Hundreds from lower-income groups benefit from digital literacy training

A pilot programme aimed at boosting digital literacy among the lower socioeconomic groups yesterday wrapped up over six months of outreach efforts with a visit to the Orang Asli settlement in Bukit Lanjan, Selangor.The #SayaDigital programme, conducted by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the government agency tasked with heading the country’s digital economy, has benefitted just over 300 participants to date, ahead of the #SayaDigital national launch.The programme consists of three on-ground outreach initiatives and nine online initiatives targeted at the lower-income groups.The pilot projects were part of the #SayaDigital movement launched in August 2020 which saw participants exposed to training in basic digital literacy in line with the country’s Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint or MyDigital.The movement targets B40 families, non-income groups, senior citizens and youth, and aims to demonstrate that going digital makes life easier and allows them to expand their business and empower their future careers.“Empowering them with digital knowledge and skills, from all walks of life, will enable Malaysia to survive and thrive in these uncertain times, driving us to a shared prosperity for all as espoused in MyDigital,” said MDEC CEO Surina Shukri.MDEC chairman Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff meanwhile said the Covid-19 pandemic had pushed the lower-income families to adapt to a world highly dependent on technology.“In a world transformed overnight by the pandemic, it is imperative that we embrace digitalisation and 4IR technologies,” he said.“We at MDEC will not let up in carrying out our mandate in ensuring we bring not only innovation and advancement in the workplace and businesses but also equipping the rakyat with digital knowledge and skills, especially from the vulnerable socioeconomic groups.”Under the programme, participants are assessed according to their digital literacy level and undergo basic digital literacy learning modules based on their level.The training includes in e-communication platforms, online banking and e-wallets as well as digital services applications.To date, 25 youths have been trained through this initiative and have been able to transfer their skills to their families and communities.“It’s a fun, interactive workshop and the trainers were helpful and insightful,” said Dawit, 42, a local resident from the Temuan group.“I have learned a lot today and I am sure I will be able to make use of this new knowledge in the new norm and challenges we are living in.”


Targeted subsidies for diesel next year, says domestic trade minister

The implementation of targeted subsidies for diesel is expected to begin next year, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub.
He said yesterday the National Economic Action Council agreed in a meeting that an integrated database should be prepared to ensure the effectiveness of the implementation of the initiative, adding the discussion involved the domestic trade ministry, the finance ministry, transport ministry and investment, trade and industry ministry.
"All agencies and ministries already have their own databases, we just need to coordinate and make sure they are accurate and effective when it (targeted subsidies for diesel) is implemented," he said to reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
In February, Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan was quoted as saying that the government could save up to RM17 billion if the T20 income group was not given petrol, diesel and liquid petroleum gas subsidies. Asked about the implementation of unsubsidised petrol stations in Kelantan following the pilot project in Padang Besar and Wang Kelian in Perlis, Salahuddin said the programme was aimed at curbing the issue of leakage and smuggling of diesel and petrol at the country's borders.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the trade ministry was finalising the implementation of unsubsidised petrol stations in several other states, adding the project under the border economy programme could save the government's oil subsidy allocation, besides providing more revenue to the country through sales tax imposed on foreign vehicles.


Monthly reported deaths hit record high as authorities cite backlog

Malaysia recorded 9,671 deaths due to Covid-19 in September, the deadliest month since the pandemic began, government data showed on Friday, though authorities have said the increase was mostly due to the delayed inclusion of fatalities from previous months.The spike has pushed the country’s death toll to among the highest per capita in Asia, even as new infections have slowed in recent weeks amid a ramped-up vaccination programme.September’s figure accounted for more than a third of the 26,335 total Covid-19 deaths reported in Malaysia, which has recorded over 2.2 million infections, the third-highest number in Southeast Asia.Health ministry officials, however, say the reporting of many deaths have been delayed – some up to several months – as rising cases overwhelmed hospitals and testing labs.The ministry in September began releasing daily data according to the time of deaths, as well as their reporting date, in a bid to improve transparency and clear the backlog.Although Malaysia reported a daily average of 322 Covid-19 fatalities in September, actual daily deaths fell to 89 as of Thursday based on a seven-day rolling average, the data showed.Authorities have pledged to reduce the lags by imposing time limits on hospitals to confirm cause of death.The previously unreported fatalities exposed systemic gaps, despite Malaysia having one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in Southeast Asia, Universiti Malaya infectious diseases expert Adeeba Kamarulzaman told Reuters.These include uneven vaccination rates in different states, inadequate monitoring of Covid-19 patients in home quarantine, as well as limited access to healthcare among undocumented migrants, she said.“Many in the migrant population either lack information about the disease or fear coming forward for care, in case they are arrested,” Adeeba said.Malaysia also has high rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, particularly among younger adults who were vaccinated later, which increased their risk of contracting severe Covid-19 infections, she added.About 62% of Malaysia’s 32 million population are now fully vaccinated, including 86% of adults. The country began inoculating teenagers between the ages of 12-17 last month.


Firefighters hold off bushfire near Australia’s Perth

A mammoth effort by Australian firefighters saved homes from an out-of-control bushfire near Perth overnight, authorities said Thursday, but warned strong winds and rough terrain posed an ongoing challenge.At least 81 homes have been destroyed in the blaze at the Perth Hills, on the eastern fringes of Australia’s fourth-biggest city, with surveys of areas burned earlier this week adding another 10 to the tally Thursday.Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan said the devastation caused was “almost too much to comprehend”.But after “a bleak couple of days”, he said, firefighters managed to keep the flames at bay overnight as the blaze threatened homes in more populous areas.“This is a truly remarkable achievement given the ferocity of the fire. And that, as far as we know, no additional homes have been lost overnight thanks to the incredible work of our fireys,” McGowan said.Seven firefighters have sustained minor injuries but no deaths have been reported in the bushfire, which has scorched 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) since it was sparked Monday.It comes about a year after Australia was hit by unprecedented climate change-fuelled bushfires, devastating whole communities and wiping out billions of animals.More than 3.5 million hectares were burned across Western Australia during 2019-2020 but the state was largely spared the loss of properties and lives seen in the country’s more densely populated southeast.Scientists say fires are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, with people living in urban-bushland areas like the Perth Hills especially vulnerable to the impact of blazes.Hundreds of people have fled the area in recent days and emergency warnings remain in place.More than 250 firefighters were operating in rough and hilly terrain, making their task “really difficult”, said department of fire and emergency services commissioner Darren Klemm.Winds of up to 70km an hour have left some water bombing planes grounded and were continuing to fan the flames.“We should be really confident about the work that has been done last night to keep the (homes) safe. But we still have challenges today, tonight and tomorrow,” Klemm said.Officials are pinning their hopes on rain forecast for the weekend to dampen the blaze.The bushfire hit a population that had just been forced into a snap lockdown after a rare coronavirus case was detected in a man working in a quarantine hotel for arriving international travellers.About two million people in and around Perth fell under the stay-at-home orders imposed on Sunday.Residents largely appear to have complied with official warnings to ignore coronavirus lockdown and leave threatened areas for safety.The restrictions are expected to ease Friday after no further infections were found.The hotel worker was the first person infected with Covid-19 in Perth for 10 months.


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6 more deaths as new cases remain over 1,000

Another 1,384 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 335,540.Selangor recorded 625 cases, Johor 161, Sarawak 140 and Penang 100.Kelantan recorded 65 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur (64), Sabah (60), Kedah (51), Melaka (45), Pahang (38), Labuan (14), Negeri Sembilan (10), Terengganu (seven) and Perak (four).Active cases stand at 14,454 with 148 in the ICU and 62 in need of respiratory assistance.Three new clusters were detected:1. Balakong Jaya Dua (Hulu Langat and Kuala Selangor in Selangor; 72 screened, 37 positive)2. Jalan Indah Gemilang Satu (Johor Bahru in Johor; 259 screened, 78 positive)3. Teknologi Bukit Minyak (Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, Seberang Perai Selatan and Barat Daya in Penang; 1,685 screened, 98 positive)Fifteen others ended, leaving 399 active clusters across the country.Another 1,058 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 319,842.However, six more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,244.


