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Jumat, 31 Mei 2024

Biden: Criticism of Trump jury verdict is 'dangerous, irresponsible' - CNA

"Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself," Biden said. He noted that the case against Trump in New York was brought by the state, that it was not a federal case, and that the verdict was delivered by "a jury of 12 citizens, 12 Americans, 12 people like you".

The US justice system has endured for nearly 250 years, Biden said, and he criticised Trump and his supporters for attempting to tear it down with false allegations.

"It's reckless, it's dangerous, it's irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don't like the verdict," Biden said.

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2024-05-31 19:42:00Z
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F-35 fighter jets, drones among next-gen capabilities to feature in future Five Power Defence exercises - The Straits Times

(From left) New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins, Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and British director-general of security policy Paul Wyatt at the 12th FPDA Defence Ministers’ Meeting on May 31. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

SINGAPORE – F-35 fighter jets from Australia. P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from New Zealand. Elements of Britain’s Carrier Strike Group. Unmanned systems.

These are some of the next-generation capabilities that will be incorporated in future joint military drills under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which Singapore is a part of.

These ideas were discussed on May 31, as defence representatives of the FPDA countries – Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain – met for the 12th FPDA Defence Ministers’ Meeting (FDMM), where they agreed to include more high-end capabilities in exercises under the grouping.

The FDMM, which is the highest decision-making platform of the FPDA, is held every three years, with Singapore and Malaysia taking turns to host it. This time round, the meeting is held on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, which kicked off on May 31 as well.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia will be contributing F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Exercise Bersama Lima later this year.

The exercise is one of the regular drills aimed at building the ability for FPDA countries to operate well together, as well as improving the proficiency of their air, maritime and land forces.

Pointing out that this will make it the first time a fifth-generation aircraft will participate in Bersama Lima, Mr Marles said: “It’s an example of what we are trying to do in terms of increasing the complexity of these exercises and the higher nature of them.”

New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said a P-8 Poseidon will be deployed to Singapore for the first time as part of the drills. The P-8 aircraft is the premier US submarine hunter-tracker.

Singapore is close to important submarine channels in Indonesia linking the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.

FPDA first took form in 1971 to safeguard the external defence of Singapore and Malaysia, amid the withdrawal of British forces from Singapore.

It remains relevant 53 years on, as the FPDA countries see it as playing an important role as a “constructive and peaceful defence arrangement” in enhancing regional cooperation and strengthening military-to-military ties.

Moving forward, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who hosted the morning’s meeting, said the FPDA will venture into building capabilities in “non-conventional” fields as well.

This comes as parties discussed the need to build capabilities in areas such as counter-terrorism, maritime security, and humanitarian and disaster relief, Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin added.

The non-conventional needs are why future exercises intend to feature drones and unmanned aircraft, Dr Ng said.

When asked by The Straits Times if the counter-terrorism focus was triggered by any particular event, Mr Khaled said: “Whatever it is, we can see what is happening elsewhere, especially in the Middle East.”

He added: “We have a new phenomenon, in the sense that threats may not come from conventional sources. Although we may not be able to come up with the correct solution, it does not mean that we should not start somewhere.”

Chiming in, Dr Ng said “memories are short”, but it was less than a decade ago that operators from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia had based themselves in Syria and the Middle East and declared targets in the region.

“I want to put on record our thanks to the UK, Australia and New Zealand intelligence that helped us monitor those various elements and, in some instances, mitigated,” Dr Ng added.

“Without their help, it’s quite certain that we’ll have real physical disasters in our region... All of us are on the same page that the threat of terrorism remains real and present.”

Ms Collins told reporters she believes the FPDA remains an important feature in the Indo-Pacific region, adding that the geopolitical situation in the world is “not becoming less tense, but in fact more tense”.

Stressing Britain’s “continued firm commitment” to the FPDA, British director-general of security policy Paul Wyatt said FPDA exercises and activities “will provide a path for thinking about modern challenges and the integration of modern capabilities”.

Asked if China had expressed any concern about increased firepower exercises in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, Mr Marles answered on behalf of everyone and said: “Not to us.”

Mr Wyatt then provided some context, noting that FPDA exercises in the 90s had some 200 aircraft flying in much larger-scale exercises.

“We are going to continue to adapt, modernise and to introduce new capabilities, but this is a message of continuity, not a message of expansion,” he said.

Given that former US president Donald Trump was found guilty on all counts in the hush money trial, a reporter also asked if having a convict in the White House, if Trump is re-elected, would undermine US authority abroad.

Mr Marles said what happens at the US polls in November is “really a matter for the American people”.

Nevertheless, given the US’ “exemplary” contribution in maintaining the rules-based order so far, even as the order is put under increased pressure, he said: “I am confident that America will continue to play its role, no matter what happens at the end of this year.”

