The Centre of Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM), Pollution Control Department, reports exceeding the PM2.5 [dust with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less] standard in many provinces of Thailand, especially in the north of the country.
In northern Thailand, 72 – 145 micrograms per cubic metre of dust are reported to exceed the standard value in 32 areas in 17 provinces. In addition, a total of 20 areas are classified as the red zone, meaning that the air quality is “very unhealthy”.
Doi Moncham, Chiang Mai
The reporter reported that many provinces are now covered with heavy smoke and have persistent air pollution. The Chiang Mai Health Department said it had not received any report of patients whose health had been threatened by the air pollution. However, there have been several posts on social media from locals, including the story of a family whose 9-year-old daughter had a heavy nosebleed. Locals have tried to do their best by using air purifiers or avoiding being outdoors.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation recently ordered the closure of 89 national parks to curb forest fires. The department aims to regulate bushfires, which are usually located in northern Thailand such as Chaing Mai, Chain Rai, Lumpoon, Lumpang, Prae, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan and Tak.
Mr.Athapol Charoenshunsa, Acting for Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, instructed officials to strictly prevent illegal entry into the protected forest area, especially among the group of cow herders in the forest. It is another important cause of forest fires in Srinakarin Dam National Park, Kanchanaburi Province.
He warned if an illegal wildfire occurs, the Department will make use of light penalties up to and including prosecution. Anyone who starts a bushfire illegally in national parks, arboretums or botanical gardens faces a prison sentence of 4 to 20 years or a fine of THB 400,000 to THB 2,000,000 or both.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is congratulated by Li Zhanshu after he is unanimously elected as President during a session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
AP — Chinese leader Xi Jinping, 69, was awarded a third five-year term as the nation’s president Friday, putting him on track to stay in power for life at a time of severe economic challenges and rising tensions with the U.S. and others.
The vote for Xi was 2,952 to 0 by the NPC, members of which are appointed by the ruling party.
With Chinese leader Xi receiving a norms-breaking third five-year term as president, the other six men who serve with him on the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee are beginning to take up their new portfolios.
Six men sit alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, handling major portfolios from propaganda to corruption fighting. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Chief among them, the party’s second-in-command Li Qiang is widely expected to take over as premier, nominally in charge of the Cabinet and caretaker of the economy.
Li is best known for ruthlessly enforcing a brutal “zero-COVID” lockdown on Shanghai last spring.
Shortly after Xi received unanimous approval from the National People’s Congress, the party’s third-ranking official Zhao Leji was put in charge of the nearly 3,000-member ceremonial legislature.
Staff members look out from behind curtains before a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A member of the Politburo Standing Committee until October, Han Zheng was made vice president.
Underscoring the overwhelmingly male makeup of the Chinese political elite, the Politburo Standing Committee has only men on it. The 24-member Politburo, which has had only four female members since the 1990s, also has no female officials after the departure of Vice Premier Sun Chunlan. The other key body, the 200-plus member Central Committee, remains 95% male.
Chinese President Xi Jinping takes his oath after he is unanimously elected as President. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Some details about the current standing committee members in order of their party rank:
LI QIANG
Perhaps the official closest to Xi, Li Qiang is widely expected to take over as premier, nominally in charge of the Cabinet and caretaker of the economy. Li is best known for ruthlessly enforcing a brutal “zero-COVID” lockdown on Shanghai last spring as party boss of the Chinese financial hub, proving his loyalty to Xi in the face of complaints from residents over their lack of access to food, medical care and basic services.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Li Qiang, right, attend a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Li, 63, came to know Xi during the future president’s term as head of Li’s native Zhejiang, a relatively wealthy southeastern province now known as a technology and manufacturing powerhouse.
ZHAO LEJI
A holdover from the previous Politburo Standing Committee, Zhao Leji won Xi’s trust as head of the party’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, pursuing an anti-graft campaign that has frozen all potential opposition to the leader.
Zhao Leji attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Zhao, 66, was made head of the National People’s Congress and its standing committee, which handles most actual legislative work. As in the case of Xi, who was also made head of the government commission overseeing the military, there were no other candidates or dissenting votes.
WANG HUNING
Another returnee from the previous standing committee, Wang Huning is from an academic background, having been a professor of international politics at Shanghai’s Fudan University and a senior adviser to two of Xi’s predecessors. Unusual for a top official, Wang, 67, has never held office at either the local or central government level.
Wang Huning attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Wang is known for authoring books critiquing Western politics and society, and is expected to be named head of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the NPC’s advisory body that, in coordination with the party’s United Front Department, works to build the Xi’s influence and image abroad.
