TODAY’s brief, Tuesday, May 31
Philippines' President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, seated right, answers questions from the media during a news conference at dawn Thursday, May 26, 2016 at his hometown of Davao city, southern Philippines. Photo: AP
Yang Yin expected to plead guilty to host of charges
Former China tour guide Yang Yin, who faces 349 criminal charges arising from his dealings with a wealthy Singaporean widow, is expected to plead guilty to a host of charges in court on Tuesday (May 31), including falsifying receipts amounting to over S$450,000. Yang faces 347 counts for falsification, immigration and cheating-related charges, and other charges under the Companies Act. A second trial, due to start later this month, was to deal with the remaining two counts of criminal breach of trust involving over S$1 million.
Bangladeshi men charged with terrorism financing back in court
Six Bangladeshi men who were charged with terrorism financing - the first time the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act was invoked here – will be back in court on Tuesday, where they are expected to plead guilty. The six were among the eight Bangladeshis detained under the Internal Security Act last month after they formed a clandestine terror cell here to bring their home country under the Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate.
Duterte to announce more Cabinet members
Philippines President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce some nominees for the remaining vacancies in his Cabinet on Tuesday, a day after he was proclaimed as the Philippine President by Congress. This include the names for the Defence, and the Interior and Local Government departments. He will also announce the names of nominees for the Customs Bureau, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Land Transportation Office.
Singapore hosts ASEAN-Singapore conference
Singapore will host the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean)-Singapore conference on Tuesday where government officials and speakers from the Asean region will discuss topics related to the Asean Economic Community. Among the issues that will be explored at the one-day conference include opportunities available for Asean under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
Credit card providers to submit transaction details to Indonesia’s tax office
Indonesian credit card providers will start submitting transaction details — including customer and merchant identities — to the tax office on Tuesday as part of the authorities move to crack down on rampant tax evasion. Indonesian taxpayers pay income tax based on their own self-assessments, with the tax office often said lack of secondary data hinders its ability to check reports. There are more than 14 million card holders in the country and 350,000 merchants accept cards, according to Indonesia Credit Card Association.
Weather forecast
Light rain clearing in the early hours. In the afternoon, warm conditions with thundery showers are expected mainly over the northern and western Singapore. Temperatures will likely range between 25°C to 35°C.