Dr Ng, meanwhile, voiced that the question asserts that Trump undermines America’s relationships with its partners, but that was not the case with Singapore.

Former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong had renewed a memorandum of understanding for the presence of US ships and planes in Singapore, and maintained the defence relationship under Trump’s presidency, he stated.

As part of the FDMM, Dr Ng, Mr Marles, Mr Khaled, Ms Collins and Mr Wyatt also called on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Istana in the afternoon.

Earlier at the Istana, China Minister of National Defence Dong Jun called on PM Wong as part of his introductory visit to Singapore.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (right) with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun at the Istana, on May 31. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

The Ministry of Defence said during the call, which was also attended by Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, PM Wong and Admiral Dong reaffirmed the longstanding and warm bilateral relationship between Singapore and China.

The ministry said it welcomed the regular interactions between the defence establishments, including high-level visits, military-to-military interactions, and academic exchanges.

PM Wong and Adm Dong also exchanged views on global and regional security developments and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and build mutual trust in the region, the ministry added.

Later in the afternoon, Dr Ng separately met Thailand Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang to discuss ways to deepen defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest, and a US congressional delegation, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul.

Mr Khaled, who took over as Malaysia’s defence minister in December 2023, also called on Dr Ng, and they discussed cooperation in platforms such as the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

Dr Ng, meanwhile, called on Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta at the Shangri-La Hotel to reaffirm friendly bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and Timor-Leste.

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2024-05-31 10:10:00Z
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Donald Trump's guilty verdict fires up some Republican donors - CNA

In a flurry of support on Thursday, mega donors including casino billionaire Miriam Adelson and hotelier Robert Bigelow lined up behind Trump, with their donations set to bolster a wave of pro-Trump ads, door-knocking and phone banking in battleground states.

The verdict has also spurred some longtime Trump donors to boost their financial support for him and, in at least one case, make a big donation to him for the first time.

Robert Bigelow, who is one of Trump's top supporters having already given over US$9 million to an outside group supporting him, said criminal proceedings against Trump were a "disgrace".

"I'm sending President Trump another US$5 million as I promised him," Bigelow told Reuters.

Don Tapia, a former Trump ambassador to Jamaica, said he and a small network of family and friends with whom he donates had planned to give around US$250,000 this election to support Trump.

After Thursday's conviction, Tapia told Reuters the group would aim to give over US$1 million to the pro-Trump spending group MAGA Inc in coming weeks.

"We're going to go all-in for him," said Tapia. He sent Reuters a photo of an American flag flying upside down outside his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, in protest of the verdict.

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2024-05-30 22:12:00Z
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US, Chinese defence chiefs meet for the first time at Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - The Straits Times

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (left) and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun began their meeting at 12.50pm at the Shangri-La Hotel. PHOTO: AFP

SINGAPORE - The US and China defence chiefs are meeting on the sidelines of a regional security forum in Singapore, the first in-person meeting at this level in 18 months.

It comes days after China sent warships and fighter jets near Taiwan, a source of geopolitical tension for the United States and China.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun – appointed to the role five months ago – began their meeting at 12.50pm at the Shangri-La Hotel, ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue that starts on Friday night.

Both men had previously spoken over the phone in April, during which they discussed contentious issues including the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

The May 31 meeting in Singapore is a realisation of an agreement by US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November 2023 to resume military communication, which was severed after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022.

Both countries have since emphasised the need for senior military-to-military communication to prevent unintended conflict.

But ties between the two major powers remain rocky, with the US banning the Chinese-owned TikTok and blaming China for dumping excess electric vehicles in other markets, China being seen as supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine, and the Taiwan Strait becoming a flashpoint between the two sides.

The self-governing Taiwan, an ally of the US, is claimed by China as its territory. Cross-strait tension, already high since 2016 when the island’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party came to power, heightened further after the May 20 inauguration of new President Lai Ching-te, seen by China as a “dangerous separatist”.

In the South China Sea, ships from the Philippines - a US treaty ally - and China have locked horns near disputed islands and reefs on multiple occasions over the past year.

The Chinese defence minister who attended last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, General Li Shangfu, had turned down Mr Austin’s invitation to meet then, as the US had not removed sanctions placed on him for his role in procuring equipment from Russia when he was head of the Equipment Development Department of the Chinese military.

Gen Li then disappeared from public view a few months after the June forum and was removed in October. Admiral Dong, who was formerly the Navy chief, replaced Gen Li as defence minister in December.

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2024-05-31 06:38:00Z
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Kamis, 30 Mei 2024

Donald Trump found guilty on all counts at hush money trial - CNA

BIDEN CAMPAIGN: NO ONE ABOVE THE LAW

Biden's campaign said the verdict showed that no one was above the law and urged voters to reject Trump in the election.