Singaporean charged with giving S$1,000 to IS militant ‘for terrorism’

A Singaporean businessman was charged on Monday, with providing about S$1,000 to an Islamic State (IS) militant for facilitating terrorist operations in Syria.The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced that 50-year-old Mohamed Kazali Salleh was arrested by Malaysian Special Branch officers in December 2018.He was then deported to Singapore and handed to the Internal Security Department in January 2019 for investigations into his terrorism-related activities, reported Singapore newspaper Today.Kazali was also subject to a detention order under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for his support of IS.He is accused of giving a total of about S$1,000 over three occasions to Syria-based Islamic State militant Malaysian Wan Mohd Aquil Wan Zainal Abidin, known as Akel, who is “believed to have been the most senior IS fighter in Syria” prior to his reported death in March 2019, said MHA.A parallel investigation by the police Commercial Affairs Department found that in 2013 and 2014, Kazali allegedly provided sums of money over three occasions to Akel Zainal.The funds were purportedly intended for facilitating terrorist acts in Syria, said MHA.“The act of providing money in support of terrorist purposes, regardless of the amount, is a serious offence under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act,” said MHA.If convicted, the detention order against Kazali will be cancelled and he will serve the sentence imposed by the court.“To prevent him from spreading his radical ideas to other inmates, he will be held separately, and will continue to undergo rehabilitation whilst serving his prison sentence,” said the ministry.“An assessment will be made at the end of his sentence whether he has been successfully rehabilitated or remains a threat to society. If he remains a threat, he may be detained further under the ISA.”The ISA is a statute that grants the executive power to enforce preventive detention, prevent subversion, suppress organised violence against persons and property, and do other things incidental to the internal security of Singapore.In June, a Singaporean housewife was detained under the ISA after an “escalation” in her radical behaviour. Her husband, Malaysian Mohd Firdaus Kamal Intdzam, was arrested and repatriated from Singapore in August last year for supporting the IS militant group.The housewife, Ruqayyah Ramliwas had been previously issued with a restriction order after she was found to have been radicalised by her husband, reported CNA. She supported IS’ violent actions and believed in the use of violence against the perceived enemies of Islam.“Terrorism and terrorism financing are grave threats to domestic and international security, and global action is required to deprive terrorist groups of funding and materials,” said the ministry.“Singapore is part of this global effort and is strongly committed to combatting terrorism financing, regardless of whether the monies are used to facilitate terrorist acts locally or abroad.”


Zahid’s Umno planning state election streak before GE15 ‘grand finale’?

The Umno faction led by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is planning at least three more state elections in the hope of returning Umno to stronger footing in legislative assemblies, before ending things with a “grand finale” in the form of a general election in July, MalaysiaNow has learnt.A source close to Zahid’s faction said the plan would see elections being held in Perlis, Kedah and Perak.“After Johor, there are intense efforts to effect a statewide election in Perak,” the Umno leader who wished to remain unnamed told MalaysiaNow.Yesterday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang made his strongest statement against Umno since the two largest Malay-based parties made peace in 2019 by signing Muafakat Nasional, a charter of cooperation seen as the end to a bitter rivalry that had coloured Malay politics for decades.Hadi’s comments have been seen as a sign that he will not give in to calls by several pro-Umno leaders in PAS who are comfortable with Zahid.The PAS chief, who wields strong influence on members nationwide, has been distancing his party from Umno since the latter chose to break ties with Bersatu.After the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020, which saw PAS backing Muhyiddin Yassin for prime minister, the party also formalised its support by joining the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition helmed by the Bersatu leader, and strongly resisted attempts by a group of Umno MPs aligned with Zahid and Najib Razak to topple the PN government.The source who spoke to MalaysiaNow confirmed Hadi’s claim yesterday that the Umno group known as the “court cluster” had been behind a plan to force elections in several states.“Umno is aware that now, when the people have so many other things on their minds after two years of pandemic, will be the best time to set the tone at the state level before contesting the general election,” the source added.A source close to the anti-Zahid faction in Umno meanwhile said that time was running out for the party president, who is staring at the possibility of being convicted of corruption as was his former boss Najib.“The time is now, before the five-year mandate is over. The states must be returned to Umno before the final showdown,” said the MP.He said the timing favours Umno not because of growing support for the party, but due to the indifference of voters outside of a general election.“Melaka has shown that Umno didn’t get back its lost votes. Instead, the Malays who voted for PH switched to Bersatu under PN.“This is the time when the permanent Umno vote bank will be coming out in droves to vote, while a good many will stay away as seen in the Melaka election. What better time to grab power than now?“The general election will be a grand finale, after Umno completes its return to all of the states it either lost or was forced to share power,” the source said.Yesterday, Hadi said among others that he was aware of why a group of Umno leaders was eager to hold state elections, but warned that PAS’ organisational strength was ready to fight back against such moves.“We know the strategy used in Melaka will be repeated in Johor. The strategy is nothing more than using Umno’s core votes.“The turnout (in Melaka) was 60%. Fence-sitters and the youth didn’t really come out to vote,” Hadi said.This is the first time that so many state elections have been held outside of a general election.Since 2020, three states – Sabah, Melaka and Sarawak – have seen elections held, while the polling date for the Johor state election is expected to be announced soon following the dissolution of the state assembly.The source said the main objective of the plan was not only to show that “Umno is back”, but also to set the tone for “full-fledged” federal power.“When it controls many states, it will be easier for Umno to return to power at the federal level and restore its control of Putrajaya without having to share power with people who put us in the dock,” said a Pahang Umno insider, in an apparent reference to the role played by Bersatu in bringing down the Umno-led government in 2018.In that election, Bersatu, formed by Umno leaders who went against then prime minister Najib Razak for his role in the 1MDB scandal, took away a critical chunk of Umno’s Malay vote bank, toppling six decades of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government.It is meanwhile learnt that while moves are already underway to dissolve state assemblies in Perak and Perlis, it will be Umno’s maneouvering in Kedah which will decide PAS’ future ties with the Malay party.Kedah has been ruled by a PAS-led government with backing from Umno and Bersatu.“Any move to destabilise that government will face a huge backlash from PAS supporters, and it will be the final resting place for Muafakat,” said the same Pahang Umno source.


Billionaire Ratcliffe interested in buying Man United, source says after Musk 'joke'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is interested in buying Manchester United, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters after Elon Musk said his plan to buy the Premier League club was all part of "a long-running joke".
Musk, the world's richest person, said on Tuesday night on Twitter that he wanted to buy England's most successful club before clarifying that it was a joke and that he had no interest in purchasing any sports teams.
The club's owners, the American Glazer family, are under pressure with United sitting bottom of the Premier League after two games of the season. Bloomberg reported they would consider selling a minority stake, opening the door for Ratcliffe.
A source close to Ratcliffe said the billionaire was a potential buyer as he wants to help rebuild the team. The Times first reported Ratcliffe's interest on Wednesday.
It is unclear if the interest would result in any deals. The Glazer family is not ready to concede the controlling stake in Manchester United and has an expectation of valuing the club at more than double its current market cap of US$2.2 billion, another source said.
In May 2022, Chelsea Football Club was sold to a consortium led by an investment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for US$3.2 billion (2.5 billion pounds).
The Glazers have been the target of intense criticism for their failure to invest in the team who have not won a trophy in five years. United's net debt had grown 11% to about 496 million pounds (US$598 million) by the end of March.
The owners have also been criticised for not improving the Old Trafford stadium, the biggest club ground in the country with a capacity of around 75,000 fans.
Ratcliffe, head of chemical company Ineos, is from the Manchester area and a long-standing United fan.
Ratcliffe failed this year in an attempt to buy London club Chelsea which was ultimately bought by an investment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
United finished sixth last season in their worst Premier League campaign with respect to points earned, failing to qualify for the lucrative European Champions League.
They won the last of their record 20 top-flight league titles in 2013, the year Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager after more than 26 years in charge.
The club hired manager Erik ten Hag from Ajax Amsterdam in a bid to turn around their fortunes but the Dutchman has not yet succeeded in imposing his playing style, with United losing their opening two games after conceding six goals.
United play their arch-rivals Liverpool, who scored nine times without reply in their two league meetings last season, at Old Trafford on Monday.
Shares of Manchester United jumped 6.96% on Wednesday.


Singapore to hike taxes on rich as it winds down Covid-19 spending

Singapore will begin implementing a long-flagged increase to its goods and services tax next year, its finance minister said in his budget speech on Friday, while also announcing a slew of tax hikes aimed at higher income groups.The moves come as Singapore emerges from a pandemic-induced economic slump, but walks a tight rope in maintaining its attractiveness as a global financial hub while guarding against local concerns about rising wealth inequality and rising costs of living.GST will rise to 8% from January next year and to 9% in 2024, Lawrence Wong said, from 7% now. The government also plans to increase income taxes for high earners, hike taxes on residential properties and impose higher levies on luxury cars.“These tax adjustments will help to raise additional revenue and also contribute to a fairer revenue structure,” Wong said.Singapore has been seeking to raise revenues to fund future spending that it estimates could reach more than 20% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, especially as its ramps up spending on healthcare in one of the fastest ageing countries.Over the last two years, the government has committed close to S$100 billion to cushion its people, businesses and the economy from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.Wong announced a further S$500 million (US$372 million) package to support jobs and businesses as part of his budget proposals and proposed to set aside S$560 million to help Singaporeans deal with the rising cost of living.The government expects an overall deficit of S$5 billion for 2021 and Wong unexpectedly forecast a deficit of S$3 billion for 2022. Total expenditure for 2022 was forecast at S$102.4 billion versus S$98.4 billion the previous year.Analysts had expected a return to a surplus.The budget was more expansionary than expected, said MUFG analyst Jeff Ng, adding that the government was addressing the still uneven recovery of the economy.Singapore’s economy, which is highly reliant on global trade, is expected to expand 3-5% this year as it continues to reopen its borders and ease Covid-19 restrictions.The economy grew 7.6% in 2021 after a record contraction in 2020.Still, recovery in some sectors such as those in aviation and tourism is expected to take longer as virus concerns linger.Wong said the government will spend a total of about S$9 billion (US$6.70 billion) over the next five years on measures to help its low-wage workers. It will also spend on schemes to build digital capabilities for businesses and workers.The government will further tighten its foreign worker policy and increase salary thresholds for issuing work visas.As part of its ambition to achieve net zero emissions, the government will also increase carbon taxes from 2024.Wong said the corporate tax system would need to be updated, following a global agreement on a minimum corporate tax rate, and was considering a move that would increase multi-national companies’ effective tax rate to 15%.Singapore, a low-tax jurisdiction where several multinationals including Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft and Facebook have regional headquarters, has a rate of 17% but provides incentives and schemes which reduce the effective rate.Wong said the government was closely monitoring the risk of rising inflation, which has been driven by a recovery in global demand, continuing supply chain disruptions, and especially by rising energy prices.The government has set aside a S$6.6 billion package to help cushion the impact of the GST hike.The Monetary Authority of Singapore tightened its policy settings in January in its first out-of-cycle move in seven years as the economic recovery gained traction and price rose. It is widely expected to tighten again at its scheduled policy meeting in April.The city-state’s 2022 core inflation is forecast at 2-3% and headline inflation at 2.5–3.5%.