CAI QI
As leader of the capital since 2017, Cai Qi oversaw the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been celebrated by the party as a victory. Cai, 67, also oversaw the forcible eviction of thousands of migrant workers from rundown urban neighborhoods and kept COVID cases relatively low in Beijing without enacting the harsh measures seen in Shanghai and elsewhere.
Cai Qi attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Cai, who holds a doctorate in economics, also entered into Xi’s political orbit in the Zhejiang political scene. An early adopter of Chinese social media, Cai is also among the very few top officials to have visited Taiwan, praising the island’s ubiquitous convenience stores in a 2012 posting for Caixin magazine’s website. He’s expected to be put in charge of propaganda and messaging.
DING XUEXIANG
As director of the party’s General Office since 2017, Ding Xuexiang has effectively served as Xi’s chief of staff, notably present on state visits and meetings with foreign leaders. Like Wang, Ding has never held government office but sits at the center of party affairs just below the Politburo.
Ding Xuexiang attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Still just 60, Ding’s career took off after he was appointed secretary to Xi during his brief term as Shanghai party head. He is expected to be appointed first vice premier overseeing administrative matters.
LI XI
Prior to his appointment to the standing committee, Li Xi, 66, headed Guangdong province, one of China’s wealthiest regions and the base of its vast manufacturing sector.
Li Xi attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, March 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
He earlier served as party secretary of Mao Zedong’ s famed revolutionary base of Yan’an and had became an early pioneer in what is known as “red tourism,” promoting sites hallowed to the party’s history prior to its seizure of power in 1949.
A close Xi confidante, Li has already been appointed to replace Zhao as head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Every minute has been the wait as Blue Tree Phuket has now launched the full-option Padel tennis courts – both indoor and outdoor – with all facilities that sports fans could ever want. The courts are set amidst beautiful scenery, offering an added bonus for all players. After working up a sweat in the game, players can wind down in a relaxing atmosphere with a view of the lagoon at the Sunset View Tapas Bar. Special for March only, buy one hour of Padel tennis and get an extra hour free for just 800 baht. Padel Tennis is a racket sport – a mix between tennis, squash and badminton. The sport is growing rapidly in popularity right now. Good for games both indoors and outdoors, Padel Tennis is played in doubles only.
Armed police officers and emergency services near the scene of a shooting in Hamburg, Germany on Thursday March 9, 2023 after one or more people opened fire in a church. The Hamburg city government says the shooting took place in the Gross Borstel district on Thursday evening. (Jonas Walzberg/dpa via AP)
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — A shooting at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in the German city of Hamburg killed eight people, apparently including the perpetrator, police said Friday. An unspecified number of other people were wounded, some of them seriously.
Police gave the figure on their website. There was still no word on a possible motive for the shooting on Thursday evening that stunned Germany’s second-biggest city. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a former Hamburg mayor, described the shooting as “a brutal act of violence.”
Police said during the night that they believe that there was only one shooter, and that that this could be a person who was found dead in the building.
Investigators worked through the night to secure evidence. On Friday morning, forensic investigators in protective white suits could still be seen outside the building as a light snow fell. Officers placed yellow cones on the ground and windowsills to mark evidence.
Armed police officers near the scene of a shooting in Hamburg, Germany on Thursday March 9, 2023 after one or more people opened fire in a church. (Jonas Walzberg/dpa via AP)
Hamburg officials said there would be a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss details.
David Semonian, a U.S.-based spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, said in an emailed statement early Friday that members “worldwide grieve for the victims of this traumatic event.”
“The congregation elders in the local area are providing pastoral care for those affected by the event,” he wrote. “We understand that the authorities are still investigating the details of this crime. We appreciate the courageous help provided by the police and emergency services.”
The scene of the shooting was the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Kingdom Hall, a boxy three-story building next to an auto repair shop in the Gross Borstel district, a few kilometers (miles) from downtown Hamburg.
Police spokesman Holger Vehren said police were alerted to the shooting about 9:15 p.m. and were on the scene quickly.
He said that after officers arrived and found people with apparent gunshot wounds on the ground floor, they heard a shot from an upper floor and found a fatally wounded person upstairs who may have been a shooter. He said police did not have to use their firearms.
The Hamburg city government says the shooting took place in the Gross Borstel district on Thursday evening. (Jonas Walzberg/dpa via AP)
Student Laura Bauch, who lives nearby, said there were around four periods of shooting, German news agency dpa reported. “There were always several shots in these periods, roughly at intervals of 20 seconds to a minute,” she said.
She said she looked out her window and saw a person running from the ground floor to the second floor of the Jehovah’s Witnesses hall.
