Istanbul explosion: 6 dead, 81 injured in suspected terror attack on popular tourist area - The Straits Times

ISTANBUL - Six people were killed and 81 others wounded on Sunday when an explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul in what Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called a bomb attack that “smells like terrorism”. 

Hundreds of people fled the historic Istiklal Avenue after the blast, as ambulances and police raced in. The area, in the Beyoglu district of Turkey’s largest city, had been crowded as usual at the weekend with shoppers, tourists and families. 

Video footage obtained by Reuters showed the moment the explosion occurred at 4.13pm (9.13pm Singapore time), sending debris into the air and leaving several people lying on the ground, while others stumbled away. 

Hours after the explosion, Vice-President Fuat Oktay visited the site to give the latest death and injury toll, and promised to resolve the matter “very soon”. 

Authorities later said a government ministry worker and his daughter were among the dead. Five people were in intensive care in hospital, two of them in a critical condition. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast. 

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2022-11-13 14:40:21Z
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China has to engage CPTPP members and work out issues before joining trade pact: PM Lee - CNA

Mr Lee explained that the CPTPP is, by design, an "open and inclusive agreement", but to join the CPTPP, there are procedures, rules and regulations to follow, which are spelt out in the CPTPP agreement.

On matters to do with accession, the decision is made by a consensus of all the existing members of the partnership. In particular, the formal decision to start the accession process depends on consensus among the partners.

"Therefore what China has to do is to engage the partners individually and talk to them and work out any issues they may have with the partners individually," said Mr Lee.

"If that process is completed, then, if there's a consensus it can go ahead."

As this year's chair of the CPTPP committee, Singapore will carry out its role "objectively and impartially", said Mr Lee.

"That's how it has to work, and that's our public position. I've stated it several times. And when I met Premier Li Keqiang I explained it to him again."

Mr Lee had several bilateral meetings during the ASEAN Summit, including one with the Chinese premier on Friday.

During the meeting, they affirmed the excellent ties between Singapore and China, and discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the state of the global economy, a spokesperson from the Prime Minister's Office said.

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2022-11-13 10:00:57Z
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UMNO is changing, in need of new leaders, says Khairy as BN faces tough fight in Malaysia GE15 - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) must show that it is changing and has a new set of leaders to helm it, said caretaker health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate contesting in Malaysia’s 15th General Election (GE15). 

Speaking to the media during campaigning in Selangor’s Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat on Saturday (Nov 12), Mr Khairy said that there are many emerging and aspiring leaders within UMNO. 

Thus, the party must show that it is changing with new leaders such as himself around, Mr Khairy was quoted as saying by the Star. 

He said that there should be a new generation of leaders in UMNO, which is the main component party of BN. 

BN is contesting in GE15 with caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as its prime minister-designate should the coalition return to power after Polling Day on Nov 19. 

According to Mr Khairy, UMNO is not a damaged party but it must see a change of guard with a new leadership line-up. 

In another report, Mr Khairy said that UMNO has lost its way and needs to go back to its roots. 

Mr Khairy, who was a former UMNO youth chief, said that he wants to make UMNO the party that the Malays can be proud of once again. 

“It’s just that UMNO (has) lost its way and needs to go back to its roots. UMNO has to be ‘fixed’,” Astro Awani quoted him as saying at a campaign rally in Sungai Buloh on Friday evening. 

Describing himself as an “UMNO reformist”, Mr Khairy said that his main focus is to win the Sungai Buloh seat and to make sure that Mr Ismail Sabri returns as prime minister. 

He said only after achieving that he will then focus on cleaning up UMNO and BN. 

In Selangor, BN won only two parliamentary seats during the 2018 general election (GE14), with Mr Noh Omar, the caretaker entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, winning in Tanjong Karang for a sixth term and Mr Fasiah Fakeh taking Sabak Bernam.

“All this time, the big names in my party always try to choose a safe area. That is why there is not a lot of competition in Selangor. Usually, only Noh Omar would win, and that too in Tanjong Karang,” said Mr Khairy. 

Mr Noh Omar, who had served as Tanjong Karang MP for six terms, was among the big names dropped from the list of BN candidates for the GE15. However, he has decided to remain with BN. 

“When we were choosing the candidates (for Selangor), I saw that Khairy Jamaluddin, Megat Zulkarnain and many others could help us wrest Selangor,” said Mr Noh Omar according to a report by Utusan Malaysia. 

