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Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years for S$120,000 Theft on Singapore Airlines Flight

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Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years for S$120,000 Theft on Singapore Airlines Flight

A man who stole approximately S$120,000 (US$88,700) from a jeweller on a Singapore Airlines aircraft was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on Friday.

Peng Hui, a 54-year-old Chinese national, initially told the court when he was charged that he did not acknowledge culpability, but later pled guilty to four offenses.

These are for theft, bringing more than S$20,000 in cash into Singapore without declaring it, changing some of the stolen cash into casino chips, and attempting to send money to China.

Four additional charges were considered during sentence.

Peng was aboard flight SQ899 from Hong Kong to Singapore on March 5 of this year, according to the court.

Another passenger on the plane was a Singaporean jeweller returning from trade shows in Bangkok and Hong Kong.

The victim carried over 1,000 notes of various denominations in his rucksack, including US$131,000 in hundred-dollar bills and HK$122,000 (US$15,630) in five-hundred-dollar notes.

During the trip, the jeweller left his suitcase in the overhead compartment, which is slightly behind his seat.

The compartment of the bag containing the cash was not locked, and the jeweller occasionally dozed off or used the restroom.

Peng had planned to steal from the victim, targeting him since he was carrying a substantial sum of money.

While the jet was in flight, Peng stole US$80,000 and another HK$70,000 from the victim’s backpack.

When the victim landed, he went through the immigration checkpoint and declared the cash he was carrying.

However, when he arrived at his office around three hours after landing, he discovered that a big sum of cash had gone missing and went to report the incident.

Peng also landed at Changi Airport. He carried cash in various denominations, including the stolen sums, totaling S$124,473.

He booked into a motel and counted his money, knowing that the owner would shortly look for it.

He decided to exchange the currency for Singapore dollars since he knew from previous experience that casinos could convert foreign currencies into casino chips.

Peng traveled to Marina Bay Sands Casino, where he exchanged US$30,000 for casino chips and gambled some of them.

He eventually cashed out approximately S$42,400 worth of chips.

Peng also went to a remittance office in the People’s Park Complex and placed two orders to send approximately S$19,900 to his wife in China.

Because he did not have a work visa, the company refused to accept any more orders from him, so he went to another shop and attempted to send approximately S$9,500 to his brother in China.

However, none of the remittances got through since the police stopped them.

Peng was arrested in the early hours of the next day following extensive police investigations that included a search of security camera footage and an ambush operation.

They retrieved approximately S$37,900 from remittance businesses that Peng attempted to wire to China, S$66,761 in cash from him, and HK$69,000.

Smaller sums of other currencies were also found from Peng. He was charged and remanded.

On Friday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tung Shou Pin sought 32 to 37 months in prison for Peng, claiming he was a foreigner who targeted a Singaporean on a Singapore aircraft.

He described such offenders as “a scourge” since they undermine Singapore’s status as a crime-free country.

Detecting such thefts on airlines is tough since passengers frequently lose track of their goods and discover the theft only later.

According to Tung, the amount stolen by Peng is among the worst examples of airplane theft.

In mitigation, Peng apologized to the jeweler through a Mandarin interpreter.

“I have caused him monetary loss, even though it’s not much,” he told me. “But mentally it did affect him as well.”

He also asked for leniency, claiming that he had “damaged Singapore’s security reputation.”

He stated that he was over 50 years old, diabetic, and had only one kidney.

“I’m concerned that if I’m detained for too long, I won’t be able to withstand it. Finally, my mother is over eighty years old. I’m the lone child. I want to care for her, yet doing so would land me in jail. I’d like to send her on her final voyage, therefore I’m hoping that your honor will lower the jail sentence, and I realize I’m in the wrong,” he said.

Deputy Principal District Judge Ong Chin Rhu stated that the victim did not suffer “much loss” as a result of the investigators’ hard work in stopping Peng’s attempt to dissipate his unlawful earnings.

“But it is good also that Mr Peng did recognise that aside from the monetary loss, the victim would also have suffered a certain measure of mental distress on discovering the theft of his monies,” the ruling’s judge stated.

She advised Peng to communicate his medical issues to prison officials.

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max jackpot Climbs to $80M

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lotto max, Canada

Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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