Countries call for world anti-corruption court

The Netherlands, Canada and Ecuador backed calls Monday for the creation of a global anti-corruption court, saying it would help tackle "kleptocrats" at the head of governments.
Foreign ministers from the three countries supported a campaign for a graft-busting tribunal, which backers say would operate on similar lines to the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
"The Netherlands, Canada and Ecuador share the vision that this could eventually lead to the establishment of an International Anti-Corruption Court," Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said after they met in The Hague.
"Such a court will provide the international community with an additional tool to enforce existing anti-corruption laws," Hoekstra tweeted.
Some two trillion dollars in procurement spending around the world is lost to corruption every year, according to UN figures.
US senior judge Mark Wolf, who is leading the campaign, said the tribunal "will focus on the highest level of officials and the people they bribe."
"The culture of ending corruption starts at the top down" he told a panel discussion on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting.
Some 189 parties including 181 countries have signed up to the UN's Convention Against Corruption, a treaty aimed at stopping graft around the world.
"Yet kleptocrats enjoy impunity because they control the administration of justice in the countries that they rule," Wolf said.
"This court could be a place where very brave whistleblowers... for instance could bring their evidence" if unable to do so in the countries where they live.
But the court's backers admitted that it still had a long way to go before it could become a reality.
They agreed it would face similar challenges to those encountered by the ICC, set up in 2002 to prosecute individuals for war crimes.
The ICC, for instance, does not have the capability to arrest suspects and relies on its member states to do so, with varying success.
"We want to look at what has and hasn't worked and what the next steps could be," Maja Groff, senior treaty advisor for Integrity Initiatives International, the NGO behind the push for the graft court told the panel.
The Dutch city of The Hague is already host to a slew of global tribunals including the ICC and the International Court of Justice, which deals with disputes between UN member states.


Don’t bring your guns to Washington, Trump supporters told

City officials in Washington DC have warned supporters of President Donald Trump not to bring their guns to protests against congress certifying his election defeat this week.Congress is constitutionally mandated to certify the presidential election results on Wednesday, in what would normally be a formality overseen by Vice-President Mike Pence but at least 12 Republican senators and some 140 Republican House of Representatives members have pledged to vote against certification of Biden’s win.“We have received information that there are individuals intent on bringing firearms into our city and that just will not be tolerated,” Police Chief Robert Contee told a city hall news conference on Monday, adding that anyone found doing so or provoking violence would be arrested.Hundreds of National Guard troops have been called up to help keep order in the federal capital, the New York Post reports. They will be joined by the US Capitol Police, US Park Police and US Secret Service.Trump has summoned supporters to this week’s gatherings, tweeting on Sunday: “I will be there”, and, “it will be wild”.Thousands of Trump supporters, including some far-right nationalist groups that openly carry firearms at protests elsewhere, are expected to converge on the capital starting on Tuesday.Contee said the protests could be bigger than November and December rallies marred by stabbings and brawls as hundreds of Proud Boys, a group of self-described “Western chauvinists”, and other Trump loyalists clashed with counter-protesters and sought fights with antifa and Black Lives Matter activists.The head of the Proud Boys pledged on social media that “record numbers” of members would attend, suggesting they may dress in all black like antifa activists. “We will be incognito and we will spread across downtown DC in smaller teams,” tweeted Enrique Tarrio.


Hat-trick hero Ramos helps Portugal thrash Swiss and reach quarters

Portugal's Goncalo Ramos rose to the occasion on his first World Cup start to net a hat-trick in a 6-1 demolition of Switzerland on Tuesday, sending his side through to the quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years and setting up a clash with Morocco.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos had benched the country's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, tasking Benfica forward Ramos with leading the line despite the 21-year-old making his debut just three days before the World Cup in a friendly.
Ramos had played only 10 minutes as a substitute in Qatar but the youngster looked like he belonged on the big stage with a memorable performance for Portugal, who did not miss Ronaldo – a late substitute who had a goal ruled out for offside.
"Cristiano Ronaldo talks to me and everyone in the team. He's our leader and always tries to help," Ramos said after netting the first hat-trick of the tournament in Qatar.
"I don't know if I will start the next game, that's up to the coach, I have to work as hard as I can and then we'll see."
After a tepid start, the game came to life when Ramos opened the scoring in the 17th minute by picking up Joao Felix's incisive pass before blasting the ball into the top corner from a tight angle to put the Portuguese ahead.
They doubled their lead through skipper Pepe when the 39-year-old timed his leap to perfection to rise above the two Swiss centre backs and head home from a Bruno Fernandes corner in the 33rd minute, with Yann Sommer well beaten yet again.
At the other end, Switzerland striker Breel Embolo was frustrated by the Portugal defence despite the odd surging run into the final third, while their best chance of the half came when Xherdan Shaqiri's free kick was pushed out for a corner.
Sommer, returning from illness, did well to deny Ramos his second goal of the half with a fingertip save from a counter-attack as the Portuguese went in with a 2-0 lead at the break.
However, the beleaguered keeper could do nothing when Diogo Dalot sent in a cross six minutes after the restart with Ramos in the right place again at the near post to slip the ball between Sommer's legs and give Portugal a three-goal cushion.
"We did not show the mentality that we usually bring onto the pitch," Sommer said.
"It is a very bitter evening. We gave the opponent far too much space. In a few situations I did not look too good either. This is not the way to survive against such opponents."
More misery
Portugal piled on the misery in the 55th minute when they carved open the Swiss defence with another flowing counter-attack in which Ramos found Raphael Guerreiro in acres of space and the full back fired the ball past Sommer to make it 4-0.
Switzerland got a goal back just before the hour mark when defender Manuel Akanji sneaked in unmarked at the far post from a corner to slip a shot home after Portugal failed to clear.
But the vibrant Portuguese attack roared back when Ramos was set through on goal by Felix and, just when it looked like he had lost the ball with a heavy touch, the forward chipped it over the onrushing Sommer to complete a well-deserved hat-trick.
With victory wrapped up, the Lusail Stadium crowd implored Santos to bring on Ronaldo and reserved the loudest cheers of the night for when he trotted onto the pitch in the 74th minute.
But the 37-year-old forward did little to affect proceedings, firing a free kick into the wall before the linesman raised his flag to deny Ronaldo his second goal of the tournament after he made a run from an offside position.
Substitute Leao then put the icing on the cake in added time with a curling effort into the far corner of the net as the stranded Sommer's shoulders sank while he helplessly watched the ball sail past him into the back of the net.
"Today we have to apologise to all of Switzerland, that was not our true face tonight. We're very disappointed," Shaqiri said.
"We were shown our limits tonight. The coach gave us a plan but it unfortunately did not work out for us. We lost the game in the first half and we were always a step behind."


No more pandemic EPF withdrawals, bosses group urges govt

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has called for a stop to schemes allowing EPF members to dip into their retirement funds, saying the government should think of other means of assisting those reeling from the financial impact of Covid-19.In a statement, it voiced concern that the withdrawals made through the i-Lestari, i-Sinar and i-Citra facilities provided by the government throughout the pandemic had put people at risk of falling into old-age poverty.“The government must think of other schemes to assist them rather than withdrawing from the EPF savings meant for old age requirements,” MEF president Syed Hussain Syed Husman said.“This responsibility cannot be passed to individual employees. As citizens, during their prime life and career, they have contributed a lot to the nation. It’s the nation’s role to take care of them when they retire.”The group also called for a review of the current policy allowing members to withdraw a third of their savings upon reaching 50 years of age and everything once they turn 55.Citing the decision to raise the retirement age from 55 to 60, it said it was no longer relevant for EPF to allow members to withdraw their savings once they reach 55.The i-Lestari, i-Sinar and i-Citra facilities were part of the various aid packages announced by Putrajaya to cushion the financial impact of Covid-19.Last month, former prime minister Najib Razak urged the government to raise the maximum amount for withdrawal under i-Citra from RM5,000 to RM10,000.He said this was not a populist move, adding that it stemmed from the urgent need of the people post-pandemic.“I found that many people have voiced and pressed (on this matter) as they actually have arrears that must settled or have plans to raise capital to start a small business.“I really hope the maximum (withdrawal) for i-Citra can be increased to RM10,000 as the last special withdrawal scheme as this is demanded by the people,” he said during the debate at the policy level of the Supply Bill (Budget) 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat.But MEF said it was worrying to note that only 3% of Malaysians had enough to retire comfortably.“It is very clear that there is an urgent need for far-reaching solutions covering effective social safety net programmes, robust labour market policies, sustainable economic growth, reskilling and upskilling of the labour force, as well as policies to encourage automation and digitalisation to help increase productivity and make the economic cake bigger so that employees have a better chance of earning more, thereby increasing their contributions to the EPF,” Syed Hussain said.


