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- Slovak Prime Minister in Life-Threatening Condition After Being Shot, His Facebook Profile Says
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
The post Slovak Prime Minister in Life-Threatening Condition After Being Shot, His Facebook Profile Says appeared first on Khaosod English.
PRAGUE (AP) — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
The populist, pro-Russian leader, 59, was hit in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the capital where the leader was meeting with supporters, according to reports on TA3, a Slovak TV station. A suspect has been detained, the country’s president said in a televised statement.
A message posted to Fico’s Facebook account said that the leader “has been shot multiple times and is currently in life-threatening condition.”
Bodyguards take Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in a car from the scene after he was shot and injured following the cabinet’s away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Radovan Stoklasa/TASR via AP) It said he was being transported by helicopter to the Banská Bystrica, 29 kilometers (63 miles) away from Handlova because it would take too long to get to Bratislava due to the necessity of an acute procedure.
“The next few hours will decide,” it said.
Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a political rival of Fico, said in a televised statement: “A physical attack on the Prime Minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy. Any violence is unacceptable. The hateful rhetoric we’ve been witnessing in society leads to hateful actions. Please, let’s stop it.”
President-elect Peter Pellegrini, an ally of Fico, called the assassination “an unprecedented threat to Slovak democracy. If we express other political opinions with pistols in squares, and not in polling stations, we are jeopardizing everything that we have built together over 31 years of Slovak sovereignty.”
FILE – Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico arrives to a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Media reports say on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) There were reactions of shock from across Europe, and some were calling it an attempted assassination of the leader in the NATO state, although no motive for the shooting was immediately apparent.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg posted on the social media platform X that he was “shocked and appalled by the shooting.”
The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks ahead of crucial European Parliament elections, in which populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc appear poised to make gains.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of Slovakia’s Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency said.
Slovakia’s major opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television.
Police arrest a man after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and injured following the cabinet’s away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Radovan Stoklasa/TASR via AP) “We absolutely and strongly condemn violence and today’s shooting of Premier Robert Fico,” said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time we call on all politicians to refrain from any expressions and steps which could contribute to further increasing the tension.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” attack on the premier.
“I’m shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia’s Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Critics worried Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country’s pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico’s policies.
Condemnations of political violence quickly came from leaders across Europe.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking,” adding “I wish the premier to get well soon. We cannot tolerate violence, there’s no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia till 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”
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15 May 15 2024Internationalhttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=1464907927 - Lawrence Wong Sworn In As Singapore’s Fourth PM, As Lee Hsien Loong Bows Out After 20 Years
Singapore’s deputy leader Lawrence Wong was sworn in Wednesday as the nation’s fourth prime minister in a carefully planned political succession
The post Lawrence Wong Sworn In As Singapore’s Fourth PM, As Lee Hsien Loong Bows Out After 20 Years appeared first on Khaosod English.
EILEEN NG – Singapore’s deputy leader Lawrence Wong was sworn in Wednesday as the nation’s fourth prime minister in a carefully planned political succession designed to ensure continuity and stability in the Asian financial hub.
A U.S.-trained economist, Wong, 51, succeeds Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who stepped down after two decades at the helm. Lee’s departure marked the end of a family dynasty led by his father Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first leader who built the colonial trading outpost into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office.
Wong took his oath of office in a televised ceremony at the national palace.
The leadership transition has been meticulously crafted by the People’s Action Party, one of the world’s longest-serving political parties and known for its clean and effective governance, and will not change the dynamics in the tiny nation of some 6 million people.
Wong, a civil servant turned politician, came to prominence while coordinating Singapore’s successful fight against COVID-19. But he wasn’t the first choice for the top job.
In this photo released by Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, right, walk with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Istana in Singapore, Monday, May 13, 2024. (Mohd Fyrol/Ministry of Communications and Information via AP) Heng Swee Keat, a former central bank chief and education minister, was the anointed successor but he withdrew his nomination in 2021. Wong was then picked by the People’s Action Party in 2022 to fill the vacuum and quickly promoted to deputy prime minister.
“I will certainly strive to be a leader who is strong, kind and decisive. And I will do my best to build a Singapore where everyone can realize their full potential,” Wong said on social media earlier this month.
Wong has retained the Cabinet and held onto his finance portfolio as he prepares for his first big test in general elections due by 2025, but widely expected to be called this year. Before taking office, he promoted Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong as one of two deputy premiers. The other deputy is Heng.
Lee will stay on as a senior minister, a path taken by all former premiers.
While victory in the election is assured, Wong must clinch a stronger win after the PAP suffered a setback in 2020 polls over voters’ rising discontent with the government.
Singapore under Lee’s rule flourished into one of the world’s wealthiest nations, but it also became one of the most expensive cities to live in. The PAP has also been criticized for tight government control and a government-knows-best stance, media censorship and the use of oppressive laws against dissidents.
