Skip to main content

French teen fined in Singapore 'straw licking' case

A French teenager was fined in Singapore on Thursday after pleading guilty to a public nuisance charge for a straw-licking stunt that landed him in hot water in the city state. Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was handed a Sg$600 ($465) fine after admitting to posting to social media a video of himself putting a straw he had licked back into the dispenser on an orange juice vending machine. The clip went viral on Instagram shortly after the incident on March 12, triggering a backlash that led to his arrest in Singapore, which is known for its strict enforcement of public order and hygiene rules. Handing down the sentence, Judge Kelly Ho said given Maximilien's "age and nature of the offence", alternatives like probation or a community-based sentence would not be imposed. Prosecutors agreed to the defence's proposal for a fine, saying the offence was at the "lower end" of its seriousness and while hygiene was compromised, no member of the public u...
Post a Comment

Japan rejects 'new militarism', accuses China of rapidly arming

Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Sunday rejected accusations of "new militarism" by Tokyo and criticised China for rapidly expanding its military with little transparency, underscoring mounting tensions between the two countries. China continues to increase its defence spending at a high level, Koizumi said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, adding: "China's external approach and military activities are matters of serious concern for Japan and the international community at the same time." Rebutting criticism that Japan was embracing new militarism, he said: "Think about it. There's a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons, and yet Japan is labelled 'new militarism'?" Koizumi said Japan's record since World War 2 "speaks for itself", citing its adherence to international law and commitment to the United Nations Charter, alongside efforts to uphold a "free and open international order." Read: Pentagon chief sounds 'alarm' over China's buildup, urges allies to boost defence spend In May, China's foreign ministry called on Asia-Pacific countries to be vigilant and "jointly resist the reckless actions of Japan's neo-militarism". At the Singapore forum, Chinese delegate Major General Meng Xiangqing also criticised Japan. "I deeply doubt whether a country that has not thoroughly eradicated the toxic legacy of militarism is qualified to talk extensively about defence cooperation on international occasions, and whether it can win the trust of the international community, especially the Asian countries it once invaded," he said. Ties between Japan and China sank to their worst level in years after ​Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a Japanese military response. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, over the objections of Taipei's government. Koizumi said he was "sad" he could not meet his Chinese counterpart at the dialogue, Asia's premier defence forum, but insisted Japan remains open to engagement. "We keep the door open," he said, reaffirming Japan's commitment to dialogue with China and other regional players to foster stability. Read More: 'Militarist' Japan becomes Washington's front line in East Asia For the second year running, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has given the ‌free-wheeling Singapore security meeting a miss, skipping opportunities to meet his counterparts. Koizumi said Japan is "determined" to play a new role in defence equipment cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and aims to tangibly strengthen deterrence in the region. "We seek a region that can stand against coercion. We seek a region that is not misled by falsehoods. We seek a region that is not influenced by pressure," he said. In April, Tokyo unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/kEPfLTD
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Arab countries, Pakistan likely to observe Eid on same day

The International Astronomy Centre confirmed on Wednesday that the crescent moon of Shawwal will be impossible to sight on Saturday, March 29, across all regions of the Arab and Islamic world. This is due to the moon setting before the sun, with the conjunction occurring after sunset. As a result, observing the crescent moon, whether by the naked eye, telescopes, or other means, will be unfeasible on March 29. For countries requiring an actual sighting to mark the start of Shawwal, Ramadan will likely extend to 30 days, with Eid Al Fitr falling on Monday, March 31. However, in some regions where the conjunction occurs before sunset, allowing the moon to set after sunset, some countries may choose to declare Eid on Sunday, March 30, following traditional moon-sighting practices. Notably, a partial solar eclipse will be visible at noon on Saturday in parts of the western Arab world, including Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. This event serves as definitive proof that the cresce...
Post a Comment
Read more