Budget 2022 considerations for public healthcare

Our healthcare has been underfunded compared to global standards. For example, the World Health Organization recommends that 6% of the national GDP be allocated for public health. That said, assuming a GDP at the end of 2021 of RM1.5 trillion, this equates to RM90.5 billion – an impractical jump from 2021’s budget of RM31.9 billion especially considering the depressed government income throughout the pandemic.The minimum 4% has been called for by many health experts in previous years, which equates to RM60.28 billion – almost double the 2021 allocations. The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy calls for a minimum RM4 billion to RM6 billion increase in overall budget irrespective of GDP, which could be more doable for the government given its financial constraints.As battling Covid-19 will likely extend well into the year 2022 due to immunological uncertainties and virus variants, we need tools that go beyond vaccination.Specifically, Malaysia should consider early-stage prophylactic treatments such as antiviral medications to prevent disease progression for non-severe cases.For example, the US, which has a population of 328.2 million people, has reportedly allocated US$3 billion for antiviral treatments (roughly RM12.6 billion). Scaled to population size, Malaysia would correspondingly require RM1.26 billion. However, considering Malaysia’s lower GNI per capita, Malaysia might want to consider an initial allocation worth at least a third of this value i.e., RM400 million.Malaysia also needs to consider specialised treatments such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for those at higher risk of getting severely ill.For example, 30,000 doses of sotrovimab may cost approximately RM529 million, based on the US wholesale cost of US$2,100 per dose according to online pharmaceutical portal Fierce Pharma.Assuming current and future vaccines work well against emerging variants, the figure could be lower. For example, in a scenario where a reduced number of cases might only require 12,000 doses would cost RM105.8 million. Therefore, a mid-range value of RM250 million might be considered as a starting point for biologics, depending on the percentage of high-risk patients.As a comparison, the Australian government announced on Aug 8 that it had secured 7,700 doses of sotrovimab with an estimate of 8% to 15% high-risk SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.Of course, new treatments are constantly being developed and this allocation isn’t only for antiviral medications or mAbs – it may be swapped for other emerging interventions the health ministry deem promising, safe and effective.Relatedly, learning from what was a confusing set of changes in the 2021 healthcare budget, it is hoped that Budget 2022 will be clear and transparent. For example, next year’s drugs budget may not need to be lumped together under the “medical supplies for medical facilities” under “Program Khusus”. Certain Covid-19 related drugs may be parked under respiratory medicine as it is primarily a respiratory disease.Given that Covid-19 may result in secondary health complications, a new programme/activity for Covid-19 may be created instead of being pooled in one general line item.Another important allocation to be increased would be Skim Peduli Kesihatan for the B40 (PeKa B40). As a public healthcare programme for the lowest income group, there is a need to increase budget allocations to accommodate the increasing size of this income bracket.It is estimated that the B40 could have increased to B50 during 2021, therefore an additional minimum of RM20 million will be needed. Given that more households are expected to drop into the B40 group by 2022, RM40 million is proposed to be added, bringing the allocation to RM120 million in 2022, compared to RM80 million in 2021.For both non-communicable and transmissible diseases, there should be an expansion of budget allocations for both generics and innovative drugs. The latter requires a bigger share given Malaysia’s apparent preference for generics. As this is likely driven by the relatively higher costs of innovative medicines, some of these could be funded through a larger sin tax system, and collaborations between the private and public sector.Another programme that requires a budget revisit is psychiatry and mental health programmes. Surprisingly, it was reported that this specific programme experienced nearly 10% reduction in 2021 allocations compared to 2020.It has been reported that the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) observed “more than a two-fold increase” in stress-related help requests since the start of pandemic. Other issues such as depression, suicide, and domestic violence have also seen an increase.Economic struggles and disruptions in education are expected to continue in 2022, therefore prolonging the already-exacerbated mental health issues among students, households and the economic workforce. As such, a minimum 15% increase from 2020 allocation worth RM344.8 million to RM 396.5 million is proposed for the year 2022.Head of Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, Azrul Mohd Khalib has reportedly said that “we need people to be healthy, be responsible for their own health and invest in their own wellbeing to prevent the onset of non-communicable diseases and be better prepared for medical emergencies such as catastrophic injuries”. Aligned with this statement, it is time for the government and the health system (both public and private players) to start promoting and incentivising healthy lifestyles.As Malaysia strives for universal healthcare, the same mindset of empowering the people with universal access to healthier lifestyles is needed. A focus on nutrition must include mechanisms to ensure healthier agricultural and food production processes become the “normal” non-premium standard.A heftier sin tax should be created not only for cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, but perhaps many other ingredients and chemical substances to fund a special budget for lifestyle-related NCDs.In promoting this, special incentives (beyond tax exemptions) might be needed to incentivise healthier lifestyle options such as healthy food, sports equipment, outdoor activities and gym memberships.In addition to expanding the public healthcare budget, innovative funding mechanisms such a co-payment between public and private players should be considered in order to allow Malaysians better access to new innovative drugs, treatments and health programmes.Ameen Kamal is the head of Science & Technology at independent think tank Emir Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Najib told to explain his remarks on 1MDB

Former prime minister Najib Razak has been asked to give an explanation to the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday regarding his remarks on 1MDB during last week’s debate which were said to have misled the House.Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun said he had written a letter to Najib to seek clarification on the matter and asked the former prime minister to give a reply.“I have written to YB Pekan to ask for clarification, as well as the finance minister on what transpired on that day and I am waiting for an answer.“I asked him (Pekan) to provide an explanation this Wednesday, but I don’t know if he can (or not) give an explanation that day, I don’t know,” he said.Azhar said this in response to a question from RSN Rayer (DAP-Jelutong) who stood up during the debate session on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today to seek feedback on Tony Pua’s (PH-Damansara) motion that Najib be referred to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee under Standing Order 36 (12) of the Dewan Rakyat over the remarks.Pua had submitted the motion following Najib’s speech in the Dewan Rakyat on March 2 which was said to contain statements that allegedly misled the House on the 1MDB debt issue and could be construed as insulting to the Dewan Rakyat.


China's Covid spike not due to lifting of restrictions, WHO director says

Covid-19 infections were exploding in China well before the government's decision to abandon its strict "zero-Covid" policy, a World Health Organization director said on Wednesday, quashing suggestions that the sudden reversal caused a spike in cases.
The comments by WHO's emergencies director Mike Ryan came as he warned of the need to ramp up vaccinations in the world's number 2 economy.
Speaking at a briefing with media, he said the virus was spreading "intensively" in the nation long before the lifting of restrictions.
"There's a narrative at the moment that China lifted the restrictions and all of a sudden the disease is out of control," he said.
"The disease was spreading intensively because I believe the control measures in themselves were not stopping the disease. And I believe China decided strategically that was not the best option anymore."
Beijing started pivoting away from its signature "zero-Covid" policy this month after protests against the economically damaging curbs championed by President Xi Jinping.
The sudden loosening of restrictions has sparked long queues outside fever clinics in a worrying sign that a wave of infections is building, even though official tallies of new cases have trended lower recently as authorities eased back on testing.
In its most recent Covid report for the week to Nov 27, the WHO said China had reported increasing hospitalisations for four consecutive weeks.
"So the challenge that China and other countries still have is: are the people that need to be vaccinated, adequately vaccinated, with the right vaccines and the right number of doses and when was the last time those people had the vaccines," said Ryan.
Western vaccine
The elation in China that met the changes in policy allowing people to live with the virus has quickly faded amid mounting concerns about surging infections because the population lacks "herd immunity" and has low vaccination rates among the elderly.
WHO's senior epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said the UN agency was providing technical advice to China and Ryan said there were open channels.
Among the first major announced deals in which a Western drugmaker will supply China with Covid therapies, China Meheco Group Co Ltd said on Wednesday it would import and distribute Pfizer's oral Covid-19 treatment Paxlovid.
Earlier in the briefing, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was "hopeful" that the pandemic, which has killed more than 6.6 million people since it emerged in Wuhan, China three years ago, will no longer be considered a global emergency some time next year.


New cases tie with death toll at 1,300

Another 1,300 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 353,329.Sarawak recorded 385 cases followed by Selangor (242), Kelantan (126), Sabah (112) and Penang (110).Johor recorded 98 cases, Kuala Lumpur 87, Perak 61, Kedah 27, Negeri Sembilan 14, Pahang 11, Terengganu nine, Labuan eight, Melaka seven and Putrajaya three.Active cases stand at 14,161 with 189 in the ICU and 88 in need of respiratory assistance.Ten more clusters were detected:1. Integrasi Rawang Tiga (Gombak in Selangor; 18 screened, 13 positive)2. Jalan Badli Shah (Petaling, Klang and Hulu Langat in Selangor; 244 screened, 21 positive)3. Jalan Maju (Sibu in Sarawak; 80 screened, 34 positive)4. Jalan Kota Kubang Labu (Kota Bharu and Bachok in Kelantan; 318 screened, 26 positive)5. Jalan Mega Industri (Johor Bahru in Johor; 41 screened, 21 positive)6. Kampung Palekbang (Tumpat in Kelantan; 42 screened, 28 positive)7. Taman Peruda (Kuala Muda in Kedah; 37 screened, 16 positive)8. Kampung Belaoh (Besut in Terengganu; 81 screened, six positive)9. Padang Hijau (Kluang in Johor; 17 screened, 12 positive)10. Belacon (Lahad Datu and Tawau in Sabah; 196 screened, 17 positive)Eleven others ended today, leaving 354 active clusters across the country.Another 1,412 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 337,868.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,300.


