New Zealand roiled by flash floods, landslides for third day
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
Heavy rainfall hit New Zealand’s north island again on Sunday, causing landslides, flash floods and knocking out roads, with the death toll rising to four after a person who had been missing was confirmed dead.
Thousands of properties remained without power, while hundreds were without water, authorities said on Sunday and some families were housed in evacuation facilities to ride out the bad weather.
Auckland, New Zealand‘s largest city of 1.6 million people, remained under a state of emergency after it experienced its wettest ever day on Friday (January 27). The nation’s weather forecaster, MetService, warned of more severe weather on Sunday and Monday for the north island. Intense rainfall could also cause surface and flash flooding, it said.
The focus of the emergency has since moved south, with Waitomo District – located about 220 kms (137 miles) from Auckland – declaring a state of emergency late on Saturday.
The system is ‘murdering us’ – Memphis residents protest killing of Tyre Nichols
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
Protesters marched through Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday to demand justice for Tyre Nichols, the Black motorist who died after being beaten by police following a traffic stop on January 7th.
Nichols repeatedly cried, “Mom! Mom!” as the five Memphis police officers now charged with his murder pummeled him with kicks, punches and baton blows, a video released by the city on Friday (January 27) showed.
Protesters chanted, “Whose streets? Our streets!”, “Say his name! Tyre Nichols”, and, at one point, surrounded and catcalled a police car that was monitoring the march.
Nineteen-year-old Memphis resident Trinity Williams said abuses by police made her feel unsafe in her own city.
“It’s supposed to be a system that protects us, that provides safety for us. But instead, it’s killing us, murdering us, innocent lives who just began their adulthood. So this isn’t fair,” she said. “I go around Memphis, scared, every single night, and I shouldn’t be scared.”
Protesters also hailed as a small victory the disbanding announced by the police department on Saturday of the SCORPION unit, the specialized police unit that included at least some of the Memphis officers involved in the fatal beating of Nichols.
But protest organizer Amber Sherman said that is only a first step and other, similar specialized units also need to be eliminated.
“Just by ending that unit, that’s a good move. But then you still have these same task forces that are doing that same terrorism, assaulting people, over criminalizing… the poor and low-income neighbourhoods,” she said.
The video from police body-worn cameras and a camera mounted on a utility pole were posted online a day after the officers were charged with second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and oppression in Nichols’ death.
The officers, all Black, were dismissed from the police department last week. Nichols, 29, was hospitalized and died of his injuries three days after the confrontation in the city where he lived with his mother and stepfather and worked at FedEx.
Towanna Murphy said Tyre Nichols’ killing has resonated with her because she has a son around the same age.
“It’s hard because I have a 29-year-old and to hear a 29-year-old call for his mama. That changes the whole narrative. He didn’t do anything,” she said, holding back tears.
The four video clips released on Friday chronicle an aggressive escalation of violence directed at a motorist who police had initially said they pulled over for reckless driving. The police chief has since said the cause for the stop has not been substantiated.
The beatings appeared to continue far beyond a point where Nichols could pose any threat to police. At one stage, two officers hold him upright as another punches him repeatedly in the face, while other officers on the scene stand by without intervening.
The ordeal captured in the video has transformed Nichols, the father of a 4-year-old, into the latest face of a US racial justice movement galvanized by the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
Nichols’ death marked the latest high-profile instance of police officers accused of using excessive force in the deaths of Black people and other minorities in recent years.
President Joe Biden said he was “outraged” and “deeply pained” after watching the video.
Nichols’ family and Biden appealed for calm in Memphis, a city of 628,000 where nearly 65% of residents are Black.
Protests under the banner of the “Black Lives Matter” movement against racial injustice erupted globally following the May 2020 murder of Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
Funeral held for married couple killed in Jerusalem synagogue shooting
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
A funeral was held for an Israeli husband and wife on Saturday after they were killed in a synagogue attack in Jerusalem.
Eli, 48, and Natali Mizrahi, 45, were among seven Israelis killed by a Palestinian gunman in a synagogue on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Friday (January 27) in an attack that heightened fears of a spiral in bloodshed, a day after the deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank in years.
