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Qatar Tribune
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister says there won't be talks with Seoul
dpa Seoul The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday said Pyongyang would not hold talks with the government of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, according to a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the ruling Worker's Party's central committee, said Pyongyang had no interest in engaging with the government of Lee, who took office last month vowing to ease tensions and restart inter-Korean dialogue. 'We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither the reason to meet nor the issue to be discussed with the ROK,' Kim Yo Jong said. Relations between North and South Korea 'have irreversibly gone beyond the time zone of the concept of homogeneous,' Kim Yo Jong added. The comments are North Korea's first official response to the new South Korean government, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. Since taking office, Lee has taken several steps aimed at easing tensions with North Korea, including dismantling loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda across the border, marking a shift from his predecessor's hard-line stance. Kim Yo Jong, however, criticized Lee's close alignment with the United States, saying authorities in Seoul's 'blind trust' in Washington 'and their attempt to stand in confrontation' with North Korea 'are little short of their predecessor's.' His powerful sister also dismissed a proposal to invite Kim Jong Un to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in October as a 'daydream.'
Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Cork councillors vote to consider renaming Bishop Lucey Park after major revamp
Ireland has become a "cold place for Christians and Catholics", a Fianna Fáil councillor said as Cork city councillors voted to consider a renaming process for Bishop Lucey Park which is undergoing a multi-million revamp. They voted 17-11 on Monday night to approve a Section 140 motion submitted by Worker's Party Cllr Ted Tynan, Green Party Cllr Oliver Moran, and Social Democrats Cllr Niamh O'Connor, calling for the renaming process. Earlier this year, Mr Tynan said much of the documented clerical abuse, sexual, physical, or psychological, occurred during Bishop Lucey's time, both as a serving priest and as bishop of the Diocese of Cork and Ross from his appointment in 1952 until his retirement in 1980. Fianna Fáil Cllr Terry Shannon objected to the move, criticising what he described as 'this headlong rush to change for what many people are the old certainties'. He said people like him respect the 'new certainties and new ideas,' but he said that this isn't being reciprocated. 'There is an attempt now to rewrite history in this country,' he said. 'We see a lot of the old certainties now for an awful lot of people being shoved to one side. This country is becoming a cold place for Christians and Catholics. 'Will we take Fr Mathew down off his statue? Will we rename St Patrick's St, Pope's Quay? Where will it end?' Bishop Lucey Park under re-development by Cork City Council. Picture: Larry Cummins The church has a lot to answer for, but it was just one part of society, he said, pointing out that Bishop Lucey introduced the credit union system to Cork. "It wasn't all bad,' he said. Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy, a historian, said the redevelopment of the park will create new stories, new memories, and symbols, and the revamp presents an opportunity. 'It will be a new public space and park, and it is timely, 40 years on. And there is precedent in this city to replace street and placenames,' he said. Bishop Lucey became Bishop of Cork in 1952, with the diocese of Ross added six years later. He built five new churches named after the five Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary in the city's rapidly developing suburbs, and went on to oversee the foundation of 13 churches during his time as bishop. He founded the St Anne's Adoption Society in 1954 and started the Cork diocesan mission to Peru in the mid-1960s. He died in 1982 and the park was named in his honour when it opened in 1985 as part of the Cork 800 celebrations. Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy, a historian, said the redevelopment of the park will create new stories, new memories, and symbols, and the revamp presents an opportunity. Picture Denis Minihane. Cllr O'Connor said this is not a matter of 'renaming' a park – it's a new park deserving of a new name. 'When the new park opens, it will bear absolutely no resemblance to the park that was there previously," she said. "A new park presents a unique opportunity to choose a name that reflects what we value as a city." The park has been closed since December 2023 for the revamp, which is on course to be completed by November. Read More Cork City councillors retain plan for new bridge despite warnings it will limit use of the Lee
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: A small price for the greater good
The threat to the post office network seems existential. But shouldn't a nation that's tied so much of its identity with parishes and villages be doing more to save them? The postmasters have argued that additional services could safeguard the system. They say the 960-strong network needs €15m a year of support over the next five years. That's about €15,600 per post office. That's just over half the annual salary of somebody earning minimum wage and working a 40-hour week. Grant Thornton's report suggests post offices are worth between €344m and €776m in economic and social good to the country. It seems a small price to pay for social good. Some post offices are integrated into other businesses such as shops and supermarkets, and the closure of one naturally brings on an existential crisis for the other. There have been plenty of stories about the hollowing out of communities following the closure of a post office, and it does make sense. If people have to travel to do their post-related business, then they're more likely to do their non-post business nearby. It's just natural. Things fall apart, the village centre cannot hold. And if the village centre goes, then what's the point in developing housing or other services in the locality? It's a