Gregor Miesbach, who lives within sight of the building, was alerted by the sound of shots and filmed a figure entering the building through a window. Shots can then be heard from inside. The figure later apparently emerges from the hall, is seen in the courtyard and then fires more shots inside.
Miesbach told German television news agency NonstopNews that he heard at least 25 shots. After police arrived, one last shot followed about five minutes later, he said.
His video showed a person firing multiple shots into the building through a first floor window before the lights inside the room went out.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are part of an international church, founded in the United States in the 19th century and headquartered in Warwick, New York. It claims a worldwide membership of about 8.7 million, with about 170,000 in Germany.
Members are known for their evangelistic efforts that include knocking on doors and distributing literature in public squares. The denomination’s distinctive practices include a refusal to bear arms, receive blood transfusions, salute a national flag or participate in secular government.
____
Moulson reported from Berlin. Associated Press journalist David Rising contributed to this story from Bangkok.
As people around the world live longer, the need for comprehensive and innovative cardiac care is ever increasing. According to Mrs. Artirat Charukitpipat, CEO of Bumrungrad International Hospital, “the World Health Organization estimates heart conditions take about 18 million lives each year. The data reveals this trend is likely to continue and become more complex in the near future due to the elderly’s risk of facing heart health conditions.”
“Bumrungrad International Hospital recognizes the importance of improving the level of care and prevention which includes promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as screening and early detection programs for risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol in response to the increasing number of heart disease cases and their associated complications”, as Mrs. Artirat Charukitpipat further revealed.
As Bumrungrad CEO explains, “Bumrungrad Heart Institute is one of our Centers of Excellence. Our professional team provides care for even the most complex heart conditions. Achieving success in such cases requires a good cooperation with the full support of a multidisciplinary team. They work with the same goal in mind. That goal is to keep patient safe and enhance patient quality of life.”
The Bumrungrad Heart Institute is the result of the ambitious vision of the executive board of the hospital and Professor Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee, Cardiologist and Director of the Bumrungrad Heart Institute. As Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee explains, “Bumrungrad Heart Institute aims for the most comprehensive treatment and best outcomes for patients with all kinds of heart diseases.”
“We aim to be a state-of-the-art medical facility in all areas of cardiology, including coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, advanced heart failure and heart transplantation, structural heart disease, cardiogenetics, congenital heart disease, cardiac screening, and preventive care. We are also equipped with a cardiac care unit, which provides 24-hour care for cardiac patients requiring acute care or post operative recovery to enable them to return to the best of their ability as soon as possible.”, Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee elaborated.
As a Center of Excellence, the Bumrungrad Heart Institute already leverages the world-class knowledge and technological resources of the hospital, providing an excellent foundation for providing high-quality patient outcomes immediately. Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee confirmed this by commenting that, “Bumrungrad actually had everything to take the best care of the patients. The executive board is very visionary and wanted to do research. It is the only way to keep getting better because by doing research, we keep learning, improving and finding a better way to treat our patients, and we are never complacent on our past success.”
Given such a successful foundation, both the Bumrungrad board and Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee clearly identify research, technology, and innovation as the key drivers to the Bumrungrad Heart Institute’s future growth and development. As Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee illustrates, “Moreover, Bumrungrad constantly invests extensively in technology and equipment, including some that don’t necessarily yield a return. So, with the team of experts we have, the Bumrungrad Heart Institute can be a truly world-class center of excellence. Some examples of previous research include Brugada syndrome in Thailand: Three decades of progress, Epicardial substrate ablation for Brugada syndrome, and Benefits and risks of catheter ablation in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation.”
It is also important to note that Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee brings with him a wealth of research and experience, as he is one of the world’s first investigators to uncover the true cause of sudden unexplained death or dying in your sleep. Moreover, Bumrungrad Heart Institute has one of the best arrhythmia centers in the world that not only carries out cutting edge research but also performs complex catheter ablation for difficult arrhythmia cases.
Moreover, the Institute has become a tertiary referral center for the Asia pacific region and keeps expanding to the rest of the world. Patients come to get their arrhythmia care from all over the world, including the US and Europe. The center is also known for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation treatment since it is one of the few places in the world that routinely and sophisticatedly maps and ablates AF substrates with its CFAE ablation in conjunction with CardioInsight non-invasive mapping, a technology that the center adopted early on, back in 2016.
On the topic of the Heart Institute’s research efforts, Prof. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee is proud to note that, “We publish around ten papers a year in major medical journals and we’re proud of that record. We’re also working on an AI project with Chulalongkorn University and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang to monitor sudden cardiac arrest. Most importantly, we’ve become an international consultant, receiving cross-reviews by international institutions from the USA, Europe, and Japan. Many want to come to see our work and collaborate.”
