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AFP Sydney, Australia   ● Wed, May 18, 2022 2022-05-18 13:28 0 02c2f042c5018a82e8094ec752599ba1 2 Asia and Pacific Australia,labor,election,Scott-Morrison,Anthony-Albanese,car-crash Free Anthony Albanese, the man narrowly favoured to become Australia's prime minister after May 21 elections, was rushed to hospital last year after a four-wheel-drive slammed into his car. "I thought that was it," he told a local radio station. At the time, his Labor Party trailed behind the conservative government in opinion polls, struggling to cut through during the pandemic. But the near-death experience changed his life, Albanese told media. In its wake, the opposition leader, 59, recovered on all fronts: overcoming serious injury, shrugging off rumblings of a party leadership coup and shedding 18 kilos (40 pounds) -- an image revamp that raised some eyebrows. His suits went from baggy to tailored, his bookish wire-framed glasses switched for "Mad Men"-style … [Read more...] about Australia PM contender overcame crash, party coup rumblings

On Wednesday, May 11, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog agency responsible for consumer protection in the financial services industry, finalized an enforcement action against debt-relief payment processors RAM Payment and Account Management Systems (AMS) as well as AMS’s co-founders, Gregory Winters and Stephen Chaya. The respondents have been accused of illegally collecting debt-relief fees, misleading borrowers about when said fees would be paid to debt-relief companies, sending illegal advance fees to debt-relief companies, and failing to return funds to consumers who cancelled their student loan debt-relief agreements. The CFPB has ordered RAM Payment, AMS, Winters, and Chaya to pay over $11 million in consumer redress and civil money penalties, in addition to banning AMS, Winters, and Chaya from the debt-relief payment processing and account maintenance industry. Key Takeaways The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has … [Read more...] about CFPB Orders Debt-Relief Payment Processors to Pay Over $11 Total Million Penalty

- A + A NEW YORK (May 18): In public, Elon Musk’s erratic tweets have sent Twitter Inc’s shares flailing, as traders bet that the billionaire is preparing to walk away from or re-negotiate his US$44 billion takeover of the social-media company. Behind the scenes, it’s more like business as usual, as advisers on both sides plug away at the day-to-day work of closing a megadeal. One potential sign that the deal is still on track: the 139-page filing that hit early Tuesday, detailing how the offer came together and Twitter’s rationale for accepting it. That document was the result of weeks of coordinated work by both Musk and Twitter’s teams, according to people familiar with the matter. Musk himself signed off on the final version — complete with a deal price of US$54.20 a share — before it was filed, the people said. The situation is similar at the banks that promised to finance the transaction, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are … [Read more...] about As Musk tweets, advisers plug away to keep Twitter deal on track

- A + A (May 18): A former senior official from the Chinese Central Bank is under investigation for “suspected serious violation of laws and discipline,” the Communist Party’s anti-graft watchdog said. Sun Guofeng, who was removed from his post as head of the monetary policy department in May, is under disciplinary investigation, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement Wednesday. At least 40 financial sector officials have been probed or penalized since the latest corruption crackdown on the sector was launched in October. The top disciplinary watchdog sharply criticized the People’s Bank of China among more than two dozen financial regulators, state banks, insurers and bad debt managers in February, saying the agencies had gaps in their work to implement the Party’s major strategy. Born in 1972, Sun joined the PBOC in 1996 and has spent most of his career in the monetary policy department. He’s been at the forefront of the PBOC’s … [Read more...] about China says senior Central Bank official under investigation

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust's (Sunway REIT) net property income (NPI) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (1QFY22) jumped 77.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM118.9 million from RM67.02 million driven by strong pick up in business activities for the retail and hotel segments due to the relaxation in movement restrictions. Earnings per unit rose to 2.96 sen from 0.94 sen a year earlier, Sunway REIT informed Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday (May 18). Quarterly revenue grew 47.67% to RM153.97 million from RM104.27 million underpinned by higher revenue from all segments. Gross revenue for the retail segment soared 83.5% to RM98.4 million from RM53.7 million a year ago, primarily contributed by strong performance from all retail malls on the back of pent-up demand, festive spending, relaxation of Covid-19 safety measures and marginal rental support. The hotel segment’s gross revenue increased 28.6% y-o-y to RM18.5 million compared … [Read more...] about Sunway REIT’s 1Q net property income jumps 77% on strong pick up in business activities

