We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Singapore ex-deputy PM Shanmugaratnam elected president
Singapore's former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was elected president Friday, earning a landslide victory in the city-state's first contested vote for the largely ceremonial position in more than a decade. Singaporeans headed to the polls that were closely watched as an indication of support for the ruling party after a rare spate of scandals, but the longtime stalwart of the party won more than two-thirds of the vote over two rivals. "I believe that it's a vote of confidence in Singapore. It's a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans," the former finance minister said in a speech before the results were announced. "I'm humbled by this vote. It is not just a vote for me, it is a vote for Singapore's future." He won 70.4 percent of the vote to win a six-year term. His main rival Ng Kok Song, a former chief investment officer of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, which manages the country's foreign reserves, conceded after winning only 15.7 percent of the vote. "The result is clear," he told reporters, adding Shanmugaratnam "has indeed earned a mandate from the people of Singapore." Shanmugaratnam acknowledged the "changing and evolving" nature of Singapore, notably its diversity, and said he believes the election was seen as "another milestone in that process of evolution." There are stringent requirements for the position, which formally oversees the city's accumulated financial reserves and holds the power to veto certain measures and approve anti-graft probes. While the presidency is a non-partisan post under the constitution, political lines had already been drawn ahead of the election to replace incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed for her six-year term in 2017. 'Decisive margin' Shanmugaratnam was widely viewed as the favourite for the position and had resigned as a member of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and as a senior minister in the cabinet ahead of the election as all presidential candidates must be independent. The 66-year-old economist is perceived as having the government's backing and was questioned about his independence during the campaign. The city-state's government is run by the prime minister, currently Lee Hsien Loong of the PAP, which has ruled Singapore continuously since 1959. "Singaporeans have chosen Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam to be our next President by a decisive margin," Lee said in a statement. Observers said the vote would indicate the level of PAP support ahead of general elections due in 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption probe into the transport minister and the resignations of two PAP legislators over an affair. "What we want is a prosperous Singapore," self-employed worker Patrick Low, 70, told AFP after casting his vote. Shifting sentiments Another candidate, former insurance executive Tan Kin Lian, 75, had gained the support of several opposition leaders but only picked up 13.88 percent of votes. "The presidential election is increasingly being treated as a general election," said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore. Voting is compulsory for Singapore's more than 2.7 million eligible citizens. As of 5:00 pm local time (0900 GMT), more than 2.3 million Singaporeans, or about 85 per cent of eligible voters, had cast ballots, according to the Elections Department. Long but orderly lines snaked from polling centres absent the raucous environment that can accompany elections in other countries, where supporters chant or distribute flyers to lobby for last-minute votes. Izzuddin said an increase in protest voting had been expected but Shanmugaratnam secured an overwhelming win despite what experts had said was shifting opinions about the ruling party. The PAP suffered its worst-ever election performance in 2020 but maintained its more than two-thirds majority. Singapore requires presidential candidates to have served either as a senior civil servant or the chief executive of a company with shareholder equity of at least 500 million Singaporean dollars ($370 million). Perhaps the president's most crucial function is to serve as a custodian of Singapore's financial reserves, which can only be drawn upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. The post Singapore ex-deputy PM Shanmugaratnam elected president appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore holds first contested presidential vote in over a decade
Singaporeans head to the polls Friday in the city-state's first contested presidential election in more than a decade, a vote being closely watched as an indication of support for the ruling party after a rare spate of political scandals. The president's role is largely ceremonial, but there are stringent requirements for the position, which formally oversees the city's accumulated financial reserves and holds the power to veto certain measures and approve anti-graft probes. While the presidency is a non-partisan post under the constitution, political lines were already drawn ahead of the election to replace incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed for her six-year term in 2017. The city-state's government is run by the prime minister, currently Lee Hsien Loong of the People's Action Party, which has ruled Singapore continuously since 1959. Observers said the vote could indicate the level of PAP support ahead of general elections due by 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption probe into the transport minister and the resignations of two PAP legislators over an affair. The frontrunner is former deputy prime minister and finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a long-time PAP stalwart before he resigned ahead of his candidacy. The 66-year-old economist is widely perceived as having the government's backing and was questioned about his independence during the campaign. Another candidate, former insurance executive Tan Kin Lian, 75, has gained the support of several opposition leaders. The third candidate, Ng Kok Song, 75, is the former chief investment