Dr. Achirawin Jirakamolchaisiri, Cardiologist and Director of Heart Institute Operations and Service Line at Bumrungrad International Hospital, reminds us that, “cardiology is a complex field that encompasses many different sub-specialties. Each subspecialty focuses on a specific area of heart health, and understanding these different areas is crucial for providing optimal patient care, while striving to deliver the best positive patient outcomes in every case.”
Dr. Achirawin Jirakamolchaisiri shared patient outcome data which clearly demonstrate that the Heart Institute’s success in delivering on its goal of providing truly world-class care:
Coronary Heart Disease: This sub-specialty focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of blockages in the coronary arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and other serious cardiac events. In 2022, we delivered Coronary angiogram & Percutaneous coronary intervention in a total of 812 cases with a success rate of 99.2% while the U.S. benchmark was at 95%. The composite complication rate is at 0.39% while the U.S. benchmark was at 2.65%. Average length of stay is only 1 day after procedure.
Cardiac Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology: This sub-specialty deals with the diagnosis and management of abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and other arrhythmias. Last year, we treated 183 cases of Electrophysiology with 100% success rate using Atrial fibrillation ablation with only 4.35% complication rate, whereas the U.S. benchmark was at 6.5%. While Ventricular tachycardia ablation had a 100% success rate with no complications.
TAVR/TAVI: This sub-specialty involves minimally invasive procedures to replace the aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis, a condition in which the valve becomes narrowed and obstructs blood flow. Bumrungrad Heart Institute had 26 cases of Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR/TAVI) which is the greatest case volume in Thai private hospitals with a 100% success rate and no complications.
Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation: This sub-specialty focuses on the care of patients with severe heart failure, including those who may require advanced treatments from multidisciplinary team or heart transplantation. The Bumrungrad Heart Institute is the first and only private hospital in Thailand with heart transplant capability and which received clinical care program certification by JCI. We had a 100% 1 year survival rate after heart transplantation with no complications.
Coronary Bypass Surgery: This sub-specialty involves surgical procedures to bypass blocked or narrowed coronary arteries, restoring blood flow to the heart muscle. Last year, 430 cardiothoracic surgeries were performed with 71 cases being coronary artery bypass graft. There was 0% In-hospital mortality while the U.S. benchmark was at 2.1%. And there was no Post-op-stroke while the benchmark was at 3%.
Cardiac Rehabilitation: This sub-specialty provides supervised exercise and lifestyle modification programs to help patients recover from heart disease and prevent future cardiac events. With our Cardiac Rehabilitation, 100% (benchmark 90%) of our post op bypass surgery patients reached optimal functional status within 7 days, while 97% (benchmark 90%) of post PCI patients reached optimal function status within 4 days.
Cardiogenetics: This sub-specialty deals with the genetic basis of cardiovascular disease, including inherited conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and familial hypercholesterolemia. Fortunately, advances in technology and knowledge of genetics have made it possible to check for certain genes and see how vulnerable one is to heart diseases. Gene testing can save the lives of people who have not yet shown symptoms. It can also help those planning to have children. And we had 360 screenings last year.
As the data show, it is abundantly clear the Bumrungrad Heart Institute performs at the top of its class in delivering the most effective medical care to its patients.
Forensic police inspect the scene of a fatal stabbing in front of Platinum Fashion Mall in Bangkok on Mar. 9, 2023.
BANGKOK — A Myanmar national was arrested Thursday for the alleged murder of a compatriot outside a mall in downtown Bangkok.
The victim, Phyu Mar Aung, was stabbed at least five times with a folding knife in front of Platinum Fashion Mall in Ratchathewi district on Thursday afternoon and died at the scene. The attacker, Thet Lin Oo, was arrested shortly after and charged with murder, Phayathai police superintendent Krissadaporn Jong-aksorn said.
“We believe it was driven by personal issues at work,” Pol. Col. Krissadaporn said.
He said both Myanmar nationals were employed by the same local fruit vendor. The suspect told police he killed his coworker out of anger after she told their employer that he was incompetent at work.
The suspect was taken to Phayathai Police Station to hear his charges.
Worker uses his equipment at the construction site of the new capital city in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Indonesia began construction of the new capital in mid 2022. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
PENAJAM PASER UTARA, Indonesia (AP) — Orange-red ground has been broken in the jungle of East Borneo, where the Indonesian government has begun construction of its new capital city.
Officials promise a “sustainable forest city” that puts the environment at the heart of development and aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045. But the project has been plagued by criticism from environmentalists and Indigenous communities, who say it degrades the environment, further shrinks the habitat of endangered animals such as orangutans and displaces Indigenous people that rely on the land for their livelihoods.