potentially vicious cycle. Yes, there has been a decline in sending letters, and the cost of postage increases. And yes, there is no shortage of courier services delivering online purchases. But for all the digital advances in the world, there is still an important place for the brick and mortar services best exemplified by the post office. Not everybody is able to access digital services, and not everybody is able to use them anyway. So they need a place to go for claiming pensions or other vital things. It may not seem sexy, and it's not something that can have 'AI' slapped on the branding for upselling, but it's the truth. People only miss these things when they're gone — and when they're gone, they don't come back. Innocent citizens not to blame The murder of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington DC was a heinous act that must be condemned. The man arrested at the scene, Elias Rodriguez, chanted 'free Palestine' after being taken into custody, but that does not make it some sort of noble political act. The shooter was on no watchlist, and had no criminal record, although he had previously been associated with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which has advocated in favour of Palestinians. The group, which is non-violent and supports the Worker's Party of North Korea and endorsed the Russian annexation of Crimea, says he has had no ties to them since 2017. What happened was brutish thuggery, cold-blooded, and callous. For all the faults of Israel as a state, its actions should not be visited on its citizens. No citizen of any country should face violence because of the actions of their rulers, much like the ordinary people of Gaza should not be starving because of something Hamas did. Indeed, one of the slain couple, Sarah Milgrim, was known for her volunteer work to support dialogue between young Israelis and Palestinians. Advocacy group Tech2Peace said she 'brought people together with empathy and purpose' and that 'her dedication to building a better future was evident in everything she did'. As part of her master's, she did a special project on how friendships and personal connections could contribute to peace. Ms Milgrim's boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, a German-Israeli also murdered at the museum, had described himself online as interested in: 'Expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbours and pursuing regional co-operation is in the best interest of the state of Israel and the Middle East as a whole. To this end, I advocate for interfaith dialogue and intercultural understanding." These are hardly warmongering demagogues. If anything, they seem rather more like the kind of people the world could do with more of. In the wake of the murders, Israel politicians have tried to put the blame on 'anti-Israel incitement' by European governments, which makes no sense whatsoever given that there is no indication the shooter was in any way influenced by a foreign country. Antisemitism has been on the rise since the beginning of the Gaza war, sometimes wrapped in the fake garb of responding to the Israeli state's actions. However, as antisemitism has increased so has anti-Palestinian sentiment in the US, which has seen, for instance, a pro-Israeli group assaulting people in New York while chanting 'death to Arabs'. Prejudice has always tried to hide itself as something other than the pond-scum behaviour that it really is. Whether we will ever get to the bridging place Ms Milgrim and Mr Lischinsky tried to work toward remains to be seen. But what is certain is that there is no place for violence in politics, and that individuals should not be singled out for grievances against their countries. Penalty for racist abuse With racial hate having no place in any world that aspires to be modern or civilised, it is heartening that the Spanish courts have handed down suspended sentences for the abuse of Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior. The player has been the subject of ongoing racist vitriol, including online campaigns, which the Brazilian has fought hard. There have been several convictions previously related to such abuse in stadiums, but the landmark aspect of this one, which concerns a match in December 2022, is that rather than treating the offences as something related to moral conduct, they are treated as a hate crime. He is not the first player to face racism on the pitch in Spain, and it would be optimistic in the extreme to say that the problem will be solved imminently. Still, every victory against hate should be welcomed, as society moves forward, one dribble at a time. Read More Irish Examiner view: Everyone can be an enemy in a warzone
Business Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore's STI little changed in early trade on Monday after PAP win at GE2025
[SINGAPORE] Singapore shares were little changed in early trade the first trading day after the country's election wrapped up. As at 9.28am, the Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.09 per cent, or 3.36 points higher at 3,841.79, on the first trading day after elections. Across the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers 107 to 79 after 79.8 million securities worth S$134 million changed hands. On Saturday (May 3), Singaporeans went to the polls and gave the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) an overall share of 65.57 per cent of the votes in GE20205, a stronger show of support than the party's 2020 results of 61.24 per cent. The de facto opposition party, Worker's Party, retained its existing seats, but made no gains. Market watchers had said the result was likely to have limited impact on the stock market, with the election result offering a welcome signal for investors who value political stability. In a Monday report, Citi said the PAP's higher vote share marks a return to its traditional 'safe haven' appeal during uncertain times. 'The moderate main opposition, Worker's Party (WP) successfully defended its 10 parliamentary seats, which should allay any potential concerns about a lurch towards populism and attendant fiscal risks,' said the bank. Despite continued countercyclical accommodative macroeconomic policy mix regardless of the election results, the analysts noted that the stronger mandate secured by the ruling party would likely cement continuity of current government policies.