Twitter to pay US$150 million to settle with US over privacy, security violations

Twitter Inc has agreed to pay US$150 million to settle allegations it misused private information, like phone numbers, to target advertising after telling users the information would be used for security reasons, according to court documents filed on Wednesday.Twitter’s settlement covers allegations that it misrepresented the “security and privacy” of user data between May 2013 and September 2019, according to the court documents.The company will pay US$150 million as part of the settlement announced by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In addition to the monetary settlement, the agreement requires Twitter to improve its compliance practices.The complaint said that the misrepresentations violated the FTC Act and a 2011 settlement with the agency.“Specifically, while Twitter represented to users that it collected their telephone numbers and email addresses to secure their accounts, Twitter failed to disclose that it also used user contact information to aid advertisers in reaching their preferred audiences,” the complaint said.Twitter’s chief privacy officer, Damien Kieran, said in a statement that with the settlement “we have aligned with the agency on operational updates and program enhancements” to protect user privacy and security.Twitter is a free service that makes money primarily through advertising. Billionaire Elon Musk, who is buying the service for US$44 billion, has criticised its ads-driven business model and pledged to diversify its revenue sources.“If Twitter was not truthful here, what else is not true? This is very concerning news,” Musk said in a tweet late on Wednesday, commenting on the social media company’s ad practices and the fine.US officials pointed out that of the US$3.4 billion in revenue that Twitter earned in 2019, about US$3 billion was from advertising.The company made US$5 billion in revenue for 2021. It said in a filing earlier this month that it had put aside US$150 million after agreeing “in principle” upon a penalty with the FTC.“Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up also using the data to target users with ads,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan in a statement. “This practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, while boosting Twitter’s primary source of revenue.”The complaint also alleges that Twitter falsely said it complied with the European Union-US and Swiss-US Privacy Shield Frameworks, which bar companies from using data in ways that consumers do not authorise.Twitter’s settlement follows years of fallout over the privacy practices of tech companies.Revelations in 2018 that Facebook, the world’s biggest social network, was using phone numbers provided for two-factor authentication to serve ads enraged privacy advocates.Facebook, now called Meta, similarly settled with the FTC over the issue as part of a US$5 billion agreement reached in 2019.


22 Ramadan bazaars nationwide ordered to close over Covid-19

Twenty-two Ramadan bazaars across the country have been told to close effective tomorrow in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 in those areas.The housing and local government ministry said in a statement that these bazaars had been identified as having the potential to spread the virus, based on a contact tracing analysis done by the health ministry through the MySejahtera app.It said the decision was made at a special meeting of the National Security Council on April 28.The bazaars, identified as high-risk areas as of April 15, comprise four in Johor, three in Kedah, two in Pahang, one in Perak, eight in Penang, two in Selangor and two in Kuala Lumpur.Johor1. Belatuk Taman Scientex2. Kg Pasir, Jalan Mata Kuching3. @Mart Kempas4. Lok HengKedah1. Taman Selasih2. Baling 20213. Kupang 2021Pahang1. Lurah Semantan2. Temerloh JayaPerak1. Bazar Nenas Kg SelabakPenang1. MPKK Jalan Tenggiri2. Attakwa Taman Bertam Indah3. Bazar Ramadan4. Kampung Melayu5. Masjid Daerah Barat Daya6. Jalan Berangan Bukit Bintang 20217. Bukit Gedung8. Taman Tun SardonSelangor1. Pusat Sementara Penjaja/Puncak Jalil2. Stesen LRT CempakaKuala Lumpur1. Taman Setiawangsa2. Jalan Raja Alang


Covid-19 denial a fly in the ointment for herd immunity goal?

There are suggestions that the idea of herd immunity through vaccinating a large percentage of the world’s population, is not a realistic strategy given different vaccination speeds in different areas of the world, the BBC is reporting.Indeed, in the case of Tanzania, whose president has advocated steam inhalation as a treatment for Covid-19, there may never be widespread vaccinations.Instead of herd immunity, the chances are that countries will move to a multi-layered approach of continued testing, biosafety measures, exposure notifications and vaccinations but only where national governments agree that there is a problem.The BBC has reported that Tanzania’s government has insisted the country is free from Covid-19 – so there is little testing and no plans for vaccination.Even though people have died in Tanzania with all the symptoms of Covid, the fear is that amid the denial, there are many more unacknowledged victims.An unknown number of Tanzanian families have lost members to Covid-like illness but have chosen not to speak out, fearing retribution from the government.It is nearly impossible to gauge the true extent of the virus and only a small number of people are officially allowed to talk about the issue.President John Magufuli has mocked the efficacy of masks, and teased neighbouring countries which have imposed health measures to curb the virus.He has also warned that Covid-19 vaccines could be harmful and has been urging Tanzanians to instead use steam inhalation and herbal medicines.He has often cast himself as standing up to Western imperialism and recently said that Tanzanians should not be used as “guinea pigs”.“If the white man was able to come up with vaccinations, he should have found a vaccination for AIDS, cancer and TB by now,” he said.Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima has told Tanzanians, “We must improve our personal hygiene, wash hands with running water and soap, use handkerchiefs, herbal steam, exercise, eat nutritious food, drink plenty of water, and use natural remedies that our nation is endowed with.”These precautions are not needed because the virus is in the country. Tanzanians have to be prepared, she said, because the virus is “ravaging” neighbouring countries.


Najib files for review of Federal Court judgment in SRC International case

Former prime minister Najib Razak yesterday applied for a review of the Federal Court’s decision to uphold his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
Lawyer Rahmat Hazlan from Messrs Shafee & Co confirmed that the firm had filed the review on behalf of Najib, 69, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent. Besides seeking a review of the court’s decision on Aug 23 rejecting his appeal and confirming his conviction and sentence of 12 years and his RM210 million fine, the Pekan MP is asking that the court’s decision to dismiss his application to recuse Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, along with its decision on Aug 16 dismissing his application to adduce additional information and the disqualification of judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali in the High Court trial, be set aside.
Najib, who is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison, is also seeking a stay of execution of his conviction and sentence pending the hearing of his review application.
The Federal Court, led by Tengku Maimun, had dismissed Najib’s appeal to set aside the conviction and sentence imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020.
Najib’s previous attempt to overturn the ruling failed when the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision on Dec 8, 2021.


Japan’s top sumo wrestler powered out of the ring by Covid-19

Japan’s top-ranked sumo wrestler Hakuho has tested positive for coronavirus, the BBC is reporting.The Mongolian-born grand champion took a Covid-19 test after losing his sense of smell, the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) said.Activities like sumo wrestling have continued despite the pandemic, but cases have emerged in the sport too. In April, Shobushi, a 28-year-old Japanese wrestler became the first sumo to test positive for the virus. His condition quickly worsened, and he died due to multiple organ failure.Hakuho – the longest-serving yokozuna or top-ranked wrestler in Japan – was preparing for the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, due to start in Tokyo on Sunday.He will now seek the advice of specialists while the other wrestlers in his stable will also be tested, the JSA said.His infection comes after 11 members of the Arashio stable tested positive last week following the infection of top-division wrestler Wakatakakage, the Straits Times reports.Hakuho has been dealing with a knee injury and has not completed a tournament since March, when he won the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka.He withdrew from three straight tournaments this year, and was given an official warning by the JSA along with fellow yokozuna Kakuryu in November for repeated absences. The warning is the sport’s strongest rebuke, short of recommending retirement.On Tuesday, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that a possible state of emergency declaration for Tokyo and the surrounding area would be decided on Thursday, according to local media reports.Japan has recorded nearly 250,000 coronavirus cases and more than 3,500 deaths since the start of the pandemic. While these figures are vastly lower than countries like the UK and US, the Japanese government has been concerned by what it has described as a “very severe” third wave of infections.The spike in cases is casting fresh doubt over whether Japan can still host the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer. Last week, Suga said the games would go ahead and be “safe and secure”.Japan first imposed a state of emergency last year in spring. There were no penalties for non-compliance and the country has avoided the stringent lockdowns seen in other parts of the world.


More than 1.2 million fully vaccinated

A total of 1,220,939 individuals had received both doses of vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as of yesterday, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said in a post on Twitter that 2,724,048 individuals had received a first dose, bringing the total number of doses administered in the country so far to 3,944,987.The five states with the most fully vaccinated individuals are Selangor (157,671), Sarawak (128,648), Kuala Lumpur (113,466), Johor (113,171) and Perak (110,610).The immunisation programme is now in its second phase, which will run from April until August and involve the vaccination of 9.4 million people comprising senior citizens, those from high-risk groups and persons with disabilities.The third phase, which is from May this year to Februrary 2022, will see the vaccination of those aged 18 and above, both citizens and foreigners, totalling some 13.7 million.Under the first phase from February to April this year, about 500,000 frontliners were vaccinated.