"There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box," the campaign said in a statement.

The White House declined to comment.

Trump's fellow Republicans quickly condemned the verdict.

"Today is a shameful day in American history," House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said in a prepared statement.

The jury notified the court they had reached a verdict at 4.20pm and read out all 34 guilty counts shortly after 5pm.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked Merchan to throw out the guilty verdict, arguing that it was based on the unreliable testimony of Cohen. Merchan denied his request.

Trump's near-certain appeal is likely to focus on porn star Daniels' salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter as well as the novel legal theory prosecutors used in the case, but he faces long odds, legal experts said.

Falsifying business documents is normally a misdemeanour in New York, but prosecutors in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office elevated it to a felony on grounds that Trump was concealing an illegal campaign contribution.

Trump had complained that he could not get a fair trial in his heavily Democratic hometown.

The case was widely regarded as the least consequential of the four criminal prosecutions Trump faces. Jurors heard testimony of sex and lies that have been public since 2018, although the charges themselves rested on ledger accounts and other records of Cohen's reimbursement.

It was known as the "zombie case" because Bragg brought it back to life after his predecessor opted not to bring charges.

This case was also likely to be the only one to go to trial before the election, as the others are delayed by procedural challenges.

If elected, Trump could shut down the two federal cases that accuse him of illegally trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and mishandling classified documents after leaving office in 2021. He would not have the power to stop a separate election-subversion case taking place in Georgia.

Trump has pleaded not guilty in all the cases and has portrayed his various legal troubles as an effort by Biden's Democratic allies to hurt him politically.

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2024-05-30 21:37:00Z
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Construction of Chinese-backed canal in Cambodia sparks fear in Vietnam - South China Morning Post

Cambodia will start work on a controversial US$1.7-billion canal linking the capital Phnom Penh to the sea in August, Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Thursday.

The Chinese-backed Funan Techo canal has sparked fears in neighbouring Vietnam that it could be used by Chinese warships, and reduce Cambodian dependence on Vietnamese ports.

Environmentalists are also concerned that the 180-kilometre (110-mile) canal will potentially reduce water flow to the Mekong, among the world’s most biodiverse rivers.

Cambodia received billions from China in infrastructure investments as one of Beijing’s closest regional allies under former leader Hun Sen.

Hun Manet, his son, said the Funan Techo canal would mostly be funded by Cambodians and that the government is in talks with a Chinese company for further investment.

“We will do it now, we can’t wait for anybody any longer,” Hun Manet said in a speech on Thursday.

Opposition figurehead Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile, has alleged that the project would serve the interest of China.

The waterway is part of Beijing’s huge Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure scheme across Asia, but Hun Manet insisted it will only serve Cambodia.

06:32

China’s Belt and Road, 10 years on

“[We] do it within the Cambodian territory for the Cambodian people and for the interest of Cambodia,” he said.

“We will have a groundbreaking ceremony this August.”

The canal – 100 metres (328 feet) wide and 5.4 metres (17.7 feet) deep – will connect Phnom Penh with Cambodian ports on the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia and China also wrapped up their largest annual military exercises on Thursday, involving several Chinese warships and hundreds of Chinese military personnel.

In December, two Chinese warships made a first visit to a Cambodian naval base that the United States says could be used to boost China’s influence in the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodian officials have repeatedly denied that the base, near the port city of Sihanoukville, is for use by any foreign power.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to visit Cambodia on Tuesday.

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2024-05-30 09:00:14Z
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14 Hong Kong democracy campaigners found guilty of subversion: Court - CNA

"SHOW SUPPORT"

Prosecutors said the 47 had conspired to subvert state power by holding unofficial primary polls, as part of their plan to form a majority in the legislature.

With control of the legislature, they would veto government budgets and force the city's leader to accede to five key demands raised by protesters in 2019, the court heard.

Defence lawyers argued Hong Kong's mini-constitution had laid out mechanisms for such a plan and that the matter was "a purely political issue rather than a legal matter".

Outside the court Thursday, Kathy, one of the 610,000 voters who cast their ballots in the unofficial primary election in 2020, said she believed the defendants "never committed any crime".

"For me, the primary election was simply an occasion to show my support for something I believe in," she said, declining to provide her full name.

University student Lam said the primary election was a strategy "common in many places around the world".

"I still can't figure out how it can subvert the state, so I want to see how the court would rule on that," he said.

Ahead of the hearing, well-known activist Alexandra Wong, also known as Grandma Wong, attempted to stage a protest before police moved her off across the street to a fenced-off area.

"Immediately release the 47!" she shouted, waving a British flag. "Support democracy, support the 47!"

The case has been closely watched by the international community, with diplomatic officers from the consulates of France, the European Union and Italy going to the court on Thursday.