officer of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, which manages the country's foreign reserves. "The presidential election is increasingly being treated as a general election," said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore. "An increase in protest voting is anticipated due to vacillating ground sentiments vis-a-vis the ruling government." The PAP was recently rocked by political scandals, a rarity in the city which has capitalized on its reputation for clean government to become an international hub for an array of industries like finance and aviation. The PAP suffered its worst-ever election performance in 2020 but maintained its more than two-thirds majority. Voting is compulsory for Singapore's more than 2.7 million eligible citizens. Those who do not vote without a valid reason risk being struck from the voters' list. Singapore requires presidential candidates to have served either as a senior civil servant or the chief executive of a company with shareholder equity of at least 500 million Singaporean dollars ($370 million). Perhaps the president's most crucial function is to serve as a custodian of Singapore's financial reserves, which can only be drawn upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. The post Singapore holds first contested presidential vote in over a decade appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM backs suggestions to simplify visa applications
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supports the suggestions of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to simplify visa applications for tourists and overseas students. In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office on Friday, Marcos Jr. met with the group during the PSAC Tourism Sector Group's fourth meeting in Malacañang earlier this week. The PSAC recommended standardizing information on application procedures, student visa requirements, clinic accreditation for medical clearance, and diploma criteria for international students. The suggestions also call for the automatic certification of at least Level 3 hospitals nationally for tourists' medical clearances, the revision of documentation requirements to reduce the number of criteria, and the online filing of student visa applications. “We can choose to remove it altogether, the requirement for a medical certificate, or if we will continue to require a medical certificate, as long as it’s a recognized clinic, and it comes out in the actual list of hospitals or something like that, I’m sure there’s a way,” Marcos said. “So, I think the easiest is to align ourselves,” he added. To support government policy promoting the country as an educational hub in the Asia-Pacific region, the Department of Foreign Affairs highlighted Joint Memorandum Order (JMO) No. 01, series 2017, which streamlined procedures for the admittance of international students. According to the JMO, international students may enter the Philippines by applying for a student visa at a Foreign Service Post or by obtaining a temporary visa to convert to a student admission status. The foreign individual must attend in person for an interview and fulfill additional consular procedures after receiving the authorization to obtain the student visa. Officials told Marcos Jr. that applicants may skip the in-person interview to expedite the process. But the candidates will only show up in person if government intelligence agencies recommend doing so for security concerns. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the longest processing period for student visas, taking about two months. According to Rene Limcaoco of Hertz Philippines, there is a sizable market for this type of travel. Limcaoc said there were five million applications from international students before the pandemic. He expects ten million international students by 2030. The Philippines had 3.4 million foreign tourists as of 14 August 2023, which is 71.4 percent of the 4.8 million baseline industry target for this year. This year, the nation hopes to make P2.24 billion and employ 5.3 million Filipinos in the tourism industry. This year, it anticipates 85.1 million domestic travelers and 4.8 million overseas visitors. The post PBBM backs suggestions to simplify visa applications appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Another Ecuador politician slain, six days ahead of vote
A local politician in Ecuador was killed Monday, party officials said, less than a week after a presidential front-runner was gunned down at a campaign rally ahead of this weekend's elections. Pedro Briones, a member of the Citizen Revolution Party of former president Rafael Correa, and one of the movement's leaders in the province of Esmeraldas on the border with Colombia, was killed by unknown gunmen. "My solidarity with the family of comrade Pedro Briones, new victim of violence," Luisa Gonzalez, one of the main presidential candidates, said on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter. "Ecuador is going through its bloodiest period," said Gonzalez, a close former associate of Correa. She called the government inept and said the country has been taken over by organized crime gangs. Correa added his condolences on social media: "They murdered another of our colleagues in Esmeraldas. Enough is enough!" Neither the police nor the government immediately confirmed the attack but Ecuadoran media, citing a local police source, said the victim was shot at his home in the town of San Mateo by two men on a motorcycle who later fled. The murder came less than a week after the August 9 killing, in the capital Quito, of one of the presidential favorites, the centrist Fernando Villavicencio. The 59-year-old journalist was on a crusade against corruption and was in second place in the polls when he was shot as he left a campaign rally. One of his main feats as a journalist was to have put the former president Correa, who served from 2007-2017, in the dock thanks to one of his investigations. Correa, now living in Belgium, was sentenced in absentia to eight years in the case. Most of Ecuador has been under a state of emergency and President Guillermo Lasso has blamed organized crime for the killing of Villavicencio. Six Colombians were arrested as part of the probe into the assassination and one was killed shortly after the attack by the candidate's bodyguards. The post Another Ecuador politician slain, six days ahead of vote appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ecuadoran presidential candidate shot dead after rally