CNA
24-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: This concerned parent's search for answers got her to this election as WP's Punggol GRC candidate
If I had to sum up 43-year-old Siti Alia Mattar Abdul Rahim Mattar in one sentence, it would be this: She's a mother through and through. Enter her home and you'll find her children's pictures decorating the walls and a bookshelf mostly filled with books for teenagers and children. The living room in her executive flat in Tampines has two large couches, perfect for hosting large families and for children to play around. Then there's Ms Alia herself, with her warm and nurturing air, regularly bringing up her children throughout our 90-minute conversation, which started off with me noticing in shock that she had come armed with a printed copy of the Worker's Party (WP) 122-page manifesto. "I prefer it on paper, I'm old-school," the lawyer said, adding that her personality type is ISTJ. It is one of 16 personality types under the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which supposedly means that she is someone who is organised and highly structured, quite apt for a full-time working mother who also runs a three-children household. So it came as no surprise to learn that her children were the catalyst that led to her becoming a Workers' Party (WP) candidate for Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in this election. "I'm excited to be in Punggol with a strong team," she told me after finishing her maiden speech at a WP rally in Sengkang on Thursday (Apr 24) night. "We hope the residents of Punggol see the good work that our party has put in for constituencies like Sengkang, Hougang and Aljunied, and see that the party has a proven track record there that we intend to take over to Punggol if elected." She was too tired to speak more, off from the high of rallying thousands in the crowd and hundreds of thousands more online to vote for her and the party. Alongside fellow new faces – Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh, Ms Alexis Dang and Mr Jackson Au – she will be contesting against the other four-member team from the People's Action Party (PAP) comprising Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling, as well as Ms Yeo Wan Ling. GETTING INTO POLITICS Ms Alia's venture into politics started fairly recently in early 2024. She told me earlier on Monday that it all began when her daughter told her about a Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lesson in school where the war in Gaza was the topic. As her 12-year-old daughter reported what she had learnt, Ms Alia became increasingly concerned about what she was hearing – not only did she find the lesson materials to be objectionable, she was also alarmed that parents had not been told beforehand that their children would be learning about such a sensitive topic in school. "I thought that the topic was sensitive enough, equivalent to like sexuality education, where parents are allowed to opt out for their children," Ms Alia said. She then approached the school and her MP at a Meet-The-People Session to raise her concerns about the matter. "I asked my MP, 'Can you bring it up in parliament?' And the response that he gave was not convincing to me," she said. So, she decided to head to then Aljunied GRC MP Faisal Manap's Meet-The-People Session. After that, she heard that the WP MPs had raised the matter in parliament. The CCE lesson had sparked a debate online over what schools are teaching students about the conflict in Gaza. Eventually, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing addressed the matter in parliament on Mar 4 last year. In the speech, Mr Chan said that the lesson was to help students understand what is going on, express their own views and manage their own emotions; appreciate diverse perspectives sensitively and respectfully; discern information from different sources, and play their part to support racial harmony and social cohesion. He added that the lesson does not tell students whether any party is good or evil, does not impose any particular perspective or interpretation of events. "It most certainly does not create a wedge between our students' religious beliefs and their national identity. It is also not meant to bring other people's politics into our schools," Mr Chan said then. For Ms Alia, the whole debate left a deep impression, mainly that the WP MPs had been responsive to ground feedback and given people like her a voice in parliament. Soon after, that same month in March, she signed up to be a WP volunteer. "I thought that this is the kind of representation that we need from elected officials." As a volunteer, she spent several days a week