Biden ramps up US refugee admissions to 125,000 per year

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his intention to massively increase the cap on annual refugee admissions to the US, which fell to a historical low under Donald Trump.In line with a campaign promise, Biden said he would set at 125,000 the cap on admissions as part of the country’s refugee resettlement programme, against the current 15,000.“We offered safe havens for those fleeing violence or persecution” in previous years, when America’s “moral leadership on refugee issues” encouraged other nations to open their doors as well, Biden said.“So today I’m approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions programme to help meet the unprecedented global need,” he added.“It’s going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged, but that’s precisely what we’re going to do.”The US has an extensive history of welcoming refugees and is one of the world’s largest resettlement nations.But after nearly 79,000 refugees headed to US shores in 2016, the numbers plunged, with just 6,740 arriving in 2020, according to resettlement data by the United Nations refugee agency.The executive order “will raise refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden/Harris administration”, which begins Oct 1, the president said.Biden’s announcement earned swift praise from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who said it would send a compelling message to other countries to follow suit.“The action today by President Biden will save lives. It’s that simple,” Grandi said in a statement, adding that the expansion shows that “strength is rooted in compassion”.He added that despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left more than 2.2 million people dead worldwide, “we remind countries of the life-threatening circumstances that refugees face and encourage them to continue to expand their resettlement programs.”Biden said he would direct the State Department, where on Thursday he delivered his maiden foreign policy speech as president, to consult with Congress about making a “downpayment” for raising the refugee cap as soon as possible.The UN estimates that there are 25.9 million refugees worldwide, most of whom are hosted in developing countries.


CIA chief made secret trip to Beijing last month, says US official

CIA director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month hoping to shore up lines of communication with Beijing amid a deep chill in bilateral relations, a US official said Friday.
"Last month, director Burns travelled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasised the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels," the official said on grounds of anonymity.
The official provided no other specifics on the timing of the visit or who Burns met. The Central Intelligence Agency as a policy does not discuss the director's travels.
But the visit came as Washington struggles to improve relations with China amid tensions over Taiwan's status, with both sides warning over the danger of a military conflict.
Washington has also accused China of considering supplying military goods to Russia in support of its invasion of Ukraine, which China denies.
Earlier this year US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a long-planned ice-breaker trip to Beijing after a Chinese surveillance balloon crossed the mainland US, flying above sensitive military bases before it was shot down by a US fighter jet.
Blinken still hopes to go, State Department officials say, when conditions improve.
Earlier Friday US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu spoke briefly at a security forum in Singapore, after many months in which the two sides' militaries had not communicated directly at a senior level.
Their short conversation came after Beijing had declined the Pentagon's invitation for a formal meeting in Singapore.
The US has also infuriated Beijing by restricting US exports to China of advanced microchips, chip technologies and manufacturing equipment, pressing allies to side with Washington.
And Washington has faulted China for not doing enough to halt exports of chemicals that are turned into deadly fentanyl in Mexico and sold in the US.
China, for its part, has put pressures and limitations on some US businesses operating in the country, underscoring the competition between the world's two largest economies.
At the G7 meeting in Japan last month US President Joe Biden predicted that ties between Washington and Beijing would soon thaw, after the February balloon incident.
After that, "everything changed in terms of talking to one another. I think you're going to see that begin to thaw very shortly," Biden said in Hiroshima.
On Friday White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan made a separate overture to Beijing, saying it should be part of nuclear arms pacts between the United States and Russia owing to the rapid buildup of its nuclear warhead supply.
In terms of trying to agree on limitations, "We're also ready to engage China without preconditions," said Sullivan.


Russian assault targets key towns in eastern Ukraine

Russian forces on Wednesday pounded the easternmost Ukrainian-held city in the Donbas region that is now the focus of the three-month war, threatening to shut off the last main escape route for civilians trapped in the path of their advance.After failing to seize Ukraine’s capital Kyiv or its second city Kharkiv, Russia is trying to take full control of the Donbas, comprised of two eastern provinces Moscow claims on behalf of separatists.Russia has poured thousands of troops into the region, attacking from three sides in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces holding out in the city of Sievierodonetsk and its twin Lysychansk. Their fall would leave the whole of Luhansk region under Russian control, a key Kremlin war aim.“All the remaining strength of the Russian army is now concentrated on this region,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a late night address.His office said the Russians had launched their assault on Sievierodonetsk early on Wednesday and the town was under constant mortar fire.Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said six civilians had been killed and at least eight wounded, most near bomb shelters, in Sievierodonetsk. The main road out was still being shelled, he said, but humanitarian aid was still getting in.Ukraine’s military said fighting for the road was ongoing, and that on Tuesday it had repelled nine Russian attacks in the Donbas. It reported at least 14 civilians killed in strikes by aircraft, artillery, tanks, mortars and missiles.‘I have nothing’In Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian-held Donbas city that has become a major hub for supplies and evacuations, a missile had blasted a crater in a railway track and damaged nearby buildings, including Lydiia Oleksiivna’s house.She was clearing dust and ash that covered her kitchen. The windows had been blown out and external walls destroyed. “I don’t know if we can save the house,” she said.In Kramatorsk, nearer the front line, streets were largely deserted, while in Sloviansk further west, many residents took advantage of what Ukraine said was a break in the Russian assault to leave.“My house was bombed, I have nothing,” said Vera Safronova, seated in a train carriage among the evacuees.Russia is also targeting southern Ukraine, where officials said shelling had killed a civilian and damaged scores of houses in Zaporozhzhia and missiles had destroyed an industrial facility in Kryviy Rih.Moscow has blockaded ships from southern Ukraine that would normally export Ukrainian grain and sunflower oil through the Black Sea, pushing up prices globally and threatening lives.Russia has blamed Western sanctions for the food crisis. It said on Wednesday it was ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine but sanctions would need to be lifted in return.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying Moscow was in touch with the UN and did not rule out “the possibility of global talks to unblock Ukraine’s ports”.Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Moscow of using “blackmail” tactics to secure a relaxation of sanctions.Britain’s Defence Minister Ben Wallace also rejected the Russian suggestion of such a trade-off, saying: “That grain is for starving countries.”In the latest sign of Moscow’s plans to solidify its grip on territory it has seized, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree simplifying the process for residents of newly captured districts to acquire Russian citizenship and passports.Economic squeezeWith its invasion now into its fourth month, Russia still has only limited gains to show for its worst military losses in decades, while much of Ukraine has suffered devastation as Moscow steps up artillery strikes to offset its slow progress.The Russian parliament scrapped the upper age limit for contractual service in the military on Wednesday, highlighting the need to replace lost troops.Western nations have imposed severe sanctions on Russia.The US pushed Russia closer to the brink of a historic debt default on Wednesday by not extending its licence to pay bondholders. That waiver has allowed Moscow to keep up government debt payments till now.The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to make breaking EU sanctions against Russia a crime. The EU also said it hoped to reach agreement on sanctions on Russian oil before the next meeting of EU leaders.But Russia, for now at least, is not short of money. Oil and gas revenues stood at $28 billion in April alone thanks to high energy prices.Putin on Wednesday ordered the government to hike old-age pensions and the minimum wage by 10%, while stating that not all economic problems were linked to what he calls Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.In a speech by video link to dignitaries at a global forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskiy said the conflict could only be ended with direct talks between him and Putin.As a “first step towards talks”, Russia should withdraw to lines in place before its Feb 24 invasion, he said. Prior to the invasion, Russia held Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, while its separatist proxies occupied parts of the Donbas.Ukraine’s closest allies say they fear some Western nations might push Kyiv to give up land for peace. Estonia’s prime minister said Ukraine should not be forced into compromises.“It is much more dangerous giving in to Putin than provoking him. All these seemingly small concessions to the aggressor lead to big wars. We have done this mistake already three times: Georgia, Crimea and Donbas.”


Indonesian president in Papua New Guinea for talks on border, trade

Indonesian President Joko Widodo met his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape in Port Moresby on Wednesday, the latest leader to visit the island nation as major powers compete for influence in the strategically-located region.
Widodo's one-day visit, where a border agreement and trade are expected to be the focus of talks, comes after India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Secretary of States Antony Blinken met a dozen Pacific island leaders in Port Moresby in May.
PNG, which counts China as a major trading partner, signed a defence cooperation agreement with the US during the Blinken visit. The deal allows US military access to PNG ports and airports.
A resource-rich but largely undeveloped nation of 9 million, PNG shares a 760km border with Indonesia. Diplomatic relations have been complicated by the separatist ambitions of Melanesian groups on the Indonesian side of Papua, which was absorbed by Indonesia after a 1969 vote.
A basic border agreement with Indonesia, which had been stalled for 10 years by PNG's parliament, was ratified in March.
Marape has said he is seeking to boost business ties and air travel between the two nations.


