US senators square off at Ukraine briefing after Zelenskyy pulls out - CNA

Congress is more divided over backing for Ukraine than it has been at any time during the nearly two-year conflict, with the country fast exhausting the military aid provided by the United States so far.

Senate Republicans are making their support for extra Ukraine funding contingent on President Joe Biden's Democrats accepting reforms of the asylum system and tightened border security - measures the Democrats have already rejected.

"Republicans are just walking out of the briefing because the people there are not willing to actually discuss what it takes to get a deal done," Romney said.

"EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID"

Schumer was quoted by Fox News as saying the briefing had been "immediately hijacked" by Republicans choosing to make a speech on border security rather than asking questions about Ukraine.

One member was "screaming" an admonishment at briefers about not having visited the border, Schumer reportedly said.

The Democrat has teed up a vote Wednesday on clearing the first procedural hurdle for addressing Biden's US$106 billion aid request for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

But it needs 60 votes in the 100-member Senate, and the 49-strong Republican minority looks likely to defeat the package as it leaves out their immigration reforms.

"The number one most immediate threat to our national security is an open border," Kansas Republican Roger Marshall said outside the briefing room.

"Look, everything has been said about Ukraine that can be said. And what's not being said is what's so critical here."

Even if the two sides manage to hammer out a deal in the Senate, it will be a much tougher sell for the Republican-led House, where conservatives have been more sceptical about funding Ukraine, and just as keen to leverage the issue to secure border reforms.

House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed publicly for the first time in a letter to the White House on Tuesday that his party will not pass Ukraine aid unless Congress enacts "transformative change to our nation's border security laws".

But Democrats reacted angrily to what they see as an attempt by Republicans to leverage the conflict to secure domestic priorities.

"I have lots of domestic issues I care about too. I'm not holding Ukraine hostage to the resolution of health care or gun violence," Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters.

"They made a choice to put Ukraine funding in jeopardy and they will all have to live with that choice when Vladimir Putin marches into Kyiv and through into Europe."

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the situation in Ukraine is indeed dire.

"We can hold ourselves responsible for Ukraine's defeat if we don't manage to get this funding to Ukraine," she said Tuesday as she began a three-day trip to Mexico.

"Ukraine is just running out of money," Yellen said.

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2023-12-06 01:34:32Z
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Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia not required to fill in digital arrival card - CNA

Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia are exempt from filling in the country’s digital arrival card, which will be made compulsory for most other foreigners intending to visit the country from Jan 1. 

The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) will not be required for those who travel to the country frequently, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Tuesday (Dec 5). 

"This is also to ensure there is no congestion at our international entry points,” he told members of the media at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Besides Singaporeans, the following categories of travellers are also not required to complete the MDAC: Malaysia long-term pass holders, those with Brunei common identification certificates and Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Facility, holders of Thai border passes and Indonesian Cross-Border passes.

The announcement on Tuesday comes days after the country’s Immigration Department said on Facebook that the digital arrival card would be compulsory for all foreign nationals.

This sparked discussion among some travellers, with confusion over whether this would be required of all arrivals, including those driving from Singapore. Some also said it was unclear whether this was compulsory for entry via both manual immigration counters and e-gates. 

At the time, the department’s official website only specified exemptions for permanent residents, Malaysia Automated Clearance System (MACS) holders, and those “transiting or transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance”.

A grace period is currently in effect until Dec 31.

"They can still fill out the digital card once they get here because some visitors only knew about this implementation upon arrival, so flexibility is given,” said Saifuddin. 

From Jan 1, travellers who are required to fill in the form must do so two to three days before arrival, he added. 

"Filling this MDAC is important to ensure that security control is not compromised even though we relax the conditions for the entry of tourists," the minister said. 

The MDAC is one of Malaysia's five initiatives to improve the services of its Immigration Department. It is in line with the implementation of its visa liberalisation plan, which exempts tourists from China and India from Dec 1 from visas for 30 days.

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2023-12-05 11:01:00Z
CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1kaWdpdGFsLWFycml2YWwtY2FyZC1tZGFjLXNpbmdhcG9yZWFucy1ub3QtcmVxdWlyZWQtZmlsbC0zOTY2OTIx0gEA

Singaporeans exempt from Malaysia digital arrival card that applies to foreigners from Jan 1 - The Straits Times

SEPANG, Malaysia – Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia will not be required to fill up the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), which will be compulsory from Jan 1 for foreign travellers.

“All Singaporean citizens will be exempted (from filling up the digital card),” Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told a news conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Dec 5.

Explaining the move, he said some Singaporeans enter Malaysia on an almost daily basis, and therefore “it is more realistic for us to exempt them”.

Other travellers exempted include diplomatic passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents, Brunei General Certificate of Identity holders, and Thailand Border Pass holders. 

Filling up the card is voluntary for now, but incoming travellers are encouraged to do so.

The formal implementation of the MDAC was initially scheduled to start on Dec 8, but foreign travellers have now been given a grace period of almost one month.

Malaysia’s two border crossings with Singapore are among the busiest in the world, with some 135 million transits via the crossing each year, a figure that is expected to increase to 150 million in 2026, said Datuk Seri Saifuddin.

The exemption for Singaporeans applies at all entry points, and not just at the southern entry points in Johor, he added.

On social media and chat groups, many travellers reported mixed messages from Malaysian immigration officers about the MDAC.

There was confusion over whether those driving into Malaysia from Singapore via the two land checkpoints across the Straits of Johor will be required to fill up the MDAC.

