Latest news with #SAO
Barnama
21-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam : July 21, 2025
SEEK TO SPLIT TARIFFS WITH US BUYERS -- THE JAKARTA POST MINISTER: RICE IN JAPAN COSTS US$6/KG, JUST UNDER US$1 IN INDONESIA -- JAKARTA GLOBE Indonesian exporters are looking to split the tariff load with their buyers in the United States to maintain a competitive price, the success of which economists say ultimately rests on how high the import duties imposed on other countries get since pressing down cost to maintain a margin is easier said than done. Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman urged the public to appreciate the country's stable food prices, particularly rice, as neighboring and developed countries grapple with rising costs and supply shortages. LAOS FOR CHEAPER ELECTRICITY PRICE -- VIENTIANE TIMES The government will renegotiate power purchase agreements with hydropower plant operators to revise electricity tariffs to reduce the burden on the public. Power bills rose after authorities introduced a new pricing system in February. FUNDS TO UPLIFT RURAL ECONOMY -- VIENTIANE TIMES The Lao Front for National Development will expand its financial programme to assist Lao farming families and cooperatives. The aim is to promote commercial products and services, create job opportunities and generate income that can alleviate rural poverty. MYANMAR INVITES FARM SECTOR INVESTORS -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR The Bago Region Investment Committee approved foreign investment worth RM30 million (US$7 million) in June. The southern central region is inviting foreign investments to manufacture agricultural machinery, fertilisers, animal feedstuff and solar energy. DETAINED FOR ILLICIT TRADE -- THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR During a three-day nationwide crackdown on illegal trade, security forces apprehended smugglers transporting foodstuff, coal, diesel and teak wood. Thirty-three smugglers, who were using lorries and boats to conduct their illicit trade, were detained. SINGAPORE 1. PRIORITY FOR SINGLES, HIGHER QUOTA FOR SECOND-TIMER FAMILIES TO KICK IN FROM HDB'S JULY BTO EXERCISE -- THE STRAITS TIMES A slew of policy changes will kick in, starting with the upcoming HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat sales exercise in July, benefiting singles as well as families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes. CONSUMER BRANDS GAINING FOOTHOLD IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA AS THEY SHED 'WORLD'S FACTORY' IMAGE -- CNA When Indonesian Dwi Soejatmoko, 42, bought his first television set about 20 years ago, he opted for a brand he had never heard of before: Changhong. THAILAND 1. THAILAND BRACES FOR HEAVY RAINS AS TROPICAL STORM WIPHA APPROACHES -- THE NATION Tropical storm Wipha to bring widespread heavy rain across Thailand from July 20–24. Authorities urge caution amid flood and landslide risks. 2. POLICE SET TO SUBMIT RESULT OF SAO PROBE TO PROSECUTORS -- BANGKOK POST The result of the police's investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building will be submitted to prosecutors tomorrow, says the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). VIETNAM CASH CROPS TO HIT BILLION-DOLLAR MARK -- VIETNAMPLUS Passion fruit, banana, pineapple and coconut have been identified as Vietnam's next billion-dollar export products. Vietnam cultivates more than 50 fruit varieties across over 1.3 million hectares of farmland. Only durian crossed the RM4.25 million (US$1 billion) export mark. MARKETPLACE FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER -- VIETNAMPLUS Hanoi plans to launch a technology exchange next year to accelerate the city's shift towards a knowledge-based economy. Technology providers, buyers and regulators can meet via the platform. -- BERNAMA BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
Bangkok Post
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Police set to submit result of SAO probe to prosecutors
The result of the police's investigation into the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building will be submitted to prosecutors tomorrow, says the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). Deputy MPB commissioner, Pol Maj Gen Somkuan Puengsap, said on Sunday investigators have concluded their probe into the tragedy, in which the building on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road in Chatuchak district collapsed after the capital was hit by a major earthquake on March 28. Investigators would hand over 51 boxes containing over 90,000 pages of documents to special prosecutors at Criminal Division 8. They will be asked to consider pressing charges of negligence resulting in harm and/or death against a total of 23 defendants, including the building's designers, contractors and project supervisors, as outlined by sections 227 and 230 of the Criminal Code. The list includes Premchai Karnasuta, former president of Italian-Thai Development PCL, as well as other suspects which have been detained in connection with the case. The second phase of the investigation, which focuses on wrongdoing by officials, is currently underway, he said, adding the result will be submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The key concern of this investigation is to determine whether bid rigging led to the use of substandard materials and design flaws. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had earlier pointed to poor design and construction methods as the cause of the collapse; however, Pol Maj Gen Somkuan said police have yet to arrive at that conclusion. That said, he noted, there is sufficient evidence to warrant a probe. Asked if the police plan to issue arrest warrants or summonses relating to the second phase of the investigation any time soon, he said it will depend on the prosecutors' review of the case. He assured investigators are still working to identify everyone responsible for the tragedy.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
DC man sentenced to life in prison and more for murder of his girlfriend's toddler
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — A Montgomery County judge sentenced a D.C. man to life in prison with an additional 60 years for murdering his girlfriend's child. In a news release, the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office (SAO) said that 30-year-old Marlon Melendez was convicted in February 2025. Melendez was charged with first-degree child abuse resulting in death, second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse, and second-degree child abuse in 2023. Officials say that Melendez was responsible for the death of his girlfriend's son, a 16-month-old toddler named Zavier Giron. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DC man charged in murder of girlfriend's 16-month-old son in Maryland In March of 2023, Zavier's mother found that he was not breathing and called 911. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, and an autopsy later revealed evidence of child abuse. The Montgomery County Police Department conducted an investigation and found that Melendez had been abusing Zavier. Zavier had previous injuries, including a fractured femur. There was additionally surveillance video from a restaurant two days before Zavier's death showing Melendez pulling Zavier's hair and scratching and digging into his temple. He also squeezed lemon juice onto his finger and rubbed his finger into Zavier's eye. This happened when Zavier's mother had briefly left the table. 'This is an outrageously sad case involving the loss of a one-year-old baby. We express our deepest condolences to the victim's family. We are thankful to Montgomery County Police for their thorough investigation and to our prosecution team for their pursuit of justice on behalf of this innocent child,' said State's Attorney John McCarthy. The sentence was only five years shorter than the longest possible sentence for his charges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Club World Cup officials get instant offside call
Club World Cup officials will use an accelerated semi-automated offside technology that will tell them to stop the game immediately if a player who is more than 10cm offside touches the ball. It is one of the most significant initiatives being introduced for the 32-team tournament in the US and is aimed at reducing needless delays. Advertisement Assistant referees will receive the notification instantly rather than having to wait for the technology to check positions and distances - as is the case with semi-automated offside (SAO) systems used in most major leagues. SAO was introduced into the Premier League on 12 April, before which the video assistant referee (VAR) made all offside rulings. The introduction of the enhanced SAO comes a month after Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a serious abdominal injury after crashing into a post during their Premier League draw against Leicester. He had been chasing the ball despite a clear offside that had not been given. Advertisement Among the other developments in use at the tournament, which starts on Sunday, are: Referees wearing body cams that allow live pictures to be shown immediately before the game and on delay during it. An eight-second countdown for goalkeepers to release the ball. VAR pictures shown to fans in real time inside the ground. Be braver with offside decisions - Collina In the aftermath of the Awoniyi incident, team-mate Ola Aina said the injury "would never have happened" had the assistant referee raised their flag earlier. The enhanced element of SAO will not work if a player who does not play the ball is offside, or in a crowded situation. International referees chief Pierluigi Collina said officials therefore need to be "braver" with their offside decisions at the tournament. "Since the very beginning we have told the assistant referee 'in case of doubt, keep the flag down'," said Collina, the Italian former World Cup final referee who is now chairman of Fifa's referees' committee. Advertisement "If you raise the flag, it kills everything, including the possibility that the VAR can help you. "But we are aware this has led to some consequences. "Probably the assistant referees went a bit far. What was a doubt became bigger and bigger and bigger. "There are possible offside incidents where top assistant referees, as