We are not yet seeing the whole drama play out. This is just some deal that we don't even hear the details about. I think in the coming weeks and months, it's going to play out with more specificity," said Jensen, who also served as a diplomat at the US embassy in Moscow.

"The big loser is Putin. I think we now have to talk about the end, perhaps, of his political career in the coming weeks and months. This has not been a good episode for the Russian president."

Pointing to the scenes on the streets of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday, Jensen also spoke about a lack of unity in Russia.

"A lot of people were taking selfie pictures, a lot of people were friendly towards the Prigozhin-Wagner troops – this is not a good sign," said Jensen.

"Putin - at a time when the country is under great stress - needs a unified home front. And clearly, the home front in Russia is not unified anymore."

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2023-06-26 07:11:37Z
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North Korea holds rallies denouncing US, warns of nuclear war - CNA

SEOUL: North Korea held mass rallies in Pyongyang where people shouted slogans vowing a "war of revenge" to destroy the United States, as it marked the 73rd anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, state media reported on Monday (Jun 26).

About 120,000 working people and students took part in the rallies held across the capital on Sunday, state news agency KCNA reported.

Photos released by state media showed a stadium crowded with people holding placards reading "The whole US mainland is within our shooting range" and "The imperialist US is the destroyer of peace".

Sunday's anniversary came amid concerns Pyongyang could soon conduct another launch of its first military spy satellite to boost monitoring of US military activities after its first attempt ended in failure on May 31.

North Korea now had "the strongest absolute weapon to punish the US imperialists" and the "avengers on this land are burning with the indomitable will to revenge the enemy," KCNA said.

Nuclear-armed North Korea has been testing various weapons including its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile, ramping up tension with the South and the South's main ally, the United States.

In a separate foreign ministry report, North Korea said the US was "making desperate efforts to ignite a nuclear war," accusing Washington of sending strategic assets to the region.

North and South Korea remain technically at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty.

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2023-06-26 00:54:36Z
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Russia crisis reveals 'real cracks' in Putin's authority: Blinken - CNA

While 16 months ago Russian forces were on Kyiv's doorstep, "now, over this weekend, they've had to defend Moscow, Russia's capital, against mercenaries of Putin's own making", Blinken told ABC News show This Week.

He said the Prigozhin drama has shown just how deep of a "failure" the invasion of Ukraine has been for Russia, and how much Putin, whose grip on power had appeared absolute in recent years, is "being challenged from within".

"Prigozhin ... has raised profound questions about the very premises of Russia's aggression against Ukraine in the first place, saying that Ukraine or NATO did not pose a threat to Russia, which is part of Putin's narrative."

Putin on Saturday accused Prigozhin of treason and vowed tough punishment, but then accepted an amnesty deal in which the Wagner chief would avoid prosecution and leave for neighbouring Belarus.

Blinken said that Moscow being "distracted" over the revolt may "help the Ukrainians on the battlefield" in the midst of Kyiv's counteroffensive against Russian forces.

But "we can't speculate" on how the Wagner crisis will play out in Russia, he said.

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2023-06-25 14:55:00Z
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Singaporeans advised to defer all non-essential travel to Russia: MFA - CNA

“In past months, there have been incidents of shellings in Belgorod, drone attacks in Moscow, and a bombing in St Petersburg,” MFA said, adding that Singaporeans in Russia should avoid inter-state travel for the time being.

Given the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, MFA said it continues to advise Singaporeans to defer all travel to Ukraine.

The Singapore embassy in Moscow on Saturday had also advised Singaporeans in Russia to remain indoors amid an "unstable" security situation.

"In light of these developments, the Singapore Embassy advises all Singaporeans in Russia to remain indoors until the situation is clearer," said the Singapore embassy in Moscow.

"We also reiterate our earlier travel advisory of 25 October 2022 for Singaporeans to defer all travel to Russia’s Krasnodar Territory and regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov," it added.

MFA said Singaporeans are strongly advised to remain vigilant and monitor local news closely.

They should take necessary precautions for their personal safety and immediately eRegister with MFA if they have not done so.

Singaporeans in Russia who require consular assistance should contact the Singapore embassy in Moscow at +7 499 241 37 02 during office hours or via its 24-hour emergency hotline at +7 906 009 00 69.

MFA's 24-hour duty office can be contacted at +65 6379 8800/6379 8855.

