Singapore Home Sales Reach Lowest This Year on Lack of Inventory
Singapore private home sales fell for the second straight month to their lowest level this year amid a
2023-10-16 13:16
Russian governor reported to police for speaking out over Putin’s ‘unnecessary’ war against Ukraine
A Russian governor who said that Moscow had not prepared for its invasion of Ukraine and did not “need” the continuing war has been reported to the police. Natalya Komarova, a member of president Vladimir Putin’s governing United Russia party and the governor of Russian Khanty-Masiysk region, on Saturday criticised the conflict that has stretched to nearly 600 days during a meeting with residents of the Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk. Ms Komarova was confronted by the wife of a mobilised Russian man fighting in Ukraine who had asked why her husband was not provided with the necessary equipment to fight. “Are you asking me (why your husband does not have equipment) knowing that I’m the governor and not the minister of defence?” the official said. She added: “As a whole, we did not prepare for this war. We don’t need it. We were building a completely different world, so in this regard, there will certainly be some inconsistencies and unresolved issues,” according to a video of the event posted on social media. The comments, captured on video, were circulated widely online and prompted pro-war activists to condemn Ms Komarova for “discrediting Russia’s armed forces”. A letter has been sent to Russia’s minister of internal affairs by the director of a Siberian non-profit organisation, Yuri Ryabtsev, asking the ministry to further investigate Ms Komarova’s comments, reported Russian news outlet Sibir.Realii, stating that its journalists had seen the letter. An activist has also filed a report with the local police, demanding Ms Komarova be held accountable under Russia’s Code of Administrative Offences for “discrediting” the army, the news outlet reported. The Russian politician has not issued any fresh remarks on the issue. Russia approved a law last year making it illegal to describe the conflict in Ukraine as a “war” or an “invasion” by Russia. Mr Putin called it a “special military operation” when he ordered the attack on Ukraine in February last year, and the law has been used to compel Russian media, businesses and citizens to follow suit, as well as to penalise critics of the war. The legislation also outlaws “disparaging” the military and the spread of "false information" about Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Several critics of the war have already been handed fines or jail terms under the law, while experts say it has made it increasingly difficult to gauge levels of public support for the invasion. Sasha Skochilenko, an artist and musician with serious health issues, was arrested in April last year for replacing supermarket price tags with antiwar slogans, charged with spreading false information about the military. Former FSB agent and battlefield commander Igor Girkin, known as a prominent Russian hardline nationalist, was detained on charges of extremism in July this year after he accused Mr Putin of weakness and indecision in Ukraine. Russia media have been extensively covering the Ukraine conflict yet at the same time prohibited from calling it a “war”, while protesters using that word on placards are hit with steep fines. Independent news sites have been blocked, as were Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A prominent radio station has been taken off the air, and the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, led by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, has also lost its licence. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin suffers serious losses in largest offensive in months As the conflict in Israel rages on, the world must not forget about Ukraine Putin's visit to Beijing underscores China’s economic and diplomatic support for Russia Ukraine’s Avdiivka ‘completely ablaze’ as Russia pounds city for fourth straight day Could Putin be arrested? President to leave Russia for first time since international arrest warrant issued
2023-10-16 13:15
Gold Billionaire Sawiris Eyes Stake in $7 Billion Reko Diq Mine
Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who has forged a fortune in telecom and gold, is eyeing an investment in
2023-10-16 12:49
Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin suffers serious losses in largest offensive in months
Russia has lost 127 tanks, 239 armoured personnel vehicles (APVs) and 161 artillery systems in a week, Kyiv has said as Vladimir Putin launches a sustained assault in the east of Ukraine. Moscow’s forces lost eight tanks, 25 APVs and 33 artillery systems in the past day, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Sunday. The Independent cannot independently confirm Kyiv’s numbers which come after Putin claimed Ukraine‘s counteroffensive “completely failed”. “As for the counteroffensive, which is allegedly stalling, it has failed completely,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin. Russia currently controls about 17.5% of Ukrainian territory and a four-month-old Ukrainian counteroffensive this year has resulted in almost no net territorial gains. Read More Putin's visit to Beijing underscores China’s economic and diplomatic support for Russia As the conflict in Israel rages on, the world must not forget about Ukraine Biden insists US can back two wars at the same time in Israel and Ukraine
2023-10-16 12:15
PBOC Offers Most Cash Support Since 2020 as Debt Sales Surge
China’s central bank is making the biggest medium-term liquidity injection since 2020, stepping up efforts to support the
2023-10-16 10:57
Rainer Gut, Who Transformed Credit Suisse, Dies at 91
Rainer Gut, who engineered the mergers and acquisitions that transformed Switzerland’s Credit Suisse Group AG into a goliath
2023-10-16 10:26
Millennial Banana Heir Noboa Wins Ecuador Presidency in Runoff
A 35-year-old business leader from a wealthy fruit-exporting dynasty, Daniel Noboa, will be Ecuador’s next president after winning
2023-10-16 09:56
Businessman Leads Socialist in Ecuador Vote With 82% Counted
A business leader from a wealthy fruit-exporting dynasty, Daniel Noboa, held his lead over socialist candidate Luisa Gonzalez
2023-10-16 09:27
Biden Is Considering Visit to Israel In Coming Days
US President Joe Biden is considering a trip to Israel after being invited in a phone call with
2023-10-16 08:52
Australia Plans to Require Crypto Exchanges to Obtain Licenses to Curb Risks
Crypto exchanges in Australia will soon be required to hold a financial-services license issued by the markets regulator
2023-10-16 07:53
Rechler, Druckenmiller Boost Christie as Campaigns Report Donors
The race for Republican presidential contenders to stockpile campaign cash and influential donors ahead of the expensive 2024
2023-10-16 05:28
Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Political Comeback Kid, Does It Again
One thing’s certain in New Zealand politics — you can never discount Winston Peters. The 78-year-old populist has
2023-10-16 05:23