The United States and other Western nations have criticised China for cracking down on democracy in Hong Kong and curtailing freedoms promised when the former British colony was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997.

In response to the 2021 arrests of the defendants, the United States had sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials.

Before Thursday, 114 people had been found guilty of crimes related to the national security law since it was introduced.

The case against the group of 47 was the biggest under the law.

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2024-05-30 04:02:00Z
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Malaysia helicopter crash: 1 helicopter was not flying at appropriate height, says Navy - The Straits Times

Emergency personnel work at the site where two helicopters collided in the western Malaysian state of Perak, on April 23. PHOTO: REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR - The failure of one helicopter to fly at a designated height and path has been identified as the main factor behind its collision with another naval helicopter in Lumut.

On April 23, 10 Navy personnel were killed by the crash in western Malaysia during a rehearsal.

Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob said the Investigation Board had not found any data that connected the incident to any human error on the part of the Eurocopter AS555SN Fennec helicopter crew, as there was no black box on the aircraft.

“The board has concluded that there was no human error involved, as the Fennec did not have a black box to summarise a connection to human error by the pilot.

“What we can conclude is Fennec was not at the set height and flight path,” he told a press conference at KD Sri Gombak on May 30.

The secondary factor is that the “channelised attention” of the Agusta-Westland AW-139 (AW 139) crew was focused on the change of flight path and this limited their reaction time to avoid collision, he said.

“This full report tallies with the preliminary report that had been issued previously. This report will be sent to the State Airworthiness Authority (SAA) for record purposes,” he said.

Admiral Abdul Rahman said following a comprehensive investigation, the Investigation Board discovered that there was no issue of hypoglycemia - also known as low blood sugar - or fatigue on the part of the aircrew and there was no use of banned substances. All crewmen were fit to fly.

“Their deaths were caused as a result of multiple injuries due to aviation crash,” he said

The AW139 helicopter did not experience any mechanical problem based on analysis of the black box.

“The same can be said for the Fennec based on visual and sound analysis.

“The maintenance of both aircraft were done according to procedures and routines set by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

“Samples of lubricant and fuel taken were inspected and it was confirmed to be normal by the Defence Science and Technology Institute (Stride),” he said.

The full report also stated that the weather on the day of incident was good and suitable for flight, he said.

“For the AW139, the black box was used to assist the investigation while for the Fennec, flight profile through air simulation using an actual helicopter was used.

“Cooperation from the OEM was sought to assist the investigation as well. Airbus Helicopter confirmed that there was no equipment that had non-volatile memory on the Fennec to assist investigations,” he said.

When asked on the statuses of both aircraft in their fleet, he said that the Navy will increase the readiness of available aircraft.

“We had three AW-139s and now only two helicopters remain, and will still be based at their set locations,”

“For the Fennec (helicopters) we have four from the six that are in operation as one also currently is damaged. We are in the midst of increasing readiness of available aircraft and are trying to get allocation for new helicopters either through direct purchasing or leasing,”

Admiral Abdul Rahman also emphasised that the welfare of the families affected were being prioritised.

“At the same time, service and benefit payments in the form of monthly pensions to eligible next of kin have begun.

“Other contributions from sympathetic parties via the collection we opened, which is the ‘Tabung Tragedi Lumut 24’ are still ongoing and god willing, it is well received.

“When we close the collection in October, the proceeds will be distributed to the families by then or November,” he said.

He added that the Navy had met families based in Kuala Lumpur on May 30 and will do the same the next day for those in Lumut to brief on the report’s findings.

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2024-05-30 04:55:00Z
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Rabu, 29 Mei 2024

Jury set to decide Trump's fate in historic criminal trial - The Straits Times

A conviction may cost former president Donald Trump votes among independent and some Republican voters. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW YORK – Twelve New York jurors began deliberating on May 29 on whether to convict Donald Trump in the first ever criminal trial of a former US president, with their decision potentially upending the November election, in which the Republican seeks a return to power.

It was far from certain how long they might take to reach a verdict in the case with Trump, 77, who is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star in the final weeks of the 2016 election.

Shortly before deliberations began, the judge overseeing the trial told jurors that they cannot rely solely on the testimony of star witness Michael Cohen, who played a central role in the hush money payment at the heart of the case.

Justice Juan Merchan told jurors to apply extra scrutiny to Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, because he testified he was directly involved in Trump’s alleged effort to cover up the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.

“Even if you find the testimony of Michael Cohen to be believable, you may not convict the defendant solely on that testimony unless you find it was corroborated by other evidence,” Justice Merchan said.

The judge’s comments were part of his detailed instructions to the 12 jurors and six alternates who have sat silently in a New York courtroom for weeks while prosecutors laid out their case and Trump’s lawyers tried to knock it down.