A popular Ecuadoran presidential candidate was shot dead while leaving a rally in the nation's capital on Wednesday, prompting President Guillermo Lasso to declare a state of emergency and blame the assassination on organized crime. Fernando Villavicencio, a 59-year-old anti-corruption crusader who had complained of receiving threats, was murdered as he was leaving a stadium in Quito after holding a campaign rally, officials said. Lasso declared a two-month state of emergency early Thursday following the assassination, but said general elections slated for 20 August would be held as scheduled. "Outraged and shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio," the president said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, blaming the killing on "organized crime." "For his memory and for his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished." Villavicencio was the second most popular candidate in the presidential race, according to recent opinion polls. "The Armed Forces as of this moment are mobilized throughout the national territory to guarantee the security of citizens, the tranquility of the country and the free and democratic elections of August 20," Lasso said in a YouTube address. The president also declared three days of national mourning "to honor the memory of a patriot, of Fernando Villavicencio Valencia." "This is a political crime that acquires a terrorist character and we do not doubt that this murder is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process," he added. Lasso has said he will not seek re-election. President of the National Electoral Council Diana Atamaint said "the date of the elections scheduled for August 20 remain unalterable." Nine other people were injured in the shooting attack, including a candidate running for the national legislature and two policemen, prosecutors said. One of the alleged attackers was shot and killed by security personnel. And police detonated an explosive device planted in the area, said chief investigator Alain Luna. Carlos Figueroa, a friend of Villavicencio's who was with him at the time of the attack, told local media that the assailants fired around 30 shots. "They ambushed him outside" the sports center, Figueroa said. "Some (of those present) even thought they were fireworks." The country's main newspaper, El Universo, reported that Villavicencio was assassinated "hitman-style and with three shots to the head." Prosecutors later said six other suspects were arrested in raids carried out in southern Quito and in a neighboring town, and that Villavicencio's body was brought to a police department and would undergo an autopsy. 'Full weight of the law' In recent years, Ecuador has been hit by a wave of violence linked to drug trafficking which, in the midst of the electoral process, has already led to the death of a mayor and a parliamentary candidate. The homicide rate has doubled between 2021 and 2022. "Organized crime has gone too far, but the full weight of the law will be applied to them," Lasso said in his post. According to the latest polls, Villavicencio, a former journalist who wrote about corruption and served in parliament, polled at 13 percent behind lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, who is close to former left-wing president Rafael Correa. Gonzalez and other presidential candidates denounced the murder and said they were suspending their campaigns, local media reported. "We will never allow such acts to go unpunished. When they touch one, they touch all. When one's life is at risk, everyone's life is at risk," Gonzalez wrote on X. National Court of Justice president Ivan Saquicela called Villavicencio's murder "very painful for the country." "I am very hurt and very worried about Ecuador," he said. The United States, Spain, Chile and the Organization of American States observer mission have also condemned the crime. "We are horrified by the tragic attack... Violence cannot win. Democracy can," European Union ambassador to EcuadorCharles-Michel Geurts said on X. As a journalist, Villavicencio uncovered a corruption scheme for which former president Correa (2007-2017) was sentenced to eight years in prison. Villavicencio later served as president of the legislative oversight commission, where he continued to denounce corruption. The politician had complained this month that he and his team were receiving threats allegedly coming from the leader of a criminal gang linked to drug trafficking. "Despite the new threats, we will continue fighting for the brave people of our #Ecuador," he posted on X at the time. Atamaint, head of the electoral council, also said that several members of her organization, which is responsible for supervising the ballot, had received death threats. President Lasso sent a message to Villavicencio's family. "My solidarity and my condolences with his wife and his daughters," he said in his post. The post Ecuadoran presidential candidate shot dead after rally appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Target of the right, George Soros hands reins to son