Police said the gunman arrived at around 8.15 p.m. and opened fire, hitting a number of people before he was killed by police. TV footage showed several victims lying in the road outside the synagogue being tended to by emergency workers.
Friday’s attack outside a synagogue was the deadliest in the Jerusalem area since 2008. The gunman, Khaire Alkam, was a 21-year-old Palestinian from East Jerusalem. Among the dead was a 14-year-old boy, police said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting and Alkam’s father told Reuters his son had no links to militants. He struck in an area that Israel annexed to Jerusalem after capturing it in the 1967 Middle East war in a move not recognised internationally.
Shimon Israel, 56, who lives nearby, said his family were starting their Sabbath dinner when they heard shooting and screaming. He opened the window and saw his neighbour running along the street to get the police.
“I told him ‘Eli, don’t go there. Eli don’t go.’ He got married only a year ago. A good neighbour, like a brother. He ran. I saw him fall there,” Israel told Reuters.
“Natali, his wife, ran after him. She saw someone here and was trying to resuscitate him. The terrorist came and shot her from behind and got her too,” he said.
According to Israeli Media, Eli and Natali were married just two years ago.
Friday’s shooting, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, was condemned by the White House and UN Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterres, who urged “utmost restraint”. It came days before a planned visit by US Secretary of StateAntony Blinken to Israel and the West Bank.
Spectacular reservoir will remain a top spot to cool off during the hot season
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
The Royal Irrigation Department on Sunday assured local residents and tourists that a popular destination near Bangkok, the Bang Phra Reservoir in Chonburi, will not run dry during the hot season.
The massive reservoir set amidst forests and rolling hills will remain at full capacity so visitors can cool off during the hot season, said Prapit Chanma, director-general of the department. The hot season has already begun in eastern Thailand, he added.
The department has worked with the Provincial Waterworks Authority and the Eastern Water Resources Development and Management agency to refill the reservoir in Si Racha district to its full capacity, Prapit said.
A number of large tourist facilities and industrial estates depend on water from the reservoir. As a result, the department has been working closely with its two partner agencies to maintain the reservoir’s level to ensure visitors can continue to use it.
After its level dropped to 112 million cubic metres in early October, the three agencies joined forces to begin diverting water into the reservoir from the Chayanuchit Canal and Bang Pakong River on November 1. It has recently been back to its full capacity, the department chief added.
“The Royal Irrigation Department would like to assure Chonburi residents that they will have plenty of water for use during the dry season. The Bang Phra Reservoir is full,” Prapit said.
The department expropriated land around the reservoir in 1972. It was built in 1975 and can hold 117 million cubic metres of water.
As the area around the reservoir became more fertile, it drew more wildlife, including deer, civets, slow lorises, and fishing cats. More than 130 species of birds now live in the area.
The reservoir rises as much as 35 metres above sea level. Its vast size, green embankments and surrounding hills provide spectacular views. The site is only an hour-and-a-half drive from Bangkok, making it a popular day trip for the capital’s residents. Many local residents visit daily for jogging, swimming and relaxation.
Voters see no difference between Prayut, Prawit as next PM
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
A recent opinion poll shows that voters see no difference between Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy, General Prawit Wongsuwan, as PM candidates.
However, the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), which conducted the poll, did not ask if the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), led by Prawit, or the United Thai Nation Party (UTNP), which is fielding Prayut, will win the election.
The poll did not offer respondents choices comparing the two parties either.
Instead, the Nida Poll only posed an open-ended question, asking the 1,310 respondents what they felt about the competition between Prawit and Prayut. The poll was conducted over the telephone from January 23 to 25, and respondents could choose more than one answer. The responses were:
• 46.56%: No difference between Prawit and Prayut as they just competing politically
• 28.93%: There are no permanent foes or friends in politics
• 20.53%: Competition adds colour to democracy
• 12.52%: Prayut will have more freedom in making political decisions and running the country
• 10.76%: Despite the competition, the two parties will win fewer MP seats than they won in 2019
• 9.01%: There is an unmendable political rift between Prawit and Prayut
• 8.78%: Prawit and the PPRP will be freer and will join any camp to form a coalition after the election
• 6.56%: The two parties will win more House seats combined compared to the 2019 election
• 6.34%: Prayut supporters who do not like PPRP will come out in force to support the PM
• 3.05%: No comment.