FILE – Britain’s Prince William, left, and Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Lawrence Wong visit the Central Catchment Nature Reserve of Singapore on Nov. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File) Issues like widening income disparity, increasingly unaffordable housing, overcrowding caused by immigration and restrictions on free speech are often used as fodder by the opposition and have loosened the PAP’s grip on power.
“One-party dominance in Singapore is weakening but the challenge for the PAP leadership is to slow down the process,” said Eugene Tan, a law professor at Singapore Management University.
Wong was born seven years after Singapore separated from Malaysia and gained independence in 1965. His father was a migrant from China and his mother was a teacher. Unlike many senior PAP leaders, he didn’t have a privileged background. Observers have said this could help him connect better with the common citizen.
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15 May 15 2024ASEANhttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=1464907914 - PM Suggests “Petch-Hua Hin” Name for Airport Development to Attract Tourists
Srettha Thavisin, the Prime Minister, proposed the idea of developing Hua Hin Airport in Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
The post PM Suggests “Petch-Hua Hin” Name for Airport Development to Attract Tourists appeared first on Khaosod English.
BANGKOK – Srettha Thavisin, the Prime Minister, proposed the idea of developing Hua Hin Airport in Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, to accommodate international flights. The plan is to attract additional passengers from the nearby Phetchaburi Province, which has potential for cultural and food tourism, apart from the beautiful Cha-am Beach.
“I have an idea that is not yet final, so I would like to propose that everyone try to think about it. If we expand this airport by combining it with Phetchaburi Province, we can change the name of this airport to Petch-Hua Hin or something else,” Srettha said. (Note: “Phet” in Thai also means “diamond”.)
He surveyed the airport along with Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Minister of Transport; Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports; and Surapong Piyachote, Deputy Minister of Transport, during the official Cabinet meeting held outside Bangkok in Phetchaburi Province on May 13-14.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin explained a plan to upgrade Hua Hin Airport. Hua Hin Airport, under the Department of Airports, Ministry of Transport, has a total area of 492 rai (around 78.72 hectares or 194.57 acres). It has a two-story passenger terminal building with an area of 7,200 square metres, capable of accommodating 300 passengers per hour, and an aircraft parking area of 11,000 square metres.
Currently, the airport can accommodate approximately three Airbus A320 aircraft and is also the location of the Civil Aviation Training Center, the Civil Aviation Institute, and the Hua Hin Royal Rainmaking Center, which oversees the upper southern region. Currently, the only airline operating at the airport is Thai AirAsia, with a daily Hua Hin-Chiang Mai flight.
Prime Minister Srettha said that Hua Hin Airport has potential but is not yet fully utilized. Currently, the runway and aviation safety zones are being expanded to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards to accommodate international flights.
Inside the Hua Hin airport The project is expected to be completed within two years, but he has instructed the Ministry of Transport to shorten the timeline to be completed within one and a half years to be ready by the fourth quarter of next year, which is the peak tourism season.
He stated that Hua Hin-Cha-am has many hotels and golf courses that can accommodate international tourists for business, tourism, and conferences. Currently, there is only one flight per day, and in the past, it only operated three days a week.
When inquiring with the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, he was informed that if the airport expands to accommodate more tourists, there will also be an influx from Hat Yai. This aligns with the government’s policy to encourage tourists, meaning that if they come to Hat Yai or from Malaysia, they can also visit Hua Hin or Phetchaburi, extending their stay in the country.
Hua Hin attracts a lot of foreign tourists. Previously, the Department of Airports had developed Hua Hin Airport by improving and expanding the runway to a standard length of 2,100 metres and a width of 60 metres, including shoulders, allowing it to accommodate Airbus A320 aircraft.
Currently, the plan to upgrade safety standards in the area surrounding the airport is underway, with the construction of a road tunnel and the expansion of the safety zone around the runway at the car and train tunnels from 40 metres to 60 metres, and the safety zone at the end of the runway at the train tunnel to a width of 90 metres, in accordance with the standards of ICAO.
The second bidding process has already been announced. If the plan is completed, Hua Hin Airport will have the potential to accommodate international flights in compliance with international safety standards, positively impacting transportation and economic development in the area.
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15 May 15 2024Travel&Tourismhttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=1464907906 - Thailand-Taiwan Seize 40 Bars of Heroin Hidden in Ice Shaving Machines
On May 15, officials from the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau, together with Mr. Tung Yu-Kuang from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB), announced the seizure of 14.8 kilograms (40 bars) of heroin hidden in 2 ice shaving machines, prepared to be shipped to Taiwan.
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BANGKOK – The problem of drug trafficking by transnational criminal networks using Thailand as a transit point to third countries continues to be found, via international parcel delivery, air cargo, and sea freight.