As George Soros passes control of his philanthropic empire to his son, the legendary investor and democracy advocate remains subject to unrelenting and often anti-Semitic attacks from the right. Under the transition, Soros, 92, will hand the reins to his 37-year-old son Alexander Soros, according to a Wall Street Journal interview with both men. The shift comes as the elder Soros remains one of the far right's favorite targets. He has been baselessly blamed for propagating migrant crises in Europe and on the southern border of the United States, as well as for orchestrating mass protests against police brutality after the 2020 killing of George Floyd. Soros's army of haters has included right-wing politicians like Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, the media figure Tucker Carlson and Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, who tweeted in May 2023 that Soros "wants to erode the very fabric of civilization" and "hates humanity." Soros is known for his financing of the Open Society Foundations, which has supported reforms to liberalize economies, establish governance norms, protect minorities and refugees, and promote freedom of expression. These endeavors followed some wildly successful investment decisions, as in 1992 when Soros bet against the British pound shortly before it was devalued. A leading British newspaper dubbed Soros "the man who broke the Bank of England" over a move that allowed him to pocket $1 billion. The episode won Soros' respect in the financial world, but he also became a much-feared figure among government finance ministers. Progressive causes Born in August 1930 in Budapest, Soros's Jewish family used false papers to pass as Christian during the Nazi occupation of Hungary in 1944 and 1945. "I learned at an early age how important it is what kind of political regime prevails," Soros said in 2019. After the establishment of communism in Hungary, Soros left for London in 1947, obtaining degrees from the London School of Economics before moving to New York in 1956. Soros launched his own speculative fund in 1970, a step in building his wealth to an estimated $6.7 billion, according to Forbes; the figure does not include the $18 billion Soros transferred to his foundations in 2017. He began steering some of his wealth to philanthropy in 1979, backing Black students in apartheid-era South Africa and political dissidents in Central Europe. His activities expanded considerably after the end of the Cold War. In the United States, for example, Soros has supported the progressive side on a host of hot-button issues, including criminal justice reform, same-sex marriage, and the decriminalization of marijuana. A father of five, Soros studied in London under his mentor Karl Popper, a champion of open society and fierce critic of totalitarianism. Intensifying criticisms As Soros broadened his support of politically progressive candidates and philanthropic endeavors in the 2010s, he was met with more virulent criticism, often tinged with anti-Semitism. In 2018, following attacks by the nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Soros shuttered the Budapest branch of the OSF and moved staff to Berlin. Later that year, Soros was named Person of the Year by the Financial Times, a recognition of his role as "the standard bearer of liberal democracy and open society." But the newspaper also alluded to the ugliness of Soros's legion of haters, noting, "There are so many anti-Semitic conspiracy theories targeting Mr. Soros that it is difficult to keep count." In terms of his record in finance, Soros has experienced setbacks in addition to glory. He lost money in the 1987 stock market crash and in the 1998 Russian currency crisis. He has also found himself in the crosshairs of the law. In 2002, Soros was convicted of insider trading in France for trades of Societe Generale, and in 2009 in Hungary, in a market manipulation case. Soros's funds have continued to speculate, with investments running the gamut from new technologies to housing to physical commodities. But Soros has also spoken of the need for strict regulation of markets. Soros has described his efforts as a kind of responsibility. "My success in the financial markets has given me a greater degree of independence than most other people," he wrote in 2011. "This obliges me to take stands on controversial issues when others cannot." The post Target of the right, George Soros hands reins to son appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan’s Koji Yakusho wins best actor at Cannes
Japan's Koji Yakusho won best actor at Cannes on Saturday for "Perfect Days" by German director Wim Wenders, a touching tale about a Tokyo toilet cleaner. "I want to specifically thank Wim Wenders... who truly created a magnificent character," he said as he received the award. Yakusho, 67, appears in most scenes of "Perfect Days" as a mysterious, bookish man without friends, content to spend his spare time reading, watering his plants, taking photos, and listening to songs on his car stereo. The versatile actor's roles in over four decades of movie-making have ranged from warlords and gangsters to killers and cops -- and now an everyman who keeps the public washrooms of Tokyo pristine. He also crossed over to Hollywood for "Memoirs of a Geisha" in 2005 and "Babel" a year later. "Wim had given me very little information... There was a lot of mystery. Even today, it's a character I know almost nothing about," he said of his role, which involved almost no dialogue. "It was the first time I shot like that, over a very short period, without rehearsal," he said about working with one of the giants of European cinema. Germany's Wenders, 77, won the top prize Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1984 for "Paris, Texas". Born in 1956 in Isahaya, Nagasaki prefecture, Yakusho first worked as a town hall employee before turning to acting in 1979, after following up on an ad in a newspaper. Out of 800 candidates he was one of four selected, "and today I am the only one to be an actor", he told French media in 2003. His first big role that helped propel his career was in the popular hit "Tampopo" (1985) about the hunt for a noodle soup recipe. Since then among his notable films have been "The Eel", winner of the Palme in 1997, and "The Third Murder" in 2017. In 2009 he made his first and only feature "Toad's Oil" in which he also played the lead role. Asked what keeps him going in the trade, he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019: "I always think I haven't got it quite right, but in the next film I'll finally nail it. "I guess that's the drug of this business for me, which has kept me going for 40 years." The post Japan’s Koji Yakusho wins best actor at Cannes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Property prices slow in Q4
The growth in property prices has been sustained for 10 straight quarters, albeit at a slower pace in the fourth quarter last year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas......»»
