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Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Straits Times
Thousands evacuate as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox At least 28 people have been treated for minor injuries. TAIPEI - Nearly 3,000 people in Taiwan evacuated their homes on July 6, authorities said, as Typhoon Danas dumped torrential rain on the island, triggering floods and landslides. Packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 137kmh, Danas is expected to sweep northwards along Taiwan's west coast overnight, the Central Weather Administration said in an advisory. At least 28 people have been treated for minor injuries, according to the National Fire Agency. Danas dumped more than 500mm of rain across southern Taiwan over the weekend, the weather agency said, warning of heavy to torrential rain across the rest of the island as the typhoon moves north. 'Tonight through tomorrow morning will see the strongest wind and rain impacts,' the weather agency said. Most of the 2,853 people evacuated from their homes were in mountainous areas around the southern port city of Kaohsiung, the National Fire Agency said. At least 10 landslides were recorded and 49 areas flooded, but the water has since receded, it added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds Taiwan is accustomed to frequent tropical storms from July to October. AFP
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Straits Times
Escaped lion shot dead in Turkey after attacking worker
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox ISTANBUL - A lion that escaped a theme park near the Turkish resort of Antalya was shot dead on July 6 after attacking a man, the local governor and media reports said. The lion, reportedly named Zeus, escaped his enclosure at the Land of Lions animal theme park in Manavgat, some 60km west of Antalya in the early hours of the morning, the local governor said in a statement. According to BirGun newspaper, the lion then attacked agricultural worker Suleiman Kir, who was asleep in a pistachio field with his wife. Mr Kir then tussled with the lion before it ran off. He was injured but not badly and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 'We were covered with blankets to protect ourselves from mosquitoes and when the prayer call sounded, I tried to stand up but I couldn't,' he told the newspaper. 'Suddenly I felt something touch my left foot and when I eventually managed to get up, I saw it was something huge – I thought it was a dog.' In a video posted online, he described the moments wrestling with the lion. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds 'We called for help but there was no one around. As the lion was biting my calf and my neck, I grabbed him around the neck and began to squeeze, and he backed off. At that moment, the security forces came,' he said. 'If I had not been strong, I wouldn't be here right now.' Antalya's governor said in a statement that the lion had been tracked down and shot dead. 'It was not possible to catch the escaped lion alive because it posed a danger to people and the environment so it was shot,' he said, indicating that an investigation had been opened into the incident. BirGun newspaper said there were around 30 big cats at the Land of Lions. AFP
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC
Great Eastern highlighted that its discussions with OCBC on the exit offer price had already started before the indicative range of values from the IFA was available. SINGAPORE – Great Eastern Holdings said that sharing the indicative range of share values determined by its independent financial adviser (IFA) with OCBC did not breach the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers, or the Takeover Code. This is in response to shareholders' further questions on Great Eastern's practices during its exit offer price negotiation with OCBC , after the insurer issued replies to queries from the Securities Investors Association (Singapore), or Sias, and shareholders on July 3. In a bourse filing on July 5, Great Eastern noted questions on whether sharing the indicative range of the shares' values would amount to 'selective disclosure to some and not all shareholders', and if doing so would invite OCBC to propose a low exit offer price, defeating the IFA's evaluation. It noted that the conduct of the independent directors was also questioned. 'The rule in the Takeover Code requiring information to be made equally available to all shareholders as nearly as possible at the same time and in the same manner has been cited out of context, particularly since OCBC is the offeror in the context of the current exit offer,' said the insurer in the July 5 statement. Great Eastern highlighted that its discussions with OCBC on the exit offer price had already started before the indicative range of values from the IFA was available. The value range was shared with OCBC in strict confidence and on the understanding that any exit offer price arrived at would have to meet the 'fair and reasonable requirement' under Rule 1309 of the Singapore Exchange's listing manual to support the delisting, said the company. It added that sharing the indicative value range with OCBC resulted in the final exit offer price of $30.15 per share, which was an 'improvement' from the range of prices discussed initially. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds Prior responses In the responses to shareholders on July 3, Great Eastern explained its role in the price negotiations. It noted that IFA Ernst & Young Corporate Finance was requested to perform an analysis on the indicative offer for its shares and determine an indicative range of share values based on the latest available information, including the embedded value of the group as at end-2024. The insurer shared the indicative value range of $30.10 to $37.63 per share with OCBC and had a further series of exchanges with the offeror, before arriving at the exit offer price of $30.15 per share. It noted that Ernst & Young Corporate Finance was formally appointed as IFA by the independent directors on March 17, 2025. After valuation analysis, the IFA shared the indicative value range with Great Eastern's independent directors in early May 2025. Great Eastern noted that the valuation relied primarily on the embedded value as at end-2024. While it acknowledged that delays in making the exit offer made the figure more than six months old, the embedded value is still the most recent complete data set available. 