“You must set aside any personal opinions or bias you might have in favor of or against the defendant,” Justice Merchan said.

A guilty verdict could upend the 2024 presidential race, in which Trump is seeking again to win the White House.

After weeks of testimony from more than 20 witnesses, the piercing glare of the legal spotlight now shifts to the jury, whose identities have been kept secret for their own protection amid soaring political tensions across the United States.

After receiving final instructions from the judge, the jury will retire to consider a verdict that – whichever way it goes – will have an outsized impact on Trump, and the country as a whole.

No time limit is placed on their deliberations, but an acquittal or conviction would require unanimity. If just one juror refuses to join the others, the judge would have to declare a mistrial.

A conviction will not prevent Trump, the Republican candidate, from trying to take back the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov 5 election. Nor will it prevent him from taking office if he wins.

Opinion polls show the two men locked in a tight race. But Reuters/Ipsos polling has found that a guilty verdict could cost Trump support among independent and some Republican voters.

A verdict of not guilty would remove a major legal barrier, freeing Trump from the obligation to juggle court appearances and campaign stops.

If convicted, he would be expected to appeal.

Trump faces three other criminal prosecutions, but they are not expected to go to trial before the Nov 5 election.

Biden campaign officials say any verdict will not substantially change the dynamics of the election.

Trump did not speak as he entered the courtroom.

But he fired off a characteristically angry, all-caps message on his Truth Social app, complaining about a “KANGAROO COURT!” and a “CORRUPT AND CONFLICTED JUDGE”.

During the trial, jurors heard testimony from Ms Daniels, who described in lurid detail a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, and from Cohen, the former Trump fixer who paid US$130,000 (S$419,000) to buy her silence during Trump’s 2016 White House run.

Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office say that payment could have contributed to Trump’s victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton by keeping an unflattering story out of the public eye.

“We’ll never know if this effort to hoodwink the American voter impacted the election,” prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told jurors during his closing argument on May 28.

They say Trump paid Cohen back in monthly instalments disguised as legal fees. They have charged him with 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents, and face the burden of proving Trump’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt”, the standard under US law.

Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies ever having sex with Ms Daniels.

His lawyers say Cohen, a convicted felon, lied under oath when he said Trump knew about the Daniels payment before the election and helped craft the reimbursement scheme after his victory.

“He is literally the greatest liar of all time,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told jurors on May 28.

Justice Merchan imposed a gag order to prevent Trump from intimidating witnesses and jurors, and fined him US$10,000 for violating it. REUTERS, AFP

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2024-05-29 15:17:00Z
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Jury to decide Trump's fate in historic criminal trial - CNA

NEW YORK: Jurors were to begin deliberating on Wednesday (May 29) on whether to convict Donald Trump in the first criminal trial of a former United States president - with their decision potentially upending November's election, in which the Republican seeks a comeback.

After weeks of testimony from more than 20 witnesses, the piercing glare of the legal spotlight now shifts to the 12-strong New York jury, anonymous for their own protection amid soaring political tensions across the US.

After receiving final instructions from the judge, the jury will retire to consider a verdict that - whichever way it goes - will have an outsized impact on Trump, and the country as a whole.

"You must set aside any personal opinions you have in favor or against the defendant," said judge Juan Merchan ahead of their deliberations.

"As a juror, you are asked to make a very important decision about another member of the community."

No time limit is placed on their deliberations, but an acquittal or conviction would require unanimity. If just one juror refuses to join the others, the judge would have to declare a mistrial.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to reimburse a US$130,000 payment to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels, when her account of an alleged sexual encounter could have imperiled his 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors say the fraud was motivated by a plot to prevent voters from knowing about his behaviour.

If Trump is found guilty, the political repercussions would far outweigh the seriousness of the charges as, barely five months before the presidential election, the candidate would also become a convicted criminal.

Trump fired off a characteristically angry all-caps message on his Truth Social app, complaining about a "KANGAROO COURT!" and a "CORRUPT AND CONFLICTED JUDGE".

In a full day of closing arguments on Tuesday, his defense team insisted the evidence for a conviction simply did not exist, while the prosecution countered that it was voluminous and inescapable.

"The defendant's intent to defraud could not be any clearer," said prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, urging the jurors to use their "common sense" and return a guilty verdict.

If convicted, Trump faces up to four years in prison on each of 34 counts, but legal experts say that as a first-time offender he is unlikely to get jail time.

A conviction would not bar him from the November ballot and he would almost certainly appeal. In the case of a mistrial, prosecutors could seek a new trial.

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2024-05-29 15:14:55Z
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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Singapore to deliver keynote speech at Asia's top defence summit - CNA

SINGAPORE: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday (May 31), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement.

