Rains over many parts of Singapore in the late morning and afternoon on Tuesday helped with the air quality, says the National Environment Agency.
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Better air quality expected following rain in Sumatra: NEA
Japan govt finds Mitsubishi overstated mileage for 8 more models
TOKYO – Japan’s transport ministry on Tuesday ordered Mitsubishi Motors Corp to stop domestic sales of eight vehicle models after an investigation found the automaker overstated their fuel economy, the second such order in a matter of months.
The ministry said its investigation found the fuel economy on models including the Pajero, Outlander and RVR SUV models were lower than stated in marketing catalogues. The finding adds to four minivehicle models whose mileages were found to be falsified earlier this year.
“Our investigation confirmed that the fuel economy on eight models…were as much as 8.8 per cent and on average 4.2 per cent lower than advertised,” the ministry said in a statement.
It ordered the automaker to stop selling those eight models while it submits correct readings, a process the ministry expected would take a few weeks.
The announcement could prompt another fall in the automaker’s domestic sales after it stopped selling the four affected minivehicle models in April-June. Possible compensation costs linked to the latest affected models may also hurt Mitsubishi’s bottom line.
Japan’s sixth-largest automaker has been struggling to recover from the mileage scandal which began in April, and whose initial findings included two minivehicle models produced for Nissan Motor Co Ltd.
An internal investigation by the automaker uncovered poor communication, slack governance and pressure on resource-starved engineers at the root of the automaker’s problems.
Mitsubishi’s market value has tumbled since the scandal broke. The ordeal prompted the company to seek financial assistance from Nissan, which agreed to buy a controlling one-third stake for US$2.2 billion (S$2.99 billion).
Mitsubishi has admitted to using unapproved methods to calculate mileage for 25 years, while it also used estimates, rather than data from actual tests, to calculate the fuel economy for its minivehicles.
The company has said the scandal will likely push it into the red for the first time in eight years due to lost sales, compensation costs to customers and payments to Nissan, along with dealers and suppliers.
The automaker expects to post a net loss of US$1.4 billion this year, and book an extraordinary loss of 150 billion yen (S$2.0 billion). Domestic sales are seen tumbling by nearly half in the financial year through March, which will result in a 55 billion yen hit to full-year operating income.
On Tuesday, the firm said that it would post an additional extraordinary loss of 7 billion yen in current fiscal year due to costs involved with the additional eight models.
Japan is Mitsubishi’s fifth-largest market, following markets including Asia ex-Japan, Europe and other regions. Its home country comprised roughly 10 per cent of its vehicle sales during 2015/16.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016 – 17:58
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WhatsApp's privacy changes: What can you do?
Update your WhatsApp these days and you will be greeted with new privacy terms.
It is common for apps to feature updates to their terms of service, so most of us may quickly tap the “Agree” button (and continue using the app…
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Boycott firms with land-clearing practices that contribute to forest fires: SEC, CASE
SINGAPORE – With haze making a reappearance last week, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) have renewed their call to consumers to boycott companies whose land-clearing practices contribute to forest…
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Blue Ivy wears dress by Indonesian designer at MTV VMA 2016
During her red carpet debut at the MTV Video Music Awards 2016 on Sunday night, Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy was seen wearing a glamorous golden dress that was apparently the creation of an Indonesian designer.
Labeled as ‘The Grand Royalle’ for the Spring Summer 2015 collection, the dress was made under the Haute Couture brand for children, Mischka Aoki. The label was established by Indonesian-born Winnie who also its acting designer. It has been worn by children of famous names such as Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Annisa Pohan Yudhoyono and Adinda Bakrie.
“I think our [brand’s] quality is having unique, stand-out and luxurious products,” said Winnie regarding how the label has reach such celebrities such as Beyonce and the Kardashians. “These are the factors that interest people who really appreciate the struggle in creating Haute Couture dresses and intricate details that we implement in each design.”
“I have to be honest that Mischka Aoki is not for everyone,” she said. “But there is a niche market for people who appreciate fine details and the time spent to design, as well as produce our clothes. So we want to make it more accessible for the childrenswear market.”
Founded in 2009 in Australia, Mischka Aoki was inspired and named after Winnie’s first daughter. Although she always has loved fashion and luxury, Winnie admits that she never thought that she would do what she is doing today. “After I gave birth to my daughter about eight years ago, the available clothes at that time were too ordinary and not a style that I like,” she said. “I felt that there were no luxurious and stylish clothes in the market [at the time]. Thus I decided to start Mischka Aoki.”
