SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said yesterday that the United Nations Security Council granted an exemption to sanctions that will allow surveys on North Korean railroad sections the Koreas want to connect with the South. More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
INSTITUTE of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) yesterday carved yet another milestone in its brief history when it was awarded the ISO 9001:2015 certification in recognition of its quality management system during a ceremony at the Longhouse Training Restaurant, IBTE Sultan Saiful Rijal Campus in Jalan Muara. More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
AN OPENING ceremony for the ‘Introduction to School Garden Concept for Schools in Brunei Darussalam’ and ‘Capacity Building on Food Processing, Packaging, and Marketing for Staff and Students of IBTE Agro Technology Campus’ was held at the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) School of Agro Technology and Applied Sciences yesterday. More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
INSURANS TAIB Holdings Sdn Bhd and Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd marked new chapter in their history yesterday as they celebrated their 25th year as subsidiaries under Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (Perbadanan TAIB) with a ceremony held at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Berakas. His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, and His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik graced the event. More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
RISING challenges and unpredictability in today’s stiff business competition environment calls for businesses to be agile and geared up to weather various risks such as global crises, His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office said in a sabda yesterday. More details in Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam received in audience the outgoing High Commissioner of India to Brunei Darussalam Nagma M Mallick. The audience ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman yesterday. Be sure to grab a copy of Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin.
MALMÖ, Sweden (AFP) – Cheese teeming with squirming maggots, sheep’s eye juice and mouse beverage: the ‘Disgusting Food Museum’ explores why a dish seems delicious to some, but for others is stomach-churning. On show for three months at an old slaughterhouse in the southern Swedish city of Malmo, the exhibit – created by Samuel West, who previously served up the Museum of Failure – promises to shock the senses. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletinv
Geneva (AFP) – Swiss voters yesterday appeared set to reject a proposed constitutional amendment to preserve cow horns while approving a law that gives insurance companies broad leeway to spy on suspected welfare cheats. The third measure on the ballot, a rightwing proposal that would have given Swiss judges supremacy over world courts, was also headed for defeat, according to provisional results released by the GFS Bern polling and research firm. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Coast Guard is investigating what caused a ferry boat to crash twice into docks at San Francisco’s famed Ferry Building, slightly injuring two people aboard. Coast Guard spokesman Chris Shih said investigators are looking into mechanical issues and other factors that led to Friday’s crash. The agency regularly inspects the ferries. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) – Zimbabwe’s 94-year-old former President Robert Mugabe is no longer able to walk as his health declines, his successor said on Saturday. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa told ruling party supporters that Mugabe has been in a hospital in Singapore for the past two months. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) – Taiwan’s ruling party was handed a major defeat in local elections on Saturday that were seen as a referendum on the administration of the island’s independence-leaning President. Soon after the results came in, President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as head of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). She will remain as President and her resignation will have no direct effect on the business of government, although the results bode ill for her re-election chances in two years. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
LANGKAWI (Bernama) – The culture of sabotaging the implementation of government policies still exists among civil servants, but the number of those involved has decreased, according to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said he would still talk about the issue as the process of ‘cleaning up’ government departments and agencies was not possible to be completed overnight. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
THE Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) held the Perkampungan Perpustakaan at DBP’s parking area in Bandar Seri Begawan, yesterday as part of the bureau’s annual activity in enlivening Memperkasa Budaya Membaca 2018. DBP Acting Director Suip bin Haji Abdul Wahab was the guest of honour. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, the sole importer of BMW in Brunei Darussalam, held the BMW Customer Day 2018 at the BMW showroom in Beribi Industrial Area yesterday to show appreciation to their loyal customers. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
A RECORD of 2,000 participants turned up at the grounds of the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) in Rimba yesterday morning, testing their mental and physical strength at the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Alpha Challenge 2018. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
THOUSANDS of cyclists gathered at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien yesterday, where they set off on a test of endurance, as they participated in a 57km cycling expedition held in conjunction with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces’ (RBAF) 57th anniversary. His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Minister of Defence and Supreme Commander of the RBAF, also led cyclists of the special 12km cycling route that made passes through the main roads of Bandar Seri Begawan. More details in Monday’s Borneo Bulletin
| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
AT-TAQWA Travel Tours Sdn Bhd, Brunei Darussalam’s Haj and Umrah operator, conducted a briefing for over 400 pilgrims who will perform their Umrah this month and December at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex yesterday.