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2023-06-25 14:28:51Z
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China's university exams: Self-made millionaire fails to make the cut for 27th time - CNA

BEIJING: After failing to achieve a high enough score on China's dreaded college entry exam for the 27th time, 56-year-old Liang Shi is beginning to wonder if he will ever make it to his dream university.

Liang, a self-made millionaire, has taken the gruelling "gaokao" exam dozens of times over the past four decades, hoping to earn a place at top-tier Sichuan University and fulfil his ambition of becoming "an intellectual".

By most measures, Liang has had a successful life - he worked his way up from a menial job on a factory floor to establishing his own construction materials business, making millions of yuan in the process, but his university dreams have so far eluded him.

In his quest for a prestigious higher education, he has put in 12-hour study days, abstained from drinking and playing mahjong, and endured the media mocking him as the "gaokao holdout", as well as online suspicion that it is all a publicity stunt.

But despite months of living like "an ascetic monk", this year Liang was 34 points short of the provincial baseline for getting into any university.

"Before I got the result, I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to get a high enough score to enter an elite university," he told AFP.

"But I didn't expect to not make it into the ordinary ones."

Shortly before 10pm (10pm, Singapore time) on Friday - along with hundreds of thousands of high-school students across southwestern Sichuan province - the grey-haired businessman carefully typed in his exam identification information and nervously waited to find out how he'd done.

Several local media reporters live streaming the scene were also avidly checking for updates - and from their disappointed expressions, Liang knew before he even saw the screen himself that the result was not ideal.

"It's all done for again this year," he said to himself. "It's very regrettable."

In the past, Liang's repeated misses failed to deter him.

Every time he fell short, he vowed to try again the next year.

Now, for the first time in decades, he is wondering if his hard work will ever lead to anything.

"If I truly can't see much hope for improvement, there is no point doing it again. I really did work very hard every day," he said tiredly.

"It's hard to say whether I will keep on preparing for the gaokao next year," he admitted.

But a life without gaokao preparation is almost unthinkable to him.

"It's a hard decision to make. I am not willing to give up either," he mused.

"(If I were to) stop taking the gaokao, every cup of tea I drank for the rest of my life would taste of regret."

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2023-06-25 12:33:00Z
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North Korea expresses support for Moscow over mutiny - CNA

It is the latest message of support from Pyongyang to Moscow since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which it has described as a US "proxy war" to destroy Russia.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia has long held the line against increasing pressure on North Korea, which is under wide-ranging UN and Western sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine threatens the "stability of the Russian state".

"There will be implications for the Russia-China-North Korea bloc, and officials in Beijing and Pyongyang are no doubt taking notes to avoid repeating Moscow's mistakes," he added.

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2023-06-25 10:58:50Z
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Russian mercenary leader's exile ends revolt but leaves questions about Putin's power - CNA

Moscow had braced for the arrival of the Wagner forces by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on the city’s southern edge. About 3,000 Chechen soldiers were pulled from fighting in Ukraine and rushed there early Saturday, state television in Chechnya reported. Russian troops armed with machine guns put up checkpoints on Moscow's southern outskirts. Crews dug up sections of highways to slow the march.

Wagner troops advanced to just 200km from Moscow, according to Prigozhin. But after the deal was struck, Prigozhin announced that he had decided to retreat to avoid “shedding Russian blood”.

Prigozhin had demanded the ouster of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, whom Prigohzhin has long criticised in withering terms for his conduct of the 16-month-long war in Ukraine. On Friday, he accused forces under Shoigu's command of attacking Wagner camps and killing “a huge number of our comrades”.

If Putin were to agree to Shoigu’s ouster, it could be politically damaging for the president after he branded Prigozhin a backstabbing traitor.

The US had intelligence that Prigozhin had been building up his forces near the border with Russia for some time. That conflicts with Prigozhin’s claim that his rebellion was a response to an attack on his camps in Ukraine on Friday by the Russian military.

In announcing the rebellion, Prigozhin accused Russian forces of attacking the Wagner camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery. He alleged that General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, ordered the attacks following a meeting with Shoigu in which they decided to destroy the military contractor.

The Defence Ministry denied attacking the camps.

Congressional leaders were briefed on the Wagner buildup earlier last week, a person familiar with the matter said. The person was not authorised to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The US intelligence briefing was first reported by CNN.