The label is currently available in various cities including London, Paris, New York, Milan and Moscow. (kes)
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Reuters, AFP
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016 – 17:38
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Alleged drug lord shot dead in Philippines
Manila – A Philippine businessman and his wife were shot dead after the police chief branded him a drug lord, authorities said on Tuesday, fuelling concerns about extrajudicial killings in President Rodrigo Duterte’s crime war.
More than 2,000 people have been killed since Duterte was sworn into office two months ago and immediately launched a law-and-order crackdown, with the United States, the United Nations and rights groups voicing alarm at the bloodshed.
On Monday, Melvin Odicta, a businessman accused of being a drug trafficker known as “Dragon”, and his wife were shot dead at Aklan port in the central Philippines after getting off a ferry, police reported.
Regional police chief Jose Gentiles told AFP on Tuesday the lone gunman had yet to be identified, but was likely also linked to the drug trade.
“The most probable motive is that the mastermind wanted to silence the couple. Perhaps the mastermind was afraid the victims would implicate them,” Gentiles said.
Anti-crime blitz sweeps Philippines as Duterte comes into power
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AFP, Reuters
Odicta had expressed fears for his life after local authorities alleged he was the top drug lord in the central province of Iloilo, according to his lawyer.
Odicta had said he was innocent but national police chief Ronald dela Rosa insisted last week he was the drug lord.
“Who is he fooling? You know he is the drug lord but he is still denying it? Tell it to the Marines,” dela Rosa told reporters on Friday in Iloilo.
Duterte has repeatedly said that drug traffickers deserve to die and urged security forces to kill them. During the election campaign he promised that 100,000 people would die in his war on crime.
However he said in recent weeks that his security forces are not carrying out extrajudicial killings.
Police have reported killing more than 700 people they accused of being involved in drugs.
But police and Duterte say they have only killed in self-defence.
Worsening conditions in one of Philippine’s most crowded jails
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AFP
Dela Rosa said last week there were another 1,190 killings under investigation, but they were likely due to drug gangs murdering people who could implicate each other.
Critics of the crime war say security forces and hired assassins are carrying out mass murder, with people not involved in drugs also being killed amid a dire breakdown in the rule of law.
Duterte has railed against his critics, accusing them of siding with drug traffickers, and warned there will be no let up.
“I consider the fight against drugs a war. There is a crisis in this country,” Duterte said on Monday.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016 – 17:37
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Ga-in from Brown Eyed Girls returns as solo artist
Son Ga-in of K-pop girl group Brown Eyed Girls is returning as a solo artist with a new album.
To gear up for her return to the spotlight, the performing artist, better known simply as Ga-in, began unveiling teaser images on her official social media channels this week.
The upcoming release will be made in two segments. It will be Ga-in’s first full-length studio album since her debut as a solo artist with “Step 2/4” in 2010.
The 28-year-old’s most recent mini-album “Hawwah,” released last March, received favourable reviews at home and abroad, landing her a spot on the Gaon Weekly Albums Chart and Billboard’s World Albums Chart.
The new album’s first part “End Again” is scheduled to be released in September.
Meanwhile, all four members of Brown Eyed Girls have been pursuing solo careers since 2010. In March, the group celebrated 10 years together by holding an online fan meeting and concert in Los Angeles.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016 – 17:28
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UN chief Ban Ki-moon receives honorary degree from NUS
According to the National Univeristy of Singapore, the award recognises Mr Ban Ki-moon’s unique and remarkable achievements at the United Nations.
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2 Bangladeshi men jailed in Singapore for financing terrorism
Zzaman Daulat, 34, and Mamum Leakot Ali, 29, had previously denied the charges brought against them under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act.
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2 Bangladeshi men jailed for financing terrorism
SINGAPORE – Two Bangladeshi workers detained under the Internal Security Act in April pleaded guilty today (Aug 30) to charges of financing terrorism.
They had previously denied the charges and claimed trial.
Zzaman Daulat, 34, and Mamun Leakot Ali, 29, were among six workers who were charged in May under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. It was the first time anyone had been convicted under the Act.
The group called themselves the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB) and were collecting or providing money to fund terrorist attacks back home.
Mamun was the group’s deputy leader, while Zzaman was in the group’s security council, The Straits Times reported.
The other four pleaded guilty and were sentenced in June.
Zzaman and Mamum were jailed 24 months and 30 months respectively, with their sentences backdated to May 27.
Their lawyers, Noor Marican and Ramesh Tiwary who represented them pro bono, pleaded for lenient sentences, saying both men were deeply apologetic to Singapore for causing fear and harm through their actions.
Two other ISB men detained in April have not been formally charged.
candicec@sph.com.sg
27 radicalised Bangladeshis arrested under ISA
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Ministry of Home Affairs
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Tuesday, August 30, 2016 – 16:51
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