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Unusually united US Senate passes bill to combat China tech expansion

US Senate lawmakers have approved a massive spending plan to boost American technology research and production.The measures come in the face of growing international competition, particularly from China, says the BBC.A Beijing official hit back at the bill on Wednesday, saying it exaggerates any perceived threat from China.The bill is a rare point of agreement between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, which is evenly divided between them. Analysts say the vote shows how the two political parties are united on the need to counter Beijing’s economic and military ambitions.Now the bill has to pass the House of Representatives before being signed into law.Supporters say the package is one of the largest industrial bills in US history and the biggest investment in scientific research that the country has seen in decades.“I believe that this legislation will enable the US to out-innovate, out-produce, and out-compete the world in the industries of the future,” Senate majority leader and co-sponsor of the bill Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor.It authorises roughly US$250 billion in funding for technology research, semiconductor development and manufacturing, as well as subsidies for robot makers and chipmakers to combat the shortage of computer chips worldwide.The chip shortage has hit automobile production at a time of rebounding global demand, and bosses of big tech firms have told the BBC it could be two years before chip supply catches up.The bill includes a number of China-specific provisions, including the prohibition of the social media app TikTok from being downloaded on US government devices.The purchase of drones manufactured and sold by Chinese state enterprises would also be blocked under the legislation.Chinese organisations engaged in cyber attacks or theft of US intellectual property from US firms would face sanctions too, once the bill is passed.There have been signs of a thaw in relations between Beijing and Washington. In May, China and the US held virtual talks between trade negotiators in the first such meeting of the Biden presidency.China’s commerce ministry said in early June that China and the US had agreed to restart normal communications, but on Wednesday Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin suggested the bill could harm these efforts, saying it was “full of Cold War and zero-sum thinking and runs counter to the public aspiration in both countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation”.President Joe Biden praised the bill’s passage, saying, “It is long past time that we invest in American workers and American innovation. We are in a competition to win the 21st century, and the starting gun has gone off.“As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind.”


No full lockdown please, SMEs say

Small-medium businesses in the country are urging against a full lockdown on the economy, saying nearly 40% of SMEs will be forced to shut down if a total lockdown is imposed as part of the current movement control order (MCO).In a statement, the SME Association of Malaysia said it had conducted a web dialogue with its members on May 18 and is currently conducting a nationwide survey on the impact of MCO 3.0.“The initial report indicates that 91% of SMEs expect business revenue to be affected by MCO 3.0, with 37.5% of these companies expecting a drop of more than 50% in business performance.“Should the lockdown continue, 37.7% of SMEs will close down their business operations for good,” its president Michael Kang said in a statement.The MCO, under which stricter SOPs were implemented until June 7, was extended across the country earlier this month. Sarawak is the only state which remains under conditional MCO.While health measures were tightened to curb the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases, which yesterday reached a new high of over 6,000 infections, the economic sector has been allowed to remain open.Kang said the survey showed that 84.5% of SMEs would be significantly affected by MCO 3.0 if the same type of measures implemented during the first MCO last year are enforced.“More than 40% of SMEs will be in dire financial straits and two million jobs will be lost,” he added.He said 65% of respondents had called for a blanket automatic loan moratorium while 88.5% agreed that business performance would be significantly affected if the national vaccination programme is delayed.He said just over half had voiced support for a private immunisation programme and said they were willing to bear the cost of this.“Meanwhile 95.8% requested that the government allocate more incentives to assist SMEs as quickly as possible.”


Former Sri Lankan president Rajapaksa to return next week, local media says

Sri Lanka's former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to the island nation next week after fleeing in July amid mass protests, local broadcaster Newsfirst reported on Wednesday, citing a former ambassador.
Udayanga Weeratunga, a former Sri Lankan envoy to Russia who is related to Rajapaksa, said he will arrive in Sri Lanka on Aug 24, Newsfirst reported.
Rajapaksa, the first Sri Lankan president to quit mid-term, is temporarily sheltering in Thailand, after fleeing Sri Lanka on a military plane to the Maldives and then spending weeks in Singapore.
He resigned from office soon after arriving in Singapore, facing public anger over his government's handling of Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.
Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or comment since leaving Sri Lanka. Reuters was not able to immediately contact him or Weeratunga.
The office of Rajapaksa's successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who suggested last month that the former president refrain from returning to Sri Lanka in the near future, did not immediately respond for a request for comment.
"I don't believe it's the time for him to return," Wickremesinghe told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on July 31. "I have no indication of him returning soon."


July 6 hearing for leave application bid by single mum against MAIPs intervention

The Federal Court has set July 6 to hear the leave application appeal by single mother Loh Siew Hong to challenge the Court of Appeal decision allowing the Perlis Islamic Religion and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) to intervene in her divorce proceedings.
Lawyer Danial Farhan Zainul Rijal, when contacted, said the date was set during online case management before deputy registrar Rosidah Roslee, also attended by Loh’s counsel, J Gunamalar.
Loh, 36, applied for leave to appeal in March to challenge the Court of Appeal's decision allowing MAIPs to be the second respondent in her divorce petition with her ex-husband, Muhammad Nagahswaran Muniandy, involving the custody order given to her over her three children.
In the divorce petition, Loh was granted sole custody, care and control over the children, a pair of 15-year-old twin girls and an 11-year-old boy.
On Feb 7, the Court of Appeal ruled that based on the reading of two provisions – Order 15 Rule 6 of the Rules of Court 2012 and Section 96 of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 – it would confer MAIPs the legal right to intervene. On June 15, 2022, the High Court dismissed MAIPs' application to intervene in the divorce petition between Loh and Muhammad Nagahswaran, who converted to Islam with their three children, to amend the sole custody granted to Loh to enable him to provide Islamic education and training as well as zakat to the children.
On Feb 21, 2022, the children who were under the care of the Social Welfare Department were handed over to Loh after the High Court granted her habeas corpus application.
Loh also applied for a judicial review to challenge the unilateral conversion to Islam of her children without her consent. The High Court fixed May 11 for the decision.
Muhammad Nagahswaran, who has been accused of abducting his three children and registering them as Muslim converts without his ex-wife's consent, was fined RM20,000 by the High Court on April 5 for contempt of court.


MPs across the board urged to support govt's tobacco endgame plan

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) today urged MPs and Cabinet members to support the government's plan to eliminate smoking and the possession of tobacco products for those born after 2005, saying the law will contribute to a healthy society and reduce the financial burden on the healthcare system.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said the government had misjudged in imposing a 10% excise duty on electronic and non-electronic cigarette products last year without considering the economic cost of treating chronic smoking-related diseases.
"The taxes earned from all tobacco products are minuscule compared to the estimated current expenditure of RM3 billion for treating chronic smoking-related diseases," he said, adding that this amount is expected to increase to RM8 billion by 2030.
He also panned the claim by the tobacco industry that vaping is harmless, saying studies have shown that the aerosol contains heavy metals and other toxic chemicals.
"Vaping has been found to be more addictive, making it harder to quit," he said.
"Malaysia desperately needs a comprehensive tobacco control law to replace the current Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 that, oddly, is placed under the Food Act 1983.
"In fact, if there had been no intense lobbying by the tobacco industry, the regulations would have been replaced by a standalone Tobacco Control Act in 2007."
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on July 8 that the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill would be brought to the Cabinet meeting this week for approval before being tabled in Parliament.
He said the proposed implementation of the generational endgame provision in the bill was to protect Malaysia's younger generation from picking up the smoking habit and getting addicted to tobacco products, as well as to reduce the number of smokers in Malaysia to less than 5% by 2040.
He added that the prevalence of smokers in Malaysia was high at 40.5% among men and 20% among women.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, for one, has voiced reservations about the bill, saying on July 13 that it might affect businesses as well as individual liberty in addition to driving up illicit trade.
"This issue should be debated in full and deliberated based on documented data and science," he was quoted as telling health news website CodeBlue.