Indonesia began construction of the new capital in mid 2022, after President Joko Widodo announced that Jakarta — the congested, polluted current capital that is prone to earthquakes and rapidly sinking into the Java Sea — would be retired from capital status.
The construction site of the new capital city is seen from a hill in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Plans for the new capital — about twice the size of New York City — are grandeur. Officials tout the creation of a futuristic green city centered on forest, parks and food production that utilizes renewable energy resources, “smart” waste management and green buildings.
“We have to think beyond what is happening today and try to tackle (things) that are futuristic,” said Bambang Susantono, chairman of Nusantara National Capital Authority, speaking about the city’s design and ability to answer future challenges.
Digital renderings shared by the government show a city surrounded by forest, with people walking on tree-lined sidewalks and buildings with plant-covered rooftops surrounded by walking paths, ponds, clean creeks and lush forest.
Building architecture is inspired by modern urban towers combined with traditional Indonesian architecture: the presidential palace in the shape of a garuda — a mythical bird and the national symbol of Indonesia — and other buildings that give a stylistic nod to traditional architecture used by Indigenous groups around the archipelago.
In its current state, the new city is far from the tidy finish presented by its planners, but there is progress. Basuki Hadimuljono, Indonesia’s minister for public works and housing, said in February that the city’s infrastructure is 14% completed.
A digital rendering showing the lay out of presidential palace compound at the new capital city are displayed at its construction site in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Some 7,000 construction workers are clearing, plowing and building the first phases of the site. Worker dormitories, basic roads and a helipad are already being used. Construction of key buildings — such as the presidential palace — is expected to be completed by August 2024.
Sites visited by The Associated Press in early March showed mounds of freshly turned earth with excavators and cranes around them. At least one site has a sign with a QR code that visitors can scan to see 3D visuals of what the area will look like when finished; others have printed signboards showing what’s to come.
The government has said it’s working to be considerate of the environment. Signs of a more-conscious approach to construction are visible: patches of trees remain fenced-off to protect them from machinery, a plant nursery has already started for the replanting process officials promise and industrial forest surrounds the site.
But with construction set to ramp up this year, environmentalists warn building a metropolis will speed up deforestation in one of the world’s largest and oldest stretches of tropical rainforest. Forests, called the lungs of the world, suck in planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and are home to numerous wildlife species. The island has already been compromised by palm oil plantations and coal mines.
An orangutan climbs trees at BOSF’s (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation) Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, near the site of the construction of the country’s new capital city in Samboja, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Thursday, March. 9, 2023.
Dwi Sawung, an infrastructure specialist at the Indonesian Forum for Living Environment, an environmental nongovernmental organization that has been monitoring the new capital project, said that the government’s plans lack consideration of the region’s unique wildlife like orangutans and sun bears. The new city cuts through an important animal corridor.
“The animals should be relocated first and then build the construction,” he said. “But since they need to hurry up, they just built the area without relocating the animals first.”
Experts have also expressed concerns about how the new capital will be powered. While the government vows the city will rely on a “smart energy” system, groups worry that some of the region’s coal-fired power plants could be used in the short term.
Indonesia has significant energy potential from solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind and other sources, but only some 12% of them are tapped, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. And while user-friendly public transport might keep cars off the city’s roads, there will likely be extensive air travel between the new capital and Jakarta, about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) away.
Indigenous groups that reside in the region and already lost parts of their land fear that urban sprawl from the new capital could make things even worse.
A car cruises on a dirt road at the construction site of the new capital city in Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 8, 2023.(AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Officials have vowed to respect Indigenous rights and compensate those losing their homes. Local officials said they would verify all land claims and accept documents of proof of ownership, but much of the area is passed down through families without paperwork and not all tribal areas are formally recognized.
“We do not want to be relocated. We do not want they move our graves of our ancestors, or make changes or remove our historical site,” said Sibukdin, an Indigenous community leader, who like many in the country only uses one name and lives in Sepaku, a ward very close to the construction area.
Susantono said that Indigenous residents have “a couple of options for them to be included in the process” including compensation, relocation or share ownership of stores that will open.
“We are going to always persuade them and tell them about the future of the city,” he said. “Hopefully they will understand that this is for the sake of everybody.”
But as Indonesia continues to court investors, construction is moving forward, with the government planning to inaugurate the city on Aug. 17 next year to coincide with Indonesia’s Independence Day.
“Nusantara is the city for tomorrow,” said Susantono. “It will become a vibrant city, not just a government city.”
