TODAY’s brief, Monday, Nov 24

Singapore officials visit Indonesia

Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin will visit Aceh and Jakarta, Indonesia, from today (Nov 24). Mr Tan’s four-day visit comes 10 years after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. While in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, Mr Tan will meet local Aceh leaders and officials to discuss ways to strengthen the present links between Singapore and Aceh. He will also see first-hand the developments in Aceh in the 10 years since the disaster struck and visit facilities in Aceh that Singapore helped to develop after the disaster. Mr Tan will then visit Jakarta on Wednesday, where he will meet various Indonesian personalities and officials from the new administration. Mr Tan will be accompanied by officials from the Foreign Affairs and Manpower ministries.

Minister of State (Trade and Industry) Teo Ser Luck will lead 24 companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises, on a business mission to Jakarta and Semarang, Indonesia, starting today. The mission aims to support Singapore companies in growing business interests in Indonesia. IE Singapore chief executive Teo Eng Cheong and Singapore Manufacturing Federation president, Mr Douglas Foo, will also be on the trip.

In the Courts today…

Bloggers Roy Ngerng and Han Hui Hui are due at the State Courts today for a mention of their case – both have been accused of causing public nuisance at Speakers’ Corner on Sept 27 together with four others. Ngerng and Han were also charged with staging a demonstration without approval.

The Family Court is set deliver its decision today on whether wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun has the mental capacity to make decisions on her assets and welfare, after she sought to revoke the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) she granted to former tour guide Yang Yin. The Court’s decision on her mental capacity would have a bearing on whether the Office of Public Guardian will grant her application to cancel the LPA. Yang, 40, has been accused of manipulating Madam Chung into gaining control of her assets, worth about S$40 million.

National Infocomm Awards 2014

The awards, Singapore’s highest accolade for infocomm innovation, will be held today. The Infocomm Awards comprise two categories, namely “Most Innovative Use of Infocomm Technology (Public Sector / Private Sector – General / Private Sector - SME)” and “Most Innovative Infocomm Product/Solution”. These categories seek to provide recognition to those that have excelled in these areas, with an emphasis on contribution towards Singapore’s Smart Nation vision.

Will there be an Iran nuclear deal?

All eyes are on the deadline for Iran and six world powers – the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France – to reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Spotlight returns to Hong Kong banker double murder case

The British banker charged with the murders of the two Indonesian women will return to court and a psychiatric assessment is expected. The Hong Kong police have charged 29-year-old Rurik Jutting with two counts of murder in the deaths of 29-year-old Seneng Mujiasih and 25-year-old Sumarti Ningsih. The bodies were found in Jutting’s 31st-floor apartment, Ningsih with stab wounds to the buttock and neck, and Mujiasih stuffed into a suitcase left on the balcony, also with cuts to her neck. The police were alerted by Jutting himself, who was waiting in his apartment when officers arrived.

Wet weather

It will be generally cloudy and occasional showers are expected in the early hours, with maximum temperature at 32°C and minimum temperature at 24 °C. Thundery showers are expected over many areas in the afternoon.