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2022-11-12 10:48:00Z
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'We are getting Kherson back': Ukraine's Zelenskyy hails historic day - CNA

OUTPOURING OF JOY

Residents of Kherson gathered in Kyiv's Maidan Square to celebrate the liberation of their home city - the first outpouring of joy in the capital in nearly nine months of war.

"My city, where I was born and where I've lived my whole life, is finally free," said 17-year-old Nastia Stepenska, her eyes welling with tears.

"When (the Russians) arrived, it was horrible. We didn't know what was going to happen the next day or if we'd even still be alive," the school student said, admitting she was in a state of shock.

"I'll go back when it's possible and it's safe," said Stepenska. "Soon, I hope."

The announcement that Ukrainian forces were entering Kherson sparked a rare flurry of joy in Kyiv, music in the streets and blaring car horns.

"BEST SURPRISE EVER"

Kherson inhabitants who left for Kyiv when Russian soldiers captured their city in March began converging on Maidan Square at 7:00pm, draped in flags, popping champagne corks and hugging each other.

"I didn't believe it at first. I thought it would take weeks or months, a few hundred metres at a time. And in just one day, they've made it into Kherson. It's the best surprise ever," said 41-year-old Artem Lukiv.

"I told my kids, 'That's it. We've been liberated,' and we all started crying," he said, hugging his two children and a Ukrainian flag at the same time.

Under the square's victory column commemorating Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kherson's displaced residents belted out the national anthem in unison and wiped their tears.

Then they chanted the numbers of the first Ukrainian army brigades to enter Kherson - the first major urban hub to fall to the Russians and the first to be taken back.

"We're really happy ... Our soldiers are gods," Lukiv said.

"We've been waiting for this for nine months. Kherson belongs to Ukraine and it always will."

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2022-11-11 19:09:00Z
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Myanmar's participation at future ASEAN meetings could be further curtailed - CNA

ASEAN had agreed upon the Five-Point Consensus in April 2021 to end the conflict, which Senior General Min Aung Hlaing accepted then.

"Eighteen months on, there has been little progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus," said Mr Lee.

"Violence has not ceased, few political detainees have been released, and there is no dialogue among stakeholders.

"In fact violence has increased, four opposition activists have been executed, and we still have no access to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."

Nobel laureate and deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi is serving a total of 26 years in jail after being convicted on a raft of electoral fraud and corruption charges in separate trials.

Myanmar's political leaders have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings since October 2021.

"Given the worsening situation, for us to weaken this position would be the wrong thing to do. Even to maintain this position fails to reflect the gravity of the situation," Mr Lee said.

"Should there continue to be no progress, then Myanmar should be invited only at the non-political level for ASEAN Summits and all Ministerial-level meetings."

Mr Lee added that the ground situation in Myanmar, especially on humanitarian needs, continues to deteriorate.

"Despite the best efforts of two ASEAN Chairs and their Special Envoys, and direct entreaties by Prime Minister Hun Sen recently, the Tatmadaw has disregarded ASEAN," he said, referring to the Myanmar military.

"This is deeply concerning and disappointing."

Mr Lee said that ASEAN needs to uphold ASEAN’s unity and credibility in line with its charter.

With no political representation from Myanmar, decisions will have to be taken by the remaining nine member states, he said.

These are Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Laos. Timor-Leste was admitted as an 11th member "in principle" on Nov 11, but is not yet a full member.

ASEAN leaders, however, reaffirmed in Friday's statement that Myanmar remains an "integral part of ASEAN", saying that the growing violence in Myanmar is a major concern which affects not only Myanmar but also ASEAN’s community-building efforts.

Leaders urged all parties in Myanmar to "de-escalate tensions", and said that all parties concerned that bear arms should be "fairly held accountable and condemned for violence", while noting that the Myanmar Armed Forces is the single largest military force in Myanmar.

ASEAN is to call the United Nations and its external partners to support its efforts in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, the leaders added.

"ASEAN shall consider exploring other approaches that could support the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus," said the statement.

"We shall review the above decision at our future sessions and mandate the Foreign Ministers to monitor progress and report to the ASEAN Summit.

ASEAN NATIONS DO NOT WANT TO CHOOSE SIDES: PM LEE

Speaking on other global issues, Mr Lee also said that ASEAN countries do not want to choose sides amid an upsurge in geopolitical tensions and major power rivalry.