___
EDNA TARIGAN and VICTORIA MILKO reported from Jakarta. AP photographer Achmad Ibrahim and videographer Fadlan Syam contributed to this report from East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Antje Menikheim, left, lead scenic painter for Sunday's 95th Academy Awards, and carpet coordinator Geoffrey Coleman inspect Oscar statues in preparation for the event, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, near the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood is gearing up for the 95th Academy Awards, where “Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in the lead nominee and the film industry will hope to move past “the slap” of last year’s ceremony. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Oscars, including when they are, where to watch the live show and this year’s controversies.
_
WHEN ARE THE OSCARS?
The Oscars will be held Sunday, March 12, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony is set to begin at 8 pm EST and be broadcast live on ABC.
CAN YOU STREAM THE OSCARS?
The broadcast can be streamed with a subscription to Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV, AT&T TV and Fubo TV. Some of these services offer brief free trials. You can also stream the show on ABC.com and on the ABC app by authenticating your provider.
(Note from Khaosod English: For those who are in Thailand, you can watch live broadcasts on True Film 1 (115/222) and True Visions Now (online application trueID) on March 13, since 5.30 a.m. It will rerun at 8 p.m. on that day.)
Sunset casts a pink glow over the Los Angeles skyline as seen from behind the famous Hollywood sign Wednesday evening, March 8, 2023. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)
WHO’S HOSTING?
Jimmy Kimmel will host for the third time and his first time since 2018. That was also the last Oscars to feature a solo host. The show went hostless for several years after Kimmel’s last outing. Last year, Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes hosted as a trio. In an ad for this year’s show styled after “Top Gun: Maverick, ” Kimmel made his humble case for being the right person for the job while noting that he can’t get slapped because “I cry a lot.”
WHAT’S NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE AT THE 2023 OSCARS?
The 10 movies competing for best picture are: “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Fabelmans, ” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Women Talking.” Here’s a guide to how you can watch them.
This combination of photos shows promotional art for Oscar nominees for best feature, top row from left, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Elvis,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” bottom row from left, “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Triangle of Sadness,” and “Women Talking.” (Netflix/Disney/Searchlight/Warner Bros./A24/Universal/Focus/Paramount/Neon/Orion-United Artists via AP)
WHO’S PRESENTING?
Presenters include: Halle Bailey, Antonio Banderas, Elizabeth Banks, Jessica Chastain, John Cho, Andrew Garfield, Hugh Grant, Danai Gurira, Salma Hayek Pinault, Nicole Kidman, Florence Pugh and Sigourney Weaver.
They join a previously announced group including: Riz Ahmed, Emily Blunt, Glenn Close, Jennifer Connelly, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Troy Kotsur, Jonathan Majors, Melissa McCarthy, Janelle Monáe, Deepika Padukone, Questlove, Zoe Saldaña and Donnie Yen.
A third wave was announced Thursday: Halle Berry, Paul Dano, Cara Delevingne, Harrison Ford, Kate Hudson, Mindy Kaling, Eva Longoria, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Olsen, Pedro Pascal and John Travolta.
FILE – Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks at the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 4, 2018. Kimmel will again preside over the ceremony on Sunday. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
WHAT ELSE IS IN STORE FOR THE SHOW?
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has said that winners to all categories will be announced live on the show. (Last year, some categories were taped in a pre-show, something that caused an uproar among academy members.)
All signs point to a full slate of musical performances, with Rihanna performing “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava singing Chandrabose and MM Keeravaani’s “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR.
Nominee Lady Gaga, on the other hand, will not sing “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” during the show. On Monday, show producers announced that Lenny Kravitz will deliver the “In Memoriam” performance.
WHO ARE THE FAVORITES?
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s indie sci-fi hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in with a leading 11 nominations. Close on its heels, though, is the Irish friends-falling-out dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin,” with nine nods, a total matched by Netflix’s WWI film “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) may have a slight edge on Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) for best actress.
A cast in a motion picture for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best actor is harder to call, with Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) and Austin Butler (“Elvis”) in the mix.
In the supporting categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) are the frontrunners, though Jamie Lee Curtis’ Screen Actors Guild Awards win may have thrown a wrench into the supporting actress category.
Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) may win his third best director Oscar, though the Daniels may have emerged as the frontrunners.
AP Film Writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle are predicting a big haul for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
This combination of photos shows Oscar nominees for best performance by an actor in a leading role, from left, Austin Butler in “Elvis,” Colin Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser in “The Whale,” Paul Mescal in “Aftersun,” and Bill Nighy in “Living.” (Warner Bros/Searchlight/A24/A24/Sony Pictures Classics via AP)
WHAT’S BEEN CONTROVERSIAL THIS YEAR?