there are in many competitions around the world, would not have this doubt. "Despite the introduction of this [technology], we have also reminded our assistant referees to be a bit braver and more courageous in putting the flag up when the offside is offside. Two metres offside cannot lead to a doubt." Countdown for goalkeepers A new plan to speed up the game will be implemented at the Club World Cup and the European Under-21 Championship, in which referees will only allow goalkeepers eight seconds to release the ball. Advertisement After three seconds, the referee will raise their hand in the air and count down from five to notify the goalkeeper he has to release. If he fails, the attacking side will be awarded a corner. Collina said it will largely be a preventative measure and that a corner was awarded twice in 160 games when it was trialled in South America. "The referees should be flexible," he said. "If a goalkeeper has the ball for 8.1 seconds it is not necessarily a corner. "But we have had a lot of instances of goalkeepers keeping the ball for 25 seconds. There is nothing entertaining about that." Anthony Taylor took charge of the 2022 Club World Cup final and, along with Michael Oliver, is one of two English referees who will officiate at this year's tournament [Getty Images] VAR replays to be shown in stadium As in previous Fifa tournaments, the on-pitch referee will communicate VAR decisions and the reasons for them to supporters in the stadium. Advertisement For the first time, fans at the match will be able to see the replays the officials are being shown. However, there will still be no broadcast of the discussions in the VAR hub. Collina urged patience for those who cannot understand why football is not yet implementing something commonplace in rugby, cricket and all major American sports. "I cannot tell you if something more might be added in the future," he said. "But we need to do it when we are sure this will not affect the decision-making process. "When they are doing their job, which is very difficult, the VARs and the referees are under pressure. Knowing everyone is listening may add some pressure. Advertisement "We are a work in process. We have not to forget that, although VAR feels as though it has existed forever, the first match with it was 2016. "We have to be patient." Bodycam footage on delay Fifa will show live images from referees' bodycams, which will be attached to their earpieces, before the game, in the tunnel and during the warm-up and coin toss. However, there will be no live images shown during the game and, although goals and moments of skill will be shown with a delay, anything controversial or in bad taste, such as a player suffering a nasty injury, will not appear. Although the images would be available to VAR, Collina cannot see how a camera next to a referee's eye would detect something the official had missed. Advertisement What it will do, Fifa believes, is show the game from a unique vantage point and "enhance the storytelling". To that end, it is an entertainment concept. "That is clear," said Collina.
The Star
13-05-2025
- General
- The Star
48-day rescue mission at collapsed Bangkok building concludes
BANGKOK: The 48-day-long rescue mission following the collapse of the new State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok's Chatuchak District officially concluded on Tuesday (May 13). A large-scale Buddhist merit-making and memorial ceremony was held to honor those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported a total of 109 victims from the incident. Of these, 89 were confirmed dead, nine injured, four unharmed, and seven are still awaiting forensic identification. The collapse occurred on March 28, when the under-construction 2.136-billion-baht building on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road gave way due to a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, with its epicenter located along the Sagaing Fault. The tremors and subsequent aftershocks caused widespread structural damage across multiple provinces, including Bangkok. Over the past 48 days, rescue teams from various agencies worked tirelessly under hazardous conditions to locate and retrieve those trapped beneath the rubble. Their relentless efforts ultimately led to the successful recovery of all victims. At 7am on Tuesday, the BMA, in collaboration with community partners and Buddhist practitioners, held a merit-making ceremony involving 109 monks to dedicate merit to the deceased. The ceremony also served to express deep gratitude to the rescue teams and to offer emotional support to the families affected by the tragedy. - Photo: The Nation/ANN Tuesday marked the official end of the search and rescue operation, after which the site was formally handed over to the relevant authorities. During the closing ceremony, government officials, rescue workers, and attendees observed a moment of silence and laid flowers in a final tribute to the victims. The collapse of the SAO building is considered a major national tragedy that has left a deep impact on many families. It also stands as a critical reminder of the importance of preparedness in the face of natural disasters. - The Nation/ANN