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2023-06-25 05:29:29Z
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Couple sever ties with son who borrows from loan sharks 2 days after they clear his $10000 debt - AsiaOne

Enough is enough.

After helping to clear her son's $10,000 debt, a mother was horrified to learn that her son, surnamed Xiao, soon borrowed from five different groups of loansharks, who began harassing her and her husband as well as other relatives.

Both her and her husband have since declared their intention to sever ties with Xiao, indicating that they no longer have the ability to help him, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Speaking to reporters from the Chinese evening daily, Huang, 57, who was born in Malaysia, shared how Xiao is her son from a previous marriage, along with two other daughters. Her ex-husband died 22 years ago.

She later met and married her current husband, surnamed Su, 68, and moved to Singapore.

Huang indicated that Xiao was born and raised in Malaysia, but had previously worked illegally in New Zealand for several years. However, he became unemployed during the pandemic.

Xiao unexpectedly arrived in Singapore in June 2022, living alone while working at a recreation club as a server.

However, Huang found out that he had borrowed money from loan sharks in March this year, owing $11,000. Huang and her husband decided to cough up the sum to help Xiao.

[[nid:628063]]

"We helped him pay off about $10,000 on April 17, but who knew that two days later he would go on to borrow $1,000 each from five other groups of moneylenders," said Huang.

The couple shared that they took over Xiao's bank account after paying his debt, indicating that he had to go through them for any expenses required. It was an arrangement he agreed to, said Huang.

However, Xiao then lied to the bank that he lost his ATM card and requested for a new card. Thereafter, he withdrew the remaining thousands of dollars in his account.

Huang shared that both she and Su have no source of income and are no longer able to help Xiao, who has since become uncontactable.

The last time that she was in touch with Xiao was on June 13, said Huang. She added that in the past, he would always contact her to borrow money, without ever paying her back.

"He has disappeared for several days now and deleted all his social media accounts. He's already 33 years old and still has so many issues," Huang chided.

Huang stated that Xiao had denied having a gambling addiction, but never once gave them a reason for borrowing money.

"Whenever we asked him he would keep quiet. When we asked if it is because of gambling, he said no," the couple shared.

[[nid:634013]]

Sister, cousins and colleagues harassed

Not only have the couple been affected by Xiao's actions, Huang indicated that even his cousins in Malaysia and China, as well as his sister living in the UK have received threatening text messages from loan sharks.

Huang's son-in-law also claimed to have seen a post online with Xiao's face, indicating that he was a debtor.

Huang added that Xiao's colleagues have also been the receiving end of harassment by loan sharks. The manager of the restaurant he works at has also informed the couple that if her son continues to be uncontactable, his work permit will be revoked.

Huang described her son as a "frequent customer" of illegal moneylenders since the age of 18, sharing that he had borrowed from them at the time when he came to Singapore for work.

"He was renting a flat in Bedok with several others and the loan sharks went over and locked their gate. The other residents could not leave the flat and called me. That's when I found out he had borrowed from loan sharks," said Huang.

Su shared that he'd received incessant harassment calls from the loan sharks at the time and vaguely recalled helping Xiao pay off the debt of at least $1,200.

[[nid:629421]]

candicecai@asiaone.com

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2023-06-25 05:29:00Z
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Wagner chief to leave Russia for Belarus in deal to ease crisis - CNA

The measures came after Prigozhin announced his troops had taken control of the military command centre and airbase in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the nerve centre of Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

"A BLOW TO RUSSIA"

Responding to the challenge in a televised address, Putin accused Prigozhin of a "stab in the back" that posed a threat to Russia's very survival.

"Any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood and to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia and to our people," Putin said, demanding national unity.

"Extravagant ambitions and personal interests led to treason," Putin said, referring to Prigozhin, who began building his power base as a catering contractor.

Another Putin ally, Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, declared that he had dispatched his own units to help quash the Wagner rebellion.

Armed Wagner fighters deployed around administrative buildings in Rostov and tanks were seen in the city centre.

As the insurrection force headed north through Voronezh and Lipetsk towards Moscow, the capital's mayor announced that "anti-terrorist" measures were being taken.

Critical facilities were "under reinforced protection", TASS reported, citing a law enforcement source.

While Prigozhin's outfit fought at the forefront of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, he repeatedly blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, for his fighters' deaths.