“We want to engage all sides, and form overlapping circles of partnerships. We should make sure that external parties engage us on our own merits and on these terms,” he said.

Mr Lee said that ASEAN nations must redouble their efforts to forge a “stable and constructive regional architecture”.

“ASEAN’s relevance and credibility hinge on the political will of member states to maintain our sense of unity and uphold ASEAN Centrality,” he said. 

“Member states should work together, and avoid allowing our region to be split. ASEAN must remain open and inclusive in engaging external partners.”

Following the ASEAN summits on Friday morning, Southeast Asian leaders will be meeting their counterparts from non-member states, including United States President Joe Biden and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

On Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mr Lee reiterated Singapore’s stance that it is a clear violation of international law.

“It disregards the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence that are vital to all states. It has already caused the tragic loss of many lives,” he said.

“We should continue to urge the combatants and the major powers to find a quick and peaceful solution.”

ASEAN signed with Ukraine on Nov 10 an Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, a pact for “peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation” among the parties. This paves the way for Ukraine to become an external partner of ASEAN.

Mr Lee said that the longer-term and even larger issue is the escalating tensions between the US and China.

The deep strategic mistrust between them can lead to an “escalatory spiral”, with every chance of extensive technological bifurcation and splitting of supply chains, he said.

“On present trends, there is strong likelihood of the US and China each reading the worst into the actions and intentions of the other, with grave consequences for both parties, as well as for our region and the world."

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2022-11-11 09:38:07Z
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Police officer investigated over Seoul Halloween crowd crush found dead - CNA

SEOUL: A South Korean police officer who was being investigated in connection with the Halloween crowd crush that killed more than 150 people in Seoul was found dead on Friday (Nov 11), police said.

The 55-year-old, identified only by his surname Jeong, was found dead at his home in Seoul, an official at the National Police Agency told AFP.

Jeong, an intelligence officer, had been working for the police station that oversaw the district of Itaewon, an entertainment area in the South Korean capital where the crush took place.

His office - the Yongsan Police Station - is one of the targets of a major investigation into the disaster, including botched crowd control efforts.

Investigators had previously raided the police station.

Transcripts of emergency calls, released earlier this month by the police, showed their hotline had received 11 reports of dangerous crowding nearly four hours before disaster struck, but apparently failed to take action.

The 156 people that died in the crush were mainly young women, including a handful of teenagers and more than two dozen foreigners.

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2022-11-11 07:47:18Z
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Hun Sen hands out Cambodian-made watches to Asean summit VIPs - The Straits Times

PHNOM PENH - World leaders attending a summit in Phnom Penh will receive Cambodian-made watches from host Hun Sen, a noted fan of luxury timepieces.

The gift to VIPs at the Asean and East Asia Summit gatherings has raised eyebrows in a country with no history of watchmaking.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang are among the guests over three days of meetings that will cover the crisis in Myanmar and other regional issues.

The 25 tourbillon watches will be presented to delegates, said Prime Minister Hun Sen, who plans to wear one himself throughout the summit and at the upcoming Group of 20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

The watches feature matt grey faces emblazoned with “Asean Cambodia 2022” set in silver-coloured casing inscribed with “Made in Cambodia”, pictures on Mr Hun Sen’s official Facebook page show.

Mr Hun Sen – who has ruled the kingdom for 37 years and is Asia’s longest-serving leader – said the new watches “show the progress in science and technology of Cambodia”.

The strongman ruler has been pictured in recent years wearing luxury Swiss watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cambodian firm Prince Horology – tasked with designing and assembling the pieces – rejected suggestions that the items were overly luxurious, stressing that the watch faces were made of stainless steel.

Tourbillon watches are so-called for their intricate inner mechanism, seen from the outside, and patented around 200 years ago by a Swiss-French watchmaker.

While modern horology has made such designs obsolete, tourbillons are highly desirable to watch collectors, with limited editions changing hands for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“They are obviously highly decorated, highly polished,” Prince Horology spokesman Gabriel Tan told AFP. The watches also feature “synthetic rubies”, he said, that are “used to facilitate the watch movement”.

All 25 were designed and assembled in Cambodia over the last 18 months, Mr Tan said, declining to comment on their cost.

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2022-11-11 06:12:57Z
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