Fisherfolk group urges gov’t to regulate fish prices amid Lent
Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Wednesday urged the government to address the surge in retail prices of fish during the Holy Week......»»
Cebuano Larz Dawson first runner-up for Mister Tourism Universe 2024
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Another Cebuano is putting Cebu on the centerstage of pageants. Larz Kent Dawson, 22, from Tisa, Cebu City recently bagged the first runner-up title for this year’s Mister Universe Tourism. Dawson, who was crowned Ginoong Pilipinas 2023, added another title in his bag, this time on the international stage. “Joining Mister Universe.....»»
Gilas women off to great start in FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup
The Gilas Pilipinas women had a strong start in the 2024 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup after coming up unscathed in the first day of the competition Wednesday at the Singapore Sports Hub......»»
'MahalNaAraw2024: Mga Tradisyon tuwing Semana Santa
MAHALAGA ang paggunita ng Semana Santa o Holy Week lalo na sa mga Pilipino na may sagradong paniniwala bilang Katoliko. Sa katunayan, tinaguriang “Asia’s Bastion of Christianity” ang Pilipinas at isa rin ito sa mga bansang may malaking bilang ng mga Katoliko. Kaya naman hindi na rin kataka-taka na talagang binibigyan ng importansya ang Mahal.....»»
Rama reconsiders, unites with councilors for 2025 midterm elections
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite previously expressing doubts about his confidence in some incumbent councilors due to their cooperation with his vision, City Mayor Michael Rama appears to have reconsidered his stance. He recently announced that these councilors would still be part of his alliance for the 2025 midterm elections. READ: Rama: 2025 election candidates.....»»
Marian ikinumpara si Gabby sa lafang: Walang itulak-kabigin sa kanya!
PINALIGUAN ng positibong mga salita ni GMA Primetime Queen Marian Rivera ang isa sa Ultimate Leading Man sa Pilipinas na si Gabby Concepcion. Sa wakas, natuloy na rin ang pinakaaabangang pagtatambal nina Marian at Gabby sa pinakabagong primetime series ng Kapuso Network na “My Guardian Alien.” Magsisimula na itong umere simula sa April 1 sa.....»»
Women shaping Philippine monetary policy
Women have made significant strides as leaders in the Philippine financial services industry even as challenges continue to persist. At the helm are two distinguished female members of the Monetary Board (MB) – the policy-setting body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) –both of whom are breaking the bias for women in finance......»»
Global box-office hit na ‘YOLO’, masisilayan na rin sa Pilipinas sa Abril
BREAKING the limits. Rising from the ashes. A fiery soul. Ganyan mailalarawan ang bagong pelikula na malapit nang dumating dito sa ating bansa. Ito ang “YOLO,” isang inspirational comedy drama film ng bansang China na nakatakdang ipalabas sa mga lokal na sinehan sa darating na April 17. Ang Chinese comedienne na si Jia Ling ang.....»»
Shell Pilipinas profit tumbles to P1.2 billion in 2023
The earnings of Shell Pilipinas Corp. plunged by 70.7 percent to P1.2 billion in 2023 from P4.1 billion in 2022 on the back of declining global fuel prices and elevated interest rates......»»
BSP issues guidelines for payment systems
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has released its first Manual of Regulations for Payment Systems (MORPS), a formal compilation of all payment system regulations approved by the Monetary Board as of end-December 2023......»»
Bank loans used as RRR compliance hit P6.4 billion
Mid-sized and small banks have extended around P6.4 billion loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as large companies, and booked these loans in compliance with their reserve requirement ratios, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas......»»
March inflation may pick up amid high food prices
Inflation likely accelerated for the second straight month in March, mainly driven by high rice prices, prompting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep borrowing costs unchanged at its next policy review in April, analysts said......»»