doing house visits and helping out at a handful of Meet-The-People Sessions with WP's secretary-general Pritam Singh. Though she has been walking the ground for just less than a year, Ms Alia said that the experience has been eye-opening. "People are welcoming, they are so keen to talk about ... whatever issues they are facing. You realise that there are many issues that are underlying in society that need to be brought up," she said. She added that some common matters raised by residents included concerns about the cost of living, healthcare expenses, as well as housing affordability and availability. With more time spent away from home, it was tough for her children to accept this new reality. She said that her 12-year-old daughter, the youngest of the three, bawled at first. Her other two children are aged 18 and 15. "But I said, 'Look, we've to think beyond ourselves.' And when I go home and I share with them stories, they're very keen to know what's going on," Ms Alia said, adding she was proud of them that they were showing concern for others. And in her relatively short time as a volunteer, Ms Alia's dedication impressed the opposition party enough that the party leaders asked her to become a candidate "not too long ago". She had her doubts at first, but her husband convinced her to take the leap. "When I was first approached, I discussed it first with my husband and he said, 'You can achieve so much more'," she said, adding that she decided to be a candidate after talking to him. "I cannot say that I need more representation in parliament and then just say, 'Okay, no, but not me'. "If I want more representation, then I have to be willing and able to step up and also, you know, offer my services as well." FATHER'S INFLUENCE Ms Alia is the third of four siblings, while her father is one of 12. "I saw my dad looking after his dad, taking turns with his siblings. But towards the end, I could see that my dad spent a lot of time trying to look after his dad," she said. Her father had also taken care of her mother as she battled Parkinson's disease. She died nine years ago. "I would say that my dad – looking at how he was in terms of how well he looked after the people around him – he's shaped a very big part of my life," she said. Now she and her siblings take turns to care for their father, who has several chronic conditions and kidney failure. While caring for her children and father is not something she considers a burden, but rather a joy, she said that more could be done to support people such as herself in the "sandwiched generation". This includes removing the limits on the Central Provident Fund's Medisave account so that senior citizens do not need to pay as much out of pocket for medical treatments – a proposal in WP's manifesto that she hopes to raise in parliament, alongside other proposals. What about the fact, though, that she would have to sacrifice even more family time if she is elected as MP? Without hesitation, she said: "I do know that as an elected official, your constituents will come first. That's something I'll have to think about when we get to that point." "They knows that and they understand that there is a significance to what I want to do, what I'm pursuing," she said, referring to her family. "Nothing good comes without sacrifice." "I'M QUITE A BORING PERSON" Indeed, Ms Alia easily handled all the tough questions I threw her way, until we got to this one: What are your hobbies? "I'm quite a boring person," she said with a laugh. "These days, all I am thinking about are policies and changes, like, what can we do better?" After more probing, I got the sense that she was not one to pick up a leisure activity that did not have a productive purpose. For example, she reads Islamic history books because "reading has to be beyond my immediate pleasures ... it has to be something that is for the long term". She also recently signed up for a gym membership, because she hopes to join a Hyrox competition someday, though she says that day is nowhere near yet. Hyrox is a timed race where participants run and complete functional exercises. When I asked about the highlight of her life so far, she said that it has been watching her children grow. Motherhood aside, what about her own achievements as an individual? Again, Ms Alia struggled to find an answer. Finally, after much thought, she laughed sheepishly and said, "I can't think of anything." Even her GE2025 candidacy fails to be a high point by her standards, she added. "I do feel that stepping up here might not be my highlight, but I'm hoping that it will cause a chain effect where people look and see that the opposition is doing something. We're, you know, making waves.