This would make him the first Philippine head of state to do so at Asia's top defence summit.

The Shangri-La Dialogue - which is in its 21st edition this year - brings together top defence officials from around the world to discuss critical security challenges.

Previous keynote speakers include then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Mr Marcos Jr, who is in the country from Wednesday to Saturday, will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, and a high-level Philippine delegation.

During his visit, Mr Marcos Jr will call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, said MFA.

He will also meet newly-minted Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong as well as Mr Lee, who is now Senior Minister.

Mr Marcos Jr previously visited Singapore in September 2022 at the invitation of former President Halimah Yacob. It was his first state visit to the country since taking office in June.

Singapore and the Philippines also signed several bilateral agreements during the visit to boost cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, the digital field and personal data protection.

Mr Marcos Jr visited Singapore again last September to speak at the 10th Asian Summit organised by the US-based Milken Institute. He also stayed on to watch the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix 2023.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

During a working visit to the Philippines in April, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo unveiled a logo to commemorate the milestone.

Dr Balakrishnan said then that Singapore and the Philippines are keen on strengthening collaboration in areas such as the green economy, smart and sustainable infrastructure, as well as innovation.

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2024-05-29 10:00:00Z
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Taiwan government to reject contested parliament reforms - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan's Cabinet will reject and send back for review legislation the opposition passed on Tuesday (May 28) on parliamentary reforms that have brought tens of thousands onto the streets to protest and accusations of Chinese interference.

The peaceful protests, and sometimes violent confrontations in parliament over the reforms, have been taking place against a backdrop of broader concern about efforts by China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, to influence the island's politics and split Taiwanese public opinion.

The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Lai Ching-te won the presidency in January elections, but the party lost its majority in parliament. Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), along with the small Taiwan People's Party, together have the most seats.

The parliament reforms give lawmakers the power to ask the military, private companies or individuals to disclose information deemed relevant by parliamentarians, who have the power to punish those who fail to cooperate.

They also criminalise contempt of parliament by government officials and require the president to give regular reports to parliament and answer lawmakers' questions, which would be a first for Taiwan.

In a statement late on Monday, the Cabinet said the legislation could breach the constitution and separation of power between the executive and legislative branches, and once it had received the documents it will send them back for parliament to reconsider.

The Cabinet said while that was likely to be vetoed by parliament, it was "duty bound" to do this.

The DPP, which says the reforms were forced through without proper consultation and their content either vague or an over-reach of power, said it would support its lawmakers to ask the constitutional court for an interpretation on whether the laws and the way the reforms were pushed through were constitutional.

The DPP, and many of the protesters, have repeatedly accused the KMT of being in league with Beijing in trying to ram through the legislation.

Several senior KMT leaders have visited China this year in what the party says is an effort to keep open lines of communication. China refuses to talk to Lai or his party, saying they are "separatists".

The KMT strongly denies being pro-Beijing and says the parliament reforms are meant to improve government accountability.

"The KMT dismisses the accusations of collusion with China as unfounded and politically driven," the party said in statement in the early hours of Wednesday.

China views Taiwan as its own territory. The government in Taipei rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

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2024-05-29 01:37:00Z
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Israel pounds Gaza as UN Security Council meets over deadly strike - CNA

Sunday evening's strike, which medics said also wounded hundreds of civilians, drew worldwide condemnation.

The sight of the charred carnage, blackened corpses and children being rushed to hospitals led UN chief Antonio Guterres to declare that "there is no safe place in Gaza. This horror must stop."

NO "BLIND EYE"

One million civilians have fled Rafah since Israel launched its assault on the city in early May, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Nearly eight months into the deadliest Gaza war, Israel has faced ever louder opposition, as well as cases before two Netherlands-based international courts.

The White House said on Tuesday it is not turning a "blind eye" to the plight of Palestinian civilians, but it has no plans to change its Israel policy following the deadly weekend strike in Rafah.

"As a result of this strike on Sunday I have no policy changes to speak to," Kirby told a White House briefing. "It just happened, the Israelis are going to investigate it."

Kirby said, "this is not something that we've turned a blind eye to" but added: "We have not seen them go in with large units, large numbers of troops, in columns and formations in some sort of coordinated manoeuvre against multiple targets on the ground."

The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas' Oct 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on the latest Israeli official figures.

Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,096 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the territory's health ministry.

DIRE HEALTH TOLL

On Tuesday, Gaza civil defence agency official Mohammad al-Mughayyir said 21 people were killed in an "occupation strike targeting the tents of displaced people" in west Rafah.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza gave the same toll and said 64 people were wounded, 10 seriously.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, said it had suspended aid deliveries into Gaza by the sea after its temporary pier was damaged by bad weather.