Aside from the usual snubs and surprises, this year’s biggest to-do has been the debate surrounding Andrea Riseborough’s unexpected nomination for best actress. Riseborough was nominated for the little-seen, Texas-set drama “To Leslie” after many A-list stars rallied around her performance.
When two other best-actress contenders — Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) and Viola Davis (“Woman King”) — were snubbed, some saw that as a reflection of racial bias in the film industry.
The academy launched an inquiry into the star-studded, grassroots campaign for Riseborough but found no reason to rescind her nomination.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?
Just the reading of the title to one of this year’s short film nominees should prompt a wave of giggles. John Williams (“The Fabelmans”), up for best score, is the oldest nominee ever, at 90 years old.
After historic back-to-back best-director wins by Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) and Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”), no women were nominated this year for best director.
Also don’t expect to see Will Smith at the Oscars anytime soon. After striking Chris Rock at last year’s ceremony, Smith was banned by the film academy from attending for 10 years. In a live Netflix special on Saturday, Rock finally punched back at Smith with a blistering stand-up set about the incident.
FILE – Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
_______
Complete list of 2023 Oscar nominees
Nominees for the 95th Academy Awards, announced Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California:
Best picture: “All Quiet on the Western Front”; “Avatar: The Way of Water”; “The Banshees of Inisherin”; “Elvis”; “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; “The Fabelmans”; “Tár”; “Top Gun: Maverick”; “Triangle of Sadness”; “Women Talking.”
Best actor: Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”; Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Austin Butler, “Elvis”; Bill Nighy, “Living”; Paul Mescal, “Aftersun.”
Best actress: Ana de Armas, “Blonde”; Cate Blanchett, “Tár”; Andrea Riseborough, “To Leslie”; Michelle Williams, “The Fabelmans”; Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
This combination of images shows Oscar nominees for best actress, from left, Cate Blanchett in “Tár,” Ana de Armas in “Blonde,” Andrea Riseborough in “To Leslie,” Michelle Williams in “The Fabelmans,” and Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” (Focus Features/Netflix/Momentum Pictures/Universal/A24 via AP)
Best director: “Martin McDonagh, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; Steven Spielberg, “The Fabelmans”; Todd Field, “Tár”; Ruben Ostlund, “Triangle of Sadness.”
Best supporting actress: Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; Hong Chau, “The Whale”; Kerry Condon, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
This combination of images shows Oscar nominees for best supporting actress, from left, Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Hong Chau in “The Whale,” Kerry Condon in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Jamie Lee Curtis in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and Stephanie Hsu in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” (Disney/A24/Searchlight/A24/A24 via AP)
Best supporting actor: Brian Tyree Henry, “Causeway”; Judd Hirsch, “The Fabelmans”; Brendan Gleeson, “Banshees on Inisherin”; Barry Keoghan, “Banshees of Inisherin”; Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
This combination of photos shows Oscar nominees for the best supporting actor category, from left. Brendan Gleeson in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brian Tyree Henry in “Causeway,” Judd Hirsch in “The Fabelmans,” Barry Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” and Ke Huy Quan in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” (Searchlight/Apple/Universal/Searchlight/A24 via AP)
International film: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany); “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); “Close” (Belgium); “EO” (Poland); “The Quiet Girl” (Ireland).”
Best animated feature: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”; “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On”; “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”; “The Sea Beast”; “Turning Red.”
Original screenplay: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; “The Banshees of Inisherin”; “The Fabelmans”; “Tár”; “Triangle of Sadness.”
Adapted screenplay: “All Quiet on the Western Front”; “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”; “Living,”; “Top Gun: Maverick”; “Women Talking.”
Visual Effects: “Avatar: The Way of Water”; “Top Gun: Maverick”; “The Batman”; “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Music (original score): Volker Bertelmann, “All Quiet on the Western Front”; Justin Hurwitz, “Babylon”; Carter Burwell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Son Lux, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; John Williams, “The Fabelmans.”
Original song: “Applause,” from “Tell It Like a Woman”; “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick”; “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR”; “This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
Documentary feature: “All That Breathes’; “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”; “Fire of Love”; “A House Made of Splinters”; “Navalny.”
Cinematography: James Friend, “All Quiet on the Western Front”; Darius Khondj, “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”; Mandy Walker, “Elvis”; Roger Deakins, “Empire of Light”; Florian Hoffmeister, “Tár.”
Costume design: “Babylon”; “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”: “Elvis”: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”: “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.”
Animated short: “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”; “The Flying Sailor”; “Ice Merchants”; “My Year of Dicks”; “An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe it.”