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2023-06-24 23:24:00Z
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Rebel Wagner mercenaries barrel towards Moscow after seizing Russian military sites - CNA

PRIGOZHIN'S REVOLT

Prigozhin, a former convict and long-time ally of Putin, leads a private army that includes thousands of former prisoners recruited from Russian jails.

His men took on the fiercest fighting of the 16-month Ukraine war, including the protracted battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut.

He railed for months against the regular army's top brass, accusing generals of incompetence and of withholding ammunition from his fighters. This month, he defied orders to sign a contract placing his troops under Defence Ministry command.

He launched the apparent mutiny on Friday after alleging that the military had killed many of his fighters in an air strike. The Defence Ministry denied it.

"There are 25,000 of us and we are going to figure out why chaos is happening in the country," he said, promising to destroy any checkpoints or air forces that got in Wagner's way. He later said his men had been involved in clashes with regular soldiers and had shot down a helicopter.

Anna Matveeva, senior visiting research fellow at King's College's Russia Institute, said Prigozhin was a popular figure whose men were well-equipped and trained, after doing the heavy lifting in Ukraine in recent months.

"They are a force to be reckoned with", said Matveeva, adding that Wagner's success or failure would depend on the allies it could find within Russia's security forces.

Army Lieutenant-General Vladimir Alekseyev issued a video appeal asking Prigozhin to reconsider.

"Only the president has the right to appoint the top leadership of the armed forces, and you are trying to encroach on his authority," he said.

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2023-06-24 14:55:00Z
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Putin vows to punish 'traitors' from Wagner mercenary group accused of mutiny - CNA

On Friday, he had appeared to cross a new line in the feud, saying that Putin's stated rationale for invading Ukraine 16 months ago was based on lies concocted by the army's top brass.

"The war was needed ... so that Shoigu could become a marshal ... so that he could get a second 'Hero' (of Russia) medal," Prigozhin said in a video clip.

"The war wasn't needed to demilitarise or denazify Ukraine," he said, referring to Putin's justifications for the war.

In one of many overnight frenzied audio messages, he had then made clear that he was moving against the army.

"Those who destroyed our lads, who destroyed the lives of many tens of thousands of Russian soldiers, will be punished. I ask that no one offer resistance," he said.

"There are 25,000 of us and we are going to figure out why chaos is happening in the country," he said, promising to destroy any checkpoints or air forces that got in Wagner's way. He later said his men had been involved in clashes with regular soldiers and had shot down a helicopter.

Prigozhin denied that he was trying to stage a military coup.

He said he had led his fighters out of Ukraine to Rostov, where a video posted by a pro-Wagner Telegram channel showed him, seemingly relaxed, conversing with two generals at the headquarters of Russia's huge Southern Military District.

The video showed him telling the generals: "We have arrived here, we want to receive the chief of the general staff and Shoigu. Unless they come, we'll be here, we'll blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow."

The state news agency TASS quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that all of Russia's main security services were reporting to Putin "round the clock".

Security was being tightened in Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his Telegram channel.

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2023-06-24 07:57:00Z
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'The audio gets to you': What it takes for Singapore police to investigate child porn cases - CNA

“There’s always a sense of helplessness because the victims are children,” ASP Chen recounted.

“Some of them are even infants, toddlers, and the experience affects you quite severely because some of these videos depict very, very, extremely violent sexual abuse on the child.”

Frustration comes into play when she unsuccessfully attempts to find out where the victim is, so he or she can be rescued.

She added: “It can be quite mentally overwhelming at times, but then again, despite all these emotions, what spurs me to process all this material is the fact that the offender is still out there.

"Offenders still continue hurting children, and it strengthens my resolve to want to find a breakthrough so that we can try to identify the child.”

HELPING ACCUSED PERSONS

HT Cares officer Joseph Chew, who is also a trained counsellor from Fei Yue Community Services, comes in after suspects are arrested - he advises them on how to seek help to avoid reoffending.

Even before alleged offenders are brought to trial, they are given the opportunity, if they want it, to identify underlying social issues such as a longing for intimacy or low self-esteem that contributed to what they are accused of doing.

Mr Chew is currently supporting three clients involved in child sexual abuse material cases.

“A lot of them (struggle with) addiction to material of sexual content or pornographic material. Some of them became reliant or dependent … so we will actually refer them to an agency that has support pertaining to the behaviour that they have,” he added.