The World Health Organization said Israel's military offensive in Rafah was already taking a dire health toll in southern Gaza, and if it continues, "substantial" increases in deaths could be expected.

"There are currently 60 WHO trucks (in Egypt) waiting to get into Gaza," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Palestinian territories, adding that only three trucks with medical supplies had entered since May 7.

On the diplomatic front, Egypt has "intensified efforts to relaunch" negotiations for a "truce and a detainee exchange deal", the state-linked Al-Qahera News reported.

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2024-05-29 05:05:00Z
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Selasa, 28 Mei 2024

China sentences former asset manager to death for 'extremely large' bribes - CNA

SHANGHAI: A Chinese court on Tuesday (May 28) sentenced to death a former executive of one of the country's largest state-controlled asset management firms for accepting "extremely large" bribes, state media reported.

Bai Tianhui, the former general manager at a subsidiary of bad-debt manager Huarong Asset Management, was found guilty of receiving the equivalent of more than 1.1 billion yuan (US$151.9 million) while using his management positions to offer favourable treatment in "matters including project acquisition and corporate financing", state broadcaster CCTV said.

Huarong has been a major target of Chinese President Xi Jinping's years-long graft crackdown, with its former chairman Lai Xiaomin executed in January 2021 for receiving bribes worth US$260 million.

Supporters say the anti-corruption campaign promotes clean governance, but critics say it also provides Xi with the power to purge political rivals.

The court sentenced Bai to "death, deprivation of political rights for life, and confiscation of all personal property", CCTV said.

"The value of Bai Tianhui's bribery crime was extremely large, the circumstances of the crime were extremely serious, the social impact was extremely bad, and it caused extremely heavy damage to the interests of the country and the people," the court decided, according to the broadcaster.

China's top leaders declared at a Politburo meeting on Monday that discussed financial risks that "those who fail to perform their duties will be held to account, and be severely punished", state news agency Xinhua said.

Recent months have seen several figures from China's financial and banking sectors targeted by anti-graft authorities.

In April, Liu Liange, chairman of the Bank of China from 2019 to 2023, admitted to "accepting bribes and illegally providing loans".

That same month, former head of Chinese state-owned banking giant Everbright Group Li Xiaopeng came under investigation for "severe violations" of the law.

China classifies death penalty statistics as a state secret, though Amnesty and other rights groups believe thousands of people are executed in the country every year.

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2024-05-29 00:37:00Z
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Thousands protest as Taiwan's parliament passes contested reforms - CNA

The KMT has denounced the DPP for trying to "paint them red", the colour of China's Communist Party, and says the DPP is trying to stymie efforts to investigate corruption cases and sow unfounded fears about the reforms.

Outside parliament, protesters showed their anger at the reforms being passed, and also shouted "refuse Chinese political interference", among other slogans.

"This is the people's voice," said Zheng Hung-gun, 33, who works in the food industry. "Taiwanese are not afraid of enemies from outside but we are worried about our internal enemies."

On Friday night, tens of thousands thronged the roads around parliament protesting the reforms.

Several senior KMT leaders have visited China this year, in what the party says is an effort to keep lines of communication open. It denies being pro-Beijing.

China refuses to speak to Lai or the DPP, saying they are "separatists". Lai says only Taiwan's people can decide their future and has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed.

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2024-05-28 11:02:33Z
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China expresses 'grave concern' over Israel's military operations in Rafah - CNA

Beijing has been calling for an immediate ceasefire since the start of the current Israel-Hamas war in October last year.

China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

And President Xi Jinping has called for an "international peace conference" to resolve the fighting.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,050 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

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2024-05-28 10:10:52Z
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Real estate boom takes hold in Kyiv as Ukrainians flee war-torn frontline cities - CNA

Developer Yuriy Rybalchenko was the among first in the city to begin rebuilding after Russian forces retreated.

He said the number of construction projects has now reached as much as 50 per cent of pre-war figures.

“We adapted our projects, even those that were already under construction, to match new building regulations which require the installation of bomb shelters,” he added.

He plans to make the shelters as comfortable as possible, featuring workspaces, access to the internet, and a children’s room.

For many Ukrainians, including the Bazilevychs, buying a home now is about how far they can get away from the frontlines and from airstrikes.

Mr Bazilevychs said having a bomb shelter in his building is a must. His family also prefers living in a unit closer to the ground so they are less exposed to air attacks.

“We’re just trying to find something low level – first or second floors. Third level is the maximum,” he said.

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2024-05-28 02:59:43Z
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Senin, 27 Mei 2024

Israel faces global outcry over Rafah strike; Netanyahu acknowledges 'tragic accident' - CNA

"DANGEROUS VIOLATION"

Footage from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society showed chaotic nighttime scenes of paramedics racing to the attack site and evacuating the wounded.