Live action short: “An Irish Goodbye”; “Ivalu”; “Le Pupille”; “Night Ride”; “The Red Suitcase.”
Documentary short: “The Elephant Whisperers”; “Haulout”; “How Do You Measure a Year?”; “The Martha Mitchell Effect”; “Stranger at the Gate.”
Film editing: “The Banshees of Inisherin”; “Elvis”; “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; “Tár”; “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Sound: “All Quiet on the Western Front”; “Avatar: The Way of Water”; “The Batman”; “Elvis”; “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Production design: “All Quiet on the Western Front”; “Avatar: The Way of Water”; “Babylon”; “Elvis,” “The Fabelmans.”
Makeup and hairstyling: “All Quiet on the Western Front”; “The Batman”; “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; “Elvis”; “The Whale.”
Srettha Thavisin, CEO of Sansiri, one of the big players in Thailand’s real estate industry, who recently took the advisory chairman of the Pheu Thai party, tweeted an announcement about his break from his role at Sansiri. He said he wanted to bring his experience to politics to boost the economy and reduce inequality. He justified the break without salary as a sign of his fairness and hopes for the support of employees.
photo by Khaosod
He later attended a party meeting with the executive committee, which was also attended by former Prime Minister Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who serves as the party’s chairperson. Srettha said his pause from Sansiri was fair to all because he wanted to devote himself fully to politics and the election campaign.
photo by Khaosod
For the general meeting, Pheu Thai stated the party’s intention to win as many seats as possible, namely 310. Paetongtarn added that the strategic goal is the 310 seats MP, as Pheu Thai wants to form a strong cabinet and overthrow the “regime of Prayut'”. The party has this goal in mind.
Srettha pointed out the problem of wages. If Phue Thai wins the election, he said he is confident of raising the minimum wage to 600 baht by 2027. He added that all jobs should have access to decent wages.
photo by Khaosod
For macro-economic policies, he aims for the economy to grow by at least 5 percent while Pheu Thai leads the cabinet and works for education, as he did previously in Ratchaburi when he donated THB 100 million with Sansiri to bring children into the public education system.
The party also introduced two sports policy advisors: Pimol Srivikorn, president of Taekwondo Association of Thailand and Chalitrat Chanrubeksa, president of Squash Association of Thailand.
Pimol Srivikorn,(center) / photo by Khaosod
Pimol, is also a prominent businessman and chairman of TCM Corporation Plc. He is known for the association’s success in enabling Panipak “Tennis” Wongpattanakit to win an Olympic gold medal in 2020.
Pimol said Pheu Thai Party is not just about working for a better economy and people’s livelihood but about promoting sports as Thailand’s soft power.
The Thai public demanded a solution to air pollution when a video went viral showing a house filled with black, polluted smoke coming from the opposite direction towards the owner’s house as if it were toxic smoke.
The video says: “People are in pain. If this is the amount of smoke, you can imagine the smell. We do not need to talk about the drying of the laundry. This is cancer. Can any government agency help the people? What do you think about this? #negligent 7/3/23 3.23 pm. Lopburi. Today I can not dry my laundry or open the door because???”
After the video was published, several people commented on the post. Some thought that the video showed a scene similar to the one in the film The Mist. Another commented that a nearby cement mixing plant used shades and water to trap dust, which was somewhat helpful, but this plant had nothing to protect the nearby flat.
The video went viral as people in different areas experienced the same polluted problem that is so far unsolvable. The Pollution Control Department released a daily report on March 9 showing that 52 provinces, including Lopburi had PM2.5 levels above normal.
A Khaosod reporter visited the house seen in the video. It is located in Moo 8, Tha Sala sub-district, Lopburi province. Best, 23, the younger brother of the owner, said the polluted smoke seen in the viral video was from dust from the nearby large cement plant, which is about 20 metres away and separated by a road.
Best also showed the reporter the dust that was left, not only in his house but also in several nearby neighbours. Some people had to go elsewhere and wait for things to improve before returning to their homes because everything was so bad. The owner of the business has not taken any action so far.
Best’s family members have started getting health effects from the dust. Some members have respiratory problems. In addition, they also suffer from noise pollution. Every day when the company starts its machines, the family members have to go inside and clean the floor outside more than 10 times a day.
According to Best, when the company is off work or when the company is on holiday, it is the best day for the family.
“I would like to complain to the relevant authority and ask the owner of the company’ to do more for the residents than just pouring some water to catch the dust. The company should clean people’s houses and talk about how the company will take care of people because they have nowhere else to go.”
As the data show, it is abundantly clear the Bumrungrad Heart Institute performs at the top of its class in delivering the most effective medical care to its patients.