When asked if they think Prayut and Prawit will join hands to form a coalition, the responses were:
Prayut boasts of his achievements as he starts campaigning for votes
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
Speaking for the first time as a member of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand will improve further over the next two years under his auspices.
In his campaign speech in Chumphon on Saturday, Prayut also said he will not forget his promise to do his best for the country.
“If we do not continue paving the road, we will not arrive at our destination,” he said, adding that he decided to join UTN because he believes in the party’s ideology.
Prayut also listed his government’s achievements, saying it has done more for the country than its predecessors, especially in improving infrastructure and tackling floods.
“We are building the jigsaw puzzle of your country,” he said, adding that he has been paying attention to all sectors.
He also promised to keep the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) subsidy scheme and the state welfare card alive if he returns as premier.
He also said the double-track railway to Chumphon should be ready within this year.
In addition, Prayut highlighted the work his government has done in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and its achievement in restoring ties with Saudi Arabia, which had been strained for more than 30 years.
Now, he said, foreign investments are pouring in.
“We must help each other to build up our country,” he added.
Upon wrapping up the campaign, Prayut said he was excited but admitted that he had to be careful because as premier, everybody was keeping an eye on him.
He added that he loves everybody and that UTC will soon announce its next campaign destination. He also said the has no plans to dissolve the Parliament and that it will end is tenure on March 23 and make way for the May 7 general election.
Chiang Mai beats Singapore as safest city in Southeast Asia
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand was named Southeast Asia’s safest city and the 32nd safest among 416 cities across the world.
According to the Numbeo website, Chiang Mai won 75.5 points for safety in Southeast Asia, followed by Davao in the Philippines (72.4) and Singapore (70.8).
United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi was named the safest city in the world with 88.8 points, followed by Qatar capital Doha (85.5) and Taiwanese capital Taipei (84.9).
Bangkok, meanwhile, came in 170th globally and 7th in Southeast Asia with 59.5 points.
“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has thanked all related agencies for ensuring safety among people,” government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said.
He added that this ranking also reflects the government’s efforts in dealing with crimes, improving people’s lives and boosting confidence among foreigners.
Numbeo is the world’s largest database providing indicators on housing, crime rates, healthcare, transportation, cost of living, etc.
Tennis player wanted over fatal road accident quits Thai national team
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
A 16-year-old tennis player, who faces charges over a fatal road accident, has given up his chance of joining the Thailand national team.
The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) posted the player’s resignation letter on Facebook.
The letter, addressed to the association’s president, said the player wanted to resign as member of the national team.
The player also asked LTAT to find a replacement but did not specify the reason behind his decision to quit.
The LTAT Facebook post viral, drawing 10,000 reactions and 3,100 shares as of Sunday morning.
The resignation comes after many netizens aired their dissatisfaction with LTAT for choosing a tennis player who is wanted for killing a 24-year-old man in a road accident in Nakhon Ratchasima on October 1 last year.
Many netizens also pointed out that it was not fair to let the tennis player lead a normal life when another family grieves the loss of their son.
Legal action is being taken, while the tennis player’s family has already provided compensation to the victim’s family.
Swede dies in motorbike crash just 5 days after meeting Thai girlfriend
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
A 50-year-old Swedish national died immediately after his motorcycle overshot a curve in Roi Et’s Suwannaphum district on Saturday, just five days after he met his Thai girlfriend.
Police, medical staff and rescuers rushed to the scene on Suwannaphum-Ban Dong Mai Road where the body of the Swede, identified only as Stefan, was found.
Police believe the accident occurred because the victim was speeding and possibly lost control at the curve, fell into a roadside ditch and hit his head on a concrete pipe.
His body has been taken for an autopsy with legal procedures to follow, the police added.
Meanwhile, the Swede’s girlfriend Veeranuch Buthinkong, 27, said they had been speaking over social media for the past two years before Stefan flew to Thailand for the first time five days ago.
“After lunch, Stefan said he wanted to go on a ride and take photographs, so I warned him to be careful,” she said.
Stefan died some 6 kilometres from the village, she added.
As the area around the reservoir became more fertile, it drew more wildlife, including deer, civets, slow lorises, and fishing cats. More than 130 species of birds now live in the area.
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