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2023-06-24 08:09:05Z
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Wagner chief claims his forces downed Russian military helicopter, says fighters 'ready to die' - CNA

"PROVOCATION"

The Russian defence ministry denied Prigozhin's claims of an attack on his forces, saying the statements "do not correspond to reality", and calling them a "provocation".

It later said Ukrainian troops were taking advantage of the infighting to ready an assault near the east Ukraine hotspot of Bakhmut.

A prominent Russian general urged Prigozhin to call off efforts to remove the leadership of Moscow's defence ministry.

"I urge you to stop," Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russia's aerospace forces, said in a highly unusual video address.

"The enemy is just waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country. Before it is too late, it is necessary... to obey the will and order of the popularly elected President of the Russian Federation".

Anti-Kremlin figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky, however, urged Russians to support Prigozhin, saying it was acceptable to back "even the devil" in taking on the Kremlin.

Washington-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said the Wagner chief's attempt to force a leadership change in the defence ministry "is unlikely to succeed" given that Surovikin had denounced his call for rebellion.

Kyiv's defence ministry said it was monitoring the situation.

"We are watching," the Ukrainian defence ministry tweeted, while Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said rival Russian factions had begun to "eat each other over power and money".

Ukraine was also on high alert after new Russian missile strikes Saturday, with explosions reported in Kyiv and the eastern city of Kharkiv.

US President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation in Russia and Washington "will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments", National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said.

On Friday, Prigozhin said Moscow's forces were retreating in Ukraine's east and south following the start of Kyiv's counteroffensive early this month. That directly contradicted Putin's account that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses and that there was a lull in fighting.

"We are washing ourselves in blood," Prigozhin said.

"No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," he added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership.

QUESTIONING MILITARY OPERATION

After years of operating in the shadows, Prigozhin has now admitted to running the elusive mercenary group Wagner and even interfering in US elections.

His forces, bolstered by tens of thousands of prison recruits, played a central role in Russia's capture of the town of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk, the longest and bloodiest battle of the conflict.

However, this week he accused Moscow's top brass of deceiving Russians about the offensive in Ukraine.

"Why did the special military operation begin?" he said. "The war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of bastards."

Rarely has such a controversial figure shot to this degree of prominence on the Russian political stage under Putin.

Prigozhin rose from a modest background to become part of the inner circle around Putin.

He spent nine years in prison in the final period of the USSR after being convicted of fraud and theft. In the chaos of the 1990s, he began a moderately successful business selling hot dogs.

From there he fell into the restaurant business and opened a luxury location in Saint Petersburg whose customers included Putin, then making the transition from working in the KGB to local politics.

However, in recent months, Prigozhin has become embroiled in a bitter power struggle with the defence ministry.

He has accused the Russian military of attempting to "steal" victories in Ukraine from his forces, and slammed Moscow's "monstrous bureaucracy" for slowing military gains.

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2023-06-24 01:25:00Z
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OceanGate co-founder hits back at James Cameron over Titanic sub - CNA

LONDON: Titanic submersible pilot Stockton Rush was "extremely" serious about safety, his former business partner said on Friday (Jun 23) after mounting criticism following a deadly implosion.

Titanic movie director James Cameron has accused OceanGate Expeditions of ignoring safety warnings, after Rush and four other people were lost in a catastrophic implosion while descending to the North Atlantic shipwreck.

William Kohnen, chairman of the Manned Underwater Vehicles Committee, a voluntary industry body, said OceanGate was "not willing" to undergo a standard certification process for the Titan submersible.

But Guillermo Soehnlein, who started OceanGate with Rush in 2009 before leaving the company in 2013, denied his late friend was reckless.

"He was extremely committed to safety," Soehnlein told Britain's Times Radio, while stressing he was not involved in Titan's experimental design.

"He was also extremely diligent about managing risks, and was very keenly aware of the dangers of operating in a deep ocean environment," he said.

Soehnlein noted that Cameron himself had conducted many submersible descents, including more than 30 to the Titanic site, and to the Earth's deepest point in the Pacific Mariana Trench.

"I think he was asked about a similar risk and he said, 'look, if something happens at that depth, it will be catastrophic in a matter of microseconds'.

"To the point where the implosion happens at almost supersonic speeds and you'd basically be dead before your brain could even process that anything was wrong."

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2023-06-23 09:28:00Z
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