“I was advised by JB customs to fill up the MDAC. He (an immigration officer) said Dec 7 is compulsory to do so even if you are driving in,” said a driver on a Telegram chat group.

“And he advised not to do it last minute, just in case their system could not capture the data immediately.”

Another person said his friend was “forced” by an immigration officer at the Causeway to fill up the form, causing a queue for 10 minutes as a result.

“I understand not every officer is imposing it yet, but to be safe and to avoid any possible risks of causing delays, please do so before going into Johor,” said the unnamed person.

Some drivers said they had been able to enter Malaysia without filling up the MDAC.

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2023-12-05 09:40:00Z
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China-made C919 passenger jet to make first flight outside mainland - CNA

HONG KONG: China's first domestically produced large passenger jet will conduct a flyby over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour next week as part of the aircraft's first showcase outside the mainland.

The C919 made its maiden commercial flight in May and is key to Beijing's decades-long ambitions to compete with Western rivals in the air and cut down China's reliance on foreign technology.

The jet, manufactured by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), also will be displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport from Dec 12 to Dec 17, city leader John Lee announced on Tuesday (Dec 5).

"On Dec 16, the C919 will conduct a flyby above the Victoria Harbour. The public can together witness the first time the C919 soars above Hong Kong," Lee said in his weekly meeting with reporters.

Beijing "chose Hong Kong to be the first city for the C919 to visit outside the mainland", he added.

COMAC's smaller, older ARJ21 jet will also be exhibited in Hong Kong during the six-day period.

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2023-12-05 07:09:54Z
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Singapore DPM Lawrence Wong to visit China from Dec 5 to 8, co-chair top-level bilateral meeting - CNA

BEIJING: Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Dec 5) began a four-day official visit to China where he is set to co-chair an annual apex bilateral meeting for the first time.

During his trip, Mr Wong will also call on Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and visit the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, which marks its 15th anniversary this year, said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement on Tuesday.

Bilateral ties between Singapore and China were upgraded after a meeting in March between Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Mr Wong last visited China in May. He met Premier Li then and took over as co-chair of the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) – the highest-level annual forum between the two nations – from Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

The JCBC reviews the substantive collaboration between Singapore and China and charts the direction of cooperation.

Mr Wong will co-chair the 19th JCBC meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang in Tianjin on Dec 7.

At the last JCBC meeting in November 2022, Singapore and China signed 19 agreements – the most in recent years – that covered areas like e-commerce, tourism exchanges, green development and green finance.

Mr Wong and Vice Premier Ding will also co-chair the 24th China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council (JSC), the 15th Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City JSC, and the 7th China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Cooperation JSC.

These JSCs review the progress of and discuss further cooperation on the three flagship government-to-government projects.

On top of that, Mr Wong will have a bilateral meeting with Vice Premier Ding.

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2023-12-05 04:00:23Z
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Israel intensifies southern Gaza offensive; US, UN urge civilian protection - The Straits Times

GAZA – Israeli forces pressed ahead with their air and ground bombardment of the southern Gaza Strip, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians.

The United States and the United Nations have repeatedly urged the Israeli military to protect civilians.

Israel’s closest ally, the US, has said the Israeli offensive in the south should not repeat the “massive” civilian toll it has had in the north.

But residents and journalists on the ground said the intense air strikes in the south included areas where Israel had told people to seek shelter.

At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to Israel to avoid further action that would make the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza worse, and to spare civilians from more suffering.

“The secretary-general is extremely alarmed by the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Hamas... For people ordered to evacuate, there is nowhere safe to go and very little to survive on,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Israel largely captured the northern half of Gaza in November.

Since a week-long truce collapsed on Dec 1, the Israelis have swiftly pushed deep into the southern half.

About 900 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes since the truce ended, Gaza health authorities said.

Hamas ally Islamic Jihad’s armed wing said its fighters engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli soldiers north and east of Khan Younis, Gaza’s main southern city.

Israeli tanks have driven into Gaza across the border and cut off the main north-south route, residents said.

The Israeli military said the central road out of Khan Younis to the north “constitutes a battlefield” and was now shut.

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2023-12-04 21:28:26Z
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Tourist dies hours after completing 233m bungee jump from Macau Tower: Report - CNA

A 56-year-old Japanese tourist died hours after completing a bungee jump from Macau Tower on Sunday (Dec 3), according to local media reports. 

Hong Kong news site HK01 reported that the man felt breathless after completing the 233m jump at about 4.30pm.

The man, who had no visible injuries, was then taken to Conde S Januario Hospital after he stopped breathing. He was later pronounced dead. 

The popular attraction at Macau Tower is run by Skypark by AJ Hackett. The Skypark website bills the facility as the world's highest commercial bungee jump. 

Each jump costs 2,888 Macanese Pataca (US$359) per participant. 

Besides bungee jumping, other activities operated by AJ Hackett include a Skywalk experience on a platform around the tower, as well as a climb to the summit of the tower's mast at 338m. 

On its website, Skypark by AJ Hackett states that prospective participants should disclose their relevant medical conditions, including high blood pressure, epilepsy, neurological conditions, asthma, and physical disabilities. 

According to the activity's listing on Klook, a travel and services booking platform, participants are required to sign a liability waiver form that notifies them of the risks of the activity. If the participant is a minor, a parent or a legal guardian must sign the waiver form on their behalf. 

The activity is also not recommended for people with certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure or epilepsy. 

CNA has contacted AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, which runs the facility, for more information. 

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2023-12-04 14:36:46Z
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