KOTA KINABALU: The Election Commission (EC) should explain why the Bugaya state by-election is not being held despite being vacant for over 18 months. A local NGO, Development of Economic Affairs and Leadership Skills Sabah (DEALS) president Datuk Kalakau Untol said so many other elections had been held but the by-election for Bugaya state seat in Semporna had yet to be conducted. The seat was left vacant after the death of its Parti Warisan incumbent Datin Manis Muka Mohd Dara on Nov 17, 2020 - hardly two months after the snap Sabah state elections was held on Sept 20, 2020. "Why is it that after eighteen months of the Bugaya state assembly seat being declared vacant, the Election Commission has still failed to conduct a by-election? "This is a denial of the Bugaya people’s right to obtain the services of a state assemblyman and development and other facilities enjoyed by other constituencies," said Kalakau, who is Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) election director. Kalakau … [Read more...] about EC urged to explain delay behind Bugaya by-election despite 18-month vacancy

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) is looking at fielding candidates in nine non-Muslim bumiputra seats in the 15th General Election (GE15). The Sabah Barisan Nasional component party wants to contest the traditional Kadazandusun-Murut-Rungus seats that were previously contested by Sabah Barisan Nasional partners who have since left the coalition after GE14. PBRS general election operations director Datuk Kalakau Untol said the seats left by former Barisan component parties are expected to be filled by candidates from PBRS, which will also be retaining its Pensiangan parliamentary seat. “PBRS hopes to be entrusted to contest on behalf of Barisan in all the traditional seats left by the former BN component parties - Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) with five seats, Upko (four) and Liberal Democratic Party (one)," he said when contacted Friday (April 29). After the 2018 general election, Upko had aligned itself with opposition Pakatan Harapan while PBS is now a member of … [Read more...] about Barisan’s PBRS gears up to battle for nine native parliament seats in GE15

The Department of Justice is suing the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee for failing to register as a foreign agent of China, the agency announced Tuesday. The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil enforcement action seeking to compel Stephen A. Wynn , a billionaire hotel magnate and Trump confidant , to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as an “agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and a senior official of the PRC’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS),” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen announced . The MPS is an agency which reports directly to the State Council of the Chinese Communist Party, according to the agency’s website . The DOJ’s decision comes in response to Wynn’s refusal to register as an agent of the PRC after the department advised Wynn to register in May 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal . “The filing of this suit — the first affirmative civil lawsuit under FARA in more than … [Read more...] about DOJ Sues Trump Confidant For Not Registering As A Foreign Agent Of China

The United States Air Force announced the successful test of a hypersonic missile that can travel more than five times the speed of sound, according to a Monday press release. A Boeing B-52H Stratofortress launched the AGM-183 AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) off the coast of California Saturday, the press release stated. The missile is designed to strike long-distant targets in what the Air Force denotes as “contested environments,” or heavily defended areas. “This was a major accomplishment by the ARRW team, for the weapons enterprise, and our Air Force,” Brig. Gen. Heath A. Collins said. (RELATED: China’s Missile Technology Outpaces Rivals, Baffles Pentagon) The US Navy, in collaboration with the US Army, conducts a static fire test of the first stage of the newly developed 34.5″ common hypersonic missile that will be fielded by both services, in Promontory, Utah, U.S., in this handout image taken on October 28, 2021. Northrop Grumman/Handout via … [Read more...] about ‘Game-Changing’: Air Force Successfully Tests Hypersonic Weapon

- A + A MELAKA (May 18): The Federation of Livestock Farmers Association of Malaysia (FLFAM) has refuted claims that a group of chicken breeders is planning to shut down operations to protest against the government’s delay in subsidising chicken prices. Its advisor Datuk Jeffrey Ng said if it was true, the action was considered personal and they would have to bear all the risks themselves if they did so. “It is common practice among any company or poultry producer in the country to close operations according to their needs and we never advise any member to stop operations unless there are specific reasons such as lack of employees or due to company issues. "If it is true that there may be companies that want a two-day break, let's not link it to big issues that have nothing to do with it," he said when met by reporters here on Wednesday. He said FLFAM does not want to blame anyone and at the same time does not want the issue to be blown up. He stressed that the … [Read more...] about FLFAM refutes claims of chicken farms closing as sign of protest