The briefing session was by Ustaz Haji Abdul Kahar bin Haji Ali and Ustaz Haji Ahmad Abdussalam bin Haji Abdul Rahman, who highlighted the basic preparation and logistics as well as the programme of the Umrah package selected by the pilgrims.
During the briefing, all participants participated in a practical session in performing Tawaf and Sa’ie.
The briefing was held to prepare the pilgrims in performing their obligations with complete readiness and a pious heart.
Managing Director of At-Taqwa Travel Tours Pengiran Haji Mohammad Rosdimar bin Pengiran Haji Omaralli was also present.
The first batch of Umrah group will leave Brunei tomorrow.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) – At least 50 civilians were being treated on Saturday following a suspected poison gas attack by Syrian rebel groups on the government-held Aleppo city in the country’s north, according to reports in Syrian state media.
Most of those admitted to hospitals had breathing problems and blurred vision, doctors told state television. One doctor said two were in critical condition, including a child. State television showed footage of medical professionals treating men and women on hospital beds.
There was a stench of gas in Aleppo city after projectiles were fired, said Rami Abdurrahman, the head of Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Rebel commanders and opposition figures discredited the government reports, denying they lobbed gas into Aleppo and accusing Damascus of seeking to undermine an existing cease-fire and efforts to kickstart political talks. Earlier on Saturday, government shelling of a rebel-held area in neighbouring Idlib province killed at least seven civilians.
In Aleppo city, local governor Hussein Diab visited the injured at the hospital. He told state television that 41 people had been admitted and accused rebels of using poisonous gas in the missiles they lobbed at the Aleppo neighbourhood.
Health official Haj Taha later said the number of injured was up to 50, adding that symptoms suggest the gas used was chlorine. Further tests are needed, he said.
The projectiles landed in the al-Khalidiya neighbourhood, and wind caused gas to spread, Aleppo police chief Essam al-Shali told state television. State television later said the gas affected two other areas in the city. There are no deaths, al-Shali said.
One patient said a foul smell filled the air after projectiles were lobbed.
“There are often missiles on the city but this is the first time we smelled something like this,” the patient said without giving his name. State television later said government troops retaliated, hitting the source of the attack. It didn’t elaborate.
A ceasefire in Aleppo and Idlib has been fraying in recent days. Aleppo has come under rebel attack in recent weeks, with missiles falling inside the city. The government has responded with counter attacks on rebel-held areas in the Aleppo countryside.
Earlier on Saturday, rescue works and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government shells landed in Jarjanaz, a rebel-held town in Idlib province, hitting students as they were leaving their school. The shelling killed eight, including six children, according to the civil defence team in the opposition-held area.
The opposition fighters don’t have chemical weapons or the means to lab them, rebel commander Abdel-Salam Abdel-Razek said. On Twitter, he accused the government of staging the attack to frame the rebels.
Rebel spokesman Musafa Sejari said the government is seeking to undermine the ceasefire deal.
In the absence of independent monitors, it is difficult to corroborate gas attacks. But both sides of the conflict have accused each other throughout the war of using poison gas.
A joint team from the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) accused Syria’s government of using chlorine gas in at least two attacks in 2014 and 2015, and the nerve agent sarin in an attack in April 2017 in the town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed about 100 people. The United States (US) launched a series of strikes on Syrian government sites in retaliation for the attack in Khan Sheikhoun.
The UN-OPCW team also accused the Islamic State (IS) extremist group of using mustard gas twice in 2015 and 2016.
The government accused rebels of using gas in a 2013 attack on Khan al-Assal, a village southwest of Aleppo city, that killed 25 people.
| Lyna Mohamad |
THE Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Awang Semaun Secondary School organised a year-end meeting to discuss students’ performance and how to improve them at the school’s multipurpose hall on Saturday.
The counsellors discussed with parents on study and exam tips suitable for the children.
Students’ projects from the Art and Design, Business, Art and Technology (BAT) and Hospitality (BTEC) were displayed during the meeting for parents to look what their children did in class.
| Fizah HAB |
KATOK Secondary School hosted its first ‘Readhaton (Read to Run)’ activity yesterday during the Bandarku Ceria at the Dermaga Diraja, Bandar Seri Begawan as part of its effort to promote literacy among students.
Guest of honour Acting Special Duties Officer (Professional) at the Ministry of Education Aliuddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman officiated the run.
The run, divided into three categories, was participated by some 100 students, staff members and family members. The run was aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle among the participants and strengthen the relationship between the school, its students, staff members and family members.