On May 15, officials from the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau, together with Mr. Tung Yu-Kuang from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB), announced the seizure of 14.8 kilograms (40 bars) of heroin hidden in 2 ice shaving machines, prepared to be shipped to Taiwan.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurath Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said that the heroin was concealed in two ice shaving machines (58 x 48 x 71 cm) with medium-sized iron boxes inside to hide the drugs, ready to be sent to Taiwan via air cargo (shipping cost: 22,000 baht).
The arrest stemmed from an expanded investigation following a previous bust on April 25, where the ONCB, in collaboration with the Seaport Interdiction Task Force (SITF), seized 320 kilograms of ketamine hidden in a steel robot base, destined for Taiwan via sea cargo.
One suspect was arrested. The ONCB then closely coordinated with the MJIB until May 14, when they received information that individuals in a drug network were preparing to send drugs to Taiwan. They inspected a suspected shipping company office in Bangkok.
The 14.8 kilograms of heroin seized this time, if smuggled and sold in Taiwan, would have a total retail price of approximately 100 million baht, 8-10 times higher than the price in Thailand. Authorities will gather evidence to prosecute those involved.
The 14.8 kilograms (40 bars) of heroin hidden in 2 ice shaving machines, prepared to be shipped to Taiwan. In fiscal year 2024 (Oct. 2023 – present), under the cooperation project with the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), there were 80 cases of arrests/seizures, 74 suspects, and seizures of 24,311 yaba pills, 43.20 kilograms of ice, 63.76 kilograms of heroin, 33.86 kilograms of cocaine, 3.2 kilograms of ketamine, and 14 ecstasy pills. The main export destinations were Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia, and South Korea.
The ONCB, therefore, emphasizes cooperation with AITF and SITF, which are frontline operational units in intercepting drugs entering the interior and being exported to third countries. This time, they thanked the MJIB for their cooperation.
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Related article: Thailand, Australia and Taiwan Seize 320 KG of Ketamine Hidden in Robot Bases
The Seaport Interdiction Task Force discovered 320 kilograms of ketamine hidden in the bases of the robots. The post Thailand-Taiwan Seize 40 Bars of Heroin Hidden in Ice Shaving Machines appeared first on Khaosod English.
15 May 15 2024Crimehttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=1464907896 - Phuket Police Catch A Swedish-Russian Extorting Suspect On Time
Phuket Immigration caught a Swedish-Russian man who robbed and extorted money from Russian woman, at the airport when he was about to leaving.
The post Phuket Police Catch A Swedish-Russian Extorting Suspect On Time appeared first on Khaosod English.
PHUKET – Phuket Immigration caught a Swedish-Russian man who robbed and extorted money from Russian woman, at the airport when he was about to leaving.
On May 15, Pol. Lt. Gen. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, revealed that Mr. Oleksandr, a 25-year-old Swedish and Russian national, suspected of robbery, was arrested by immigration police at Phuket International Airport and handed over to the interrogators at Chalong Police Station for prosecution.
Mr. Oleksandr is a suspect in a case where Ms. Diera, a 23-year-old Russian national, filed a complaint with the Chalong Police. She stated that on May 8 at 11:00 p.m., she arranged to meet Mr. Oleksandr through the Telegram application at a villa in Chalong subdistrict, Mueang district, Phuket province, to exchange 25,000 baht in cash for 700 US dollars worth of cryptocurrency.
While they were talking at the meeting place, another suspect, a Russian man, walked in without Ms. Diera being aware. Then, that man helped Mr. Oleksandr grab Ms. Diera, locked her, put a bag over her head, tied her arms and legs, and seized her phone while forcing her to transfer more money. When she said she had no money left, Mr. Oleksandr slapped her face until she told him her phone password.
Ms. Diera, a 23-year-old Russian woman, points at the scene where she was put in a bag over her head, tied, and extorted money. Later, when the Swedish-Russian suspect found that Ms. Diera really had no money left in her online account as she said, he forced her to contact a friend who was staying in a nearby room to bring the cash from her room.
The Russian man and Mr. Oleksandr then stole 2,000 US dollars and an additional 6,000 baht from Ms. Diera, totaling 104,546 baht. After they released her, she quickly filed a complaint with the police officers at Chalong Police Station to prosecute the two men.
Later, Chalong Police informed Phuket Immigration Police, and while Mr. Oleksandr was about to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, immigration officers found his name on a watchlist and arrested him immediately on charges of jointly robbing others at night.
As the other suspect has already fled the country, officials will gather evidence and present it to interrogators in order to request that the Phuket Provincial Court issue an arrest warrant and pursue him for further legal action.
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15 May 15 2024Crimehttps://www.khaosodenglish.com/?p=1464907883