'Embedded value includes not only the value of new business, but also the sum of the value of in-force business and the value of the adjusted shareholders' funds,' said Great Eastern. It added that the calculation of embedded value requires a comprehensive assessment using full-year data and actuarial assumptions, which is why this figure is formally determined only once a year at the end of each financial year. The insurer highlighted that although its first-quarter financials were strong, the new business embedded value reflects the present value of projected future profits from new business sold in the year, and is not equivalent to embedded value. 'The latest operational metrics from Q1 2025 show that Great Eastern's new business embedded value rose 19 per cent to $148.8 million, while profit attributable to shareholders increased by 13 per cent to $345.5 million,' it noted, adding that updated half-year financials will be released only on July 28, three weeks after its extraordinary general meeting. The company added that while interim results such as new business embedded value and Q1 profit were considered in context, they were unaudited and were not used to reset the embedded valuation in the middle of the financial year. 'The IFA also considered a range of other factors, including market environment, liquidity conditions and historical trading suspension, before concluding that the exit offer was fair and reasonable.' Responding to a question from Sias on whether Great Eastern would be attempting to obtain undertakings from any shareholders to vote for the delisting resolution, the company noted the neutral stance of its board, and said it has not and will not be attempting to do so. Responding to shareholders' question on the impact to the company's capital adequacy if a selective capital reduction at 90 per cent of its latest embedded value is conducted, it noted that a selective capital reduction is not in alignment with its capital deployment plans. 'However, purely for illustrative purposes, if a selective capital reduction was undertaken by Great Eastern at the current exit offer price of $30.15, Great Eastern's common equity Tier 1 capital would be reduced by almost $900 million,' it added. Shareholders also questioned why there was no option for payment in OCBC shares in exchange for the insurer's, so that its original shareholders could also participate in its growth after the exit. Great Eastern noted that the overriding objective of its board was to resolve the current trading suspension of the company and comply with the requirements of the listing manual. 'To fulfil the relevant delisting requirements in the listing manual, the conditional exit offer made by OCBC to support the delisting pathway had to include a cash alternative as the default alternative. Hence, OCBC's support was sought in respect of a cash exit offer.'
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Straits Times
Two women fatally stabbed at bar in central Japan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The two victims were the bar manager and an employee. HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka - Two women in central Japan have died after being stabbed by a man at a bar in Chuo Ward in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, early on July 6 . The Shizuoka prefectural police arrested Ichiro Yamashita, 41, at the scene on suspicion of trying to kill the bar's female manager. Yamashita said he is unemployed and from Fukuroi in the prefecture, and the police are investigating his motive and other matters. According to the police, the two victims were bar manager Tomoka Takeuchi, 27, and Ms Rin Ito, 26, an employee. An emergency call was made at about 1.55am on July 6 , stating that a man had stabbed two women with a knife. According to firefighters and others, the two women were unconscious and in a critical condition when they were taken to hospital by ambulance. Yamashita is believed to be a regular customer of the so-called girls bar, where female employees serve drinks. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Singapore Over half of 106 new MRT trains added to North-South, East-West lines; fleet completion by 2026 Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds He allegedly stabbed Ms Takeuchi in the back and is quoted by police as saying: 'It is correct that I stabbed her.' According to the police, Yamashita entered the bar with Ms Ito and then stabbed Ms Takeuchi twice in the back. After that, he stabbed Ms Ito several times. He carried two knives with 20cm blades. He reportedly did not try to run or resist when police arrived at the scene. There were other customers and employees in the bar at the time of the incident. The prefectural police are investigating the relationship between the three, among other matters. The crime scene is in a downtown area about 500 meters west of JR Hamamatsu Station. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Straits Times
Gunmen kill Mexico city councillor during basketball game
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Bullet holes riddle a house where gunmen on June 24 opened fire at a neighbourhood party in the state of Guanajuato - Mexico's deadliest state. MEXICO CITY - Gunmen burst into a sports hall in central Mexico and shot dead a local government official attending an amateur basketball game on July 5, local authorities said. Families and children had gathered at the sports centre in the violent state of Guanajuato, where Mr Ignacio Alejandro Roaro, a city council secretary in Apaseo el Grande, was killed. The city council 'strongly condemns the treacherous, despicable, and cowardly attack that occurred this Saturday, in which our colleague and friend, city council secretary Ignacio Alejandro Roaro, lost his life,' it said in a statement. Local media said an armed man had been arrested. Guanajuato is a thriving industrial hub and home to several popular tourist destinations, but it is also Mexico's deadliest state due to gang turf wars, according to official homicide statistics. In June, 11 people were shot dead and about 20 others injured in a shooting targeting a neighbourhood party in Irapuato, about 80km west of Apaseo el Grande. A month earlier, 17 bodies were found by investigators in an abandoned house in Irapuato. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Singapore Over half of 106 new MRT trains added to North-South, East-West lines; fleet completion by 2026 Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds Much of the violence in Guanajuato is linked to conflicts between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, one of the most powerful in the Latin American nation. Guanajuato recorded more than 3,000 murders last year, the most of any Mexican state and accounting for 10.5 per cent of the cases nationwide, according to official figures. AFP