Mughayyir said the rescue efforts were hampered by war damage and the impacts of Israel's siege, which has led to severe shortages of fuel and "water to extinguish fires".

The Israeli attack sparked strong protests from mediators Egypt and Qatar, as well as from other regional governments.

Egypt deplored the "targeting of defenceless civilians", calling it part of "a systematic policy aimed at widening the scope of death and destruction in the Gaza Strip to make it uninhabitable".

Qatar condemned a "dangerous violation of international law" and voiced "concern that the bombing will complicate ongoing mediation efforts" towards a truce.

The top world court, the International Court of Justice, on Friday ordered Israel to halt any offensive in Rafah and elsewhere that could bring about "the physical destruction" of the Palestinians.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas' Oct 7 attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,050 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, which has been central to aid operations in the besieged territory during the war, said on social media platform X that "with every day passing, providing assistance & protection becomes nearly impossible".

"The images from last night are testament to how Rafah has turned into hell on Earth," he said.

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2024-05-28 02:21:00Z
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North Korea says latest spy satellite launch exploded in flight - The Straits Times

A tactical ballistic missile is fired in a test at an undisclosed location in North Korea on May 17. PHOTO: AFP

SEOUL – North Korea said its attempt to launch a new military reconnaissance satellite ended in failure on May 27 when a newly developed rocket engine exploded in flight.

The attempt came just hours after Pyongyang issued a warning that it would try to launch a satellite by June 4, in what would have been its second spy satellite in orbit.

Instead, the launch became the nuclear-armed North’s latest failure, following two other fiery crashes in 2023. It successfully placed its first spy satellite in orbit in November.

“The launch of the new satellite carrier rocket failed when it exploded in mid-air during the flight of the first stage,” the deputy director-general of North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology Administration said in a report carried by state media.

An initial analysis suggested that the cause was a newly developed liquid fuel rocket motor, but other possible causes were being investigated, the report said.

Officials in South Korea and Japan had earlier reported that the launch seemed to have failed.

North Korea fired the projectile on a southern path off its west coast at around 10.44pm (9.44pm in Singapore), the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, hours after Pyongyang said it would be launching a satellite some time before June 4.

JCS said it detected debris from the rocket in the sea, however, and South Korean and US intelligence agencies were investigating whether the launch failed.

The object launched by North Korea disappeared over the Yellow Sea, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, adding the government presumes nothing had entered the space.

“These launches are in violation of relevant security council resolutions and are a serious matter concerning the safety of our people,” Mr Hayashi said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed video of what appeared to be an orange dot flying into the night sky and then bursting into flames in an area close to the border between China and North Korea.

A Japanese Defence Ministry official told reporters that the colour of the flames in the footage suggests that liquid fuel may be burning, but details are currently being analysed, NHK reported.

The launch appeared to originate from Dongchang-ri, a north-western area of the country where North Korea’s main space flight centre is based, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The Japanese government issued an emergency warning for residents in the south to take cover from the possible threat of a North Korean missile. It later lifted the warning, saying the missile was not expected to fly over Japanese territory.

Japan said over its J-Alert broadcasting system that North Korea appeared to have fired a missile, sending out the warning to residents in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.

Several failure, one sucess

The launch would likely be the nuclear-armed North’s attempt to place a second spy satellite into orbit. After several failed attempts that ended when the rockets crashed, North Korea successfully placed its first such satellite in orbit in November.

The North’s first bid to launch the new Chollima-1 satellite rocket, on May 31, 2023, ended after a failure in the second stage. State media blamed the setback on an unstable and unreliable new engine system and fuel.

After the May launch attempt, South Korea retrieved the wreckage of the satellite from the sea and said an analysis showed it had no meaningful use as a reconnaissance platform.

Another attempt in August also ended in failure, with stages of the rocket boosters experiencing problems resulting in the payloads crashing into the sea.

North Korea’s space authorities described the August failure after the rocket booster experienced a problem with its third stage as “not a big issue” in terms of the rocket system’s overall reliability.

In February, US space experts said North Korea’s first spy satellite, dubbed the Malligyong-1, was “alive”, after detecting changes in its orbit that suggested Pyongyang was successfully controlling the spacecraft, although its capabilities remain unknown.

North Korean state media reported that the satellite transmitted photos of the Pentagon and the White House, among other areas, but has not released any of the images.

The successful November launch was the first after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare trip abroad in September and toured Russia’s most modern space launch centre, where President Vladimir Putin promised to help Pyongyang build satellites.

Neither country has elaborated on the extent of that future aid, which could violate United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea.

Russian experts have visited North Korea to help with the satellite and space rocket programme, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed South Korean senior defence official.

Pyongyang has said it needs a military reconnaissance satellite to boost monitoring of US and South Korean military activities. REUTERS

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