Deadly clashes rage in Baghdad in Shiite power struggle

Heavy clashes erupted in Baghdad, killing almost 20 people on Monday, after powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said he would quit politics, prompting his loyalists to storm a government palace and fight with rival groups.
As night fell, machine-gun fire and explosions rang out, with tracer fire rising into the sky above the Green Zone that houses government headquarters and foreign embassies, in the worst fighting the Iraqi capital has seen in years.
It followed a day of violence prompted by Sadr's announcement that he would withdraw from all political activity - a decision he said was in response to the failure of other Shiite leaders and parties to reform a corrupt and decaying governing system.
Sadr later said he was staging a hunger strike in protest against the use of weapons by all sides.
A political standoff between Sadr and Shiite Muslim rivals who are mostly backed by Iran has sent Iraq spiralling into yet another round of violence as it struggles to recover from decades of war, sanctions, civil strife and endemic corruption.
Since 2003, Iraqi groups have engaged in sectarian conflict and, more recently, intra-sectarian, intra-ethnic political competition.
The latest round of violence pits Sadr's supporters, which include a heavily armed militia, against Iran-aligned rival paramilitaries and the security forces.
Sadr's win in an October election, his attempts to form a government free of Iran-backed groups, and his eventual withdrawal from parliament in favour of street protests and occupying government buildings to block political activity have all featured in the build-up of tensions that finally erupted into new violence on Monday.
Security officials said some of the clashes were between Sadr's Peace Brigades fighters and members of the Iraqi security forces tasked with protecting the Green Zone, but that Iran-aligned militias were also likely to have been involved.
Reuters could not independently verify who was shooting at who on Monday night.
Sadr announced earlier in the day he was quitting politics. "I hereby announce my final withdrawal," he said on Twitter, criticising fellow Shiite political leaders for failing to heed his calls for reform.
Sadr loyalists who had been occupying the parliament building for weeks then charged a government headquarters in the Green Zone, once a palace of dictator Saddam Hussein, where some jumped into a swimming pool at the palace, cheering and waving flags.
Clashes then took place between young men loyal to Sadr and supporters of the pro-Iran militias, who threw stones at each other near the Green Zone, before the nighttime armed fighting.
At least 17 people were killed and scores injured, police and medical workers said.
Iraq's military declared an open-ended nationwide curfew and urged the protesters to leave the Green Zone.
Sadr, who has drawn broad support by opposing both US and Iranian influence on Iraqi politics, was the biggest winner from an October election but withdrew all his lawmakers from parliament in June after he failed to form a government that excluded his rivals, mostly Tehran-backed Shiite parties.
Sadr has insisted on early elections and the dissolution of parliament. He says no politician who has been in power since the US invasion in 2003 should hold office.
Impasse
Many Iraqis worry that moves by each Shiite camp could lead to new civil conflict.
"The (Iran) loyalists came and burned the tents of Sadrists, and attacked protesters," said Kadhim Haitham, a supporter of Sadr.
Pro-Iran groups blamed the Sadrists for the clashes and denied having shot at anyone. "It's not true - if our people had guns why would they need to throw rocks?" said one militia member, who declined to be identified by name.
Sadr has withdrawn from politics and the government in the past and has also disbanded militias loyal to him. But he retains widespread influence over state institutions and controls a paramilitary group with thousands of members.
He has often returned to political activity after similar announcements, although the current deadlock appears harder to resolve than previous periods of dysfunction and has given Iraq its longest run without a government.
Supporters of the mercurial cleric first stormed the Green Zone in July. Since then, they have occupied parliament, halting the process to choose a new president and prime minister.
Sadr's ally Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who remains caretaker prime minister, suspended cabinet meetings until further notice after protesters stormed government buildings and has publicly pleaded with Sadr to intervene to stop the violence.
Iraq, Opec's second-largest producer, has struggled to recover since the defeat of Islamic State in 2017 because political parties have squabbled over power and its vast oil wealth.


Singapore rolls out new budget boost for virus-hit businesses

Singapore on Tuesday unveiled a fresh multi-billion-dollar package to help pandemic-battered businesses and fund a vaccination drive, as part of the city-state’s annual budget.The coronavirus has plunged the financial hub into its worst-ever recession, with the crucial aviation and tourism sectors hit particularly hard as global travel ground to a halt.Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the new package totalling S$11 billion (US$8.3 billion) as he unveiled the budget in parliament.A substantial chunk will be allocated to helping workers and businesses still affected by the pandemic, including in the travel and aviation sectors.More than 40% of the funds will go to financing public health and measures to ensure a safe reopening of the economy, he said.This includes inoculation efforts – vaccines are given for free to all residents – as well as the tracking of people possibly exposed to a coronavirus carrier.Heng said close to 250,000 people have received their first dose, and 55,000 have had their second jab.The latest package of financial aid is on top of the nearly S$100 billion rolled out last year.Singapore’s economy, which shrank a record 5.4% last year, has started regaining strength in recent months but Heng warned that the recovery is uneven.“The global battle against Covid-19 is still far from over. Many places are still experiencing high levels of infection.”Singapore has had a relatively mild outbreak with nearly 60,000 cases and 29 deaths, and in recent times has recorded very few local transmissions.


Ukraine says fighting 'deadlocked' ahead of visit by UN chief

Ukrainian forces said on Thursday they had beaten back a Russian attack in the southern region of Kherson, while the death toll from Russian shelling of Kharkiv city in Ukraine's northeast climbed as the nearly six-month war grinds on without let-up.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan later on Thursday in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
They will discuss ways to find a political solution to the war and address the threat to global food supplies and risk of a disaster at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has been taken over by Russian forces.
The war has forced millions to flee, killed thousands and deepened a geopolitical rift between the West and Russia, which says the aim of its operation is to demilitarise its neighbour and protect Russian-speaking communities.
"Russian forces have achieved only minimal advances, and in some cases we have advanced, since last month," Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said in a video.
"What we are seeing is a 'strategic deadlock'."
Russian bombardment of a residential area of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city, on Wednesday evening killed seven people and wounded 16, the Ukrainian Emergencies Service said.
"This is a devious and cynical strike on civilians with no justification," Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app.
One person was killed and 18 were wounded on Thursday in pre-dawn shelling of another residential area of Kharkiv, Oleh Synehubov, the regional governor said.
The south district of the Operational Command of the Ukrainian armed forces said Ukrainian forces killed 29 "occupiers" near the town of Bilohirka, northeast of Kherson, as well as destroying artillery, armoured vehicles and a military supply depot.
Reuters was not able to independently confirm the battlefield reports.
Fighting around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has raised fears of a catastrophe and Guterres has said he wants a demilitarised zone established.
Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said he had spoken to the director general of the International Atomic Agency, who was ready to lead a delegation to the plant.
"I emphasised the mission's urgency to address nuclear security threats caused by Russia's hostilities," he said on Twitter.
Russia's defence ministry accused Ukraine of planning a "provocation" at the plant on Friday while Guterres is visiting Ukraine, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.
The two sides have exchanged accusations of shelling near the plant but the Russian ministry said its forces had no heavy weapons there or in nearby districts.
Black Sea fleet chief replaced
The US, Albania, France, Ireland, Norway and Britain have asked the UN Security Council to meet on Aug 24 to discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine, diplomats said, marking six months since Russia's invasion.
A series of blasts at military bases and ammunition depots in the past week in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, has suggested a shift in the conflict, with Ukraine apparently capable of striking deeper into Russian-occupied territory.
Russia blamed saboteurs for the attacks, while Ukraine has not officially taken responsibility but has hinted at it.
Ukrainian military intelligence said in a statement that after the recent explosions in Crimea, Russian forces had urgently moved some of their planes and helicopters deeper into the peninsula and to airfields in Russia. Reuters could not independently verify the information.
On Wednesday, Russia's RIA news agency cited sources as saying the commander of its Black Sea fleet, Igor Osipov, had been replaced with a new chief, Viktor Sokolov.
If confirmed, it would mark one of the most prominent sackings of a military official in a war in which Russia has suffered heavy losses of men and equipment.
The Black Sea Fleet, which has a revered history, has suffered several humiliations since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine - which Moscow calls a "special military operation" - on Feb 24.
In April, Ukraine struck Russia's flagship the Moskva, a huge cruiser, with Neptune missiles. It became the biggest warship to be sunk in combat for 40 years.
More grain ships leave
Crimea provides the main supply route for Russian forces in southern Ukraine, where Kyiv is expected to launch a counter-offensive in coming weeks.
The Black Sea Fleet has also blockaded Ukraine's ports since the beginning of the war, trapping vital grain exports that are only now starting to move again, and sending global food prices soaring.
Three more ships with exports left Ukraine's Black Sea ports on Wednesday, a monitoring group said, bringing the number of vessels to leave Ukraine under a UN-brokered grain export deal to 24.
The government in Kyiv has said it hoped to increase the monthly volume of sea exports to 3 million tonnes in the near future to clear a backlog of 18 million tonnes of grains left over from last year's harvest and start selling new crops.


Coco Lee, Hong Kong-born singer-songwriter, dies at 48 after suicide attempt

Hong Kong-born American singer Coco Lee died at 48 on Wednesday following a suicide attempt that left her in a coma, Lee’s two sisters, Carol and Nancy Lee, said in a statement posted on Instagram and Facebook.
Lee died in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where she had been living.
"Although, Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her," the statement said.
"On July 2, she committed suicide at home and was sent to the hospital. Despite the best efforts of the hospital team to rescue and treat her from her coma, she finally passed away on July 5, 2023," the statement said.
Lee's career spanned around 30 years. Among her most notable performances were voicing of the female warrior Mulan in the Mandarin-language version of Disney’s “Mulan" and performing the Oscar-nominated song "A Love Before Time" from the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".
She was born in Hong Kong in 1975 and was the youngest of three children of a Hong Kong Cantonese mother and Malaysian father.
Lee's father passed away before she was born, and by the age of nine her mother had moved Lee and her sisters to the US, to San Francisco.
After graduating high school in 1992, she was offered a recording contract in Hong Kong with Capital Artists, eventually leading her to depart from her studies at the University of California, Irvine, to focus on her music career.
In 1996, Lee signed with Sony Music Entertainment and her debut album, "Coco Lee", became the best-selling album of that year in Asia.
It wasn't long before Lee gained fandoms in both Asia and the US, which began her path to new collaborations and English-language songs.
She recorded 18 studio albums and appeared in three films, most notably Lee Xin’s “Master of Everything” and “No Tobacco” by Stanley Kwan.
In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of the Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. He survives her, as do her sisters and two stepdaughters.


Brendan Fraser wins best actor Oscar for ‘The Whale’

Brendan Fraser won his first Academy Award on Sunday for his performance as a 600-pound (270kg) gay man trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter in “The Whale.”
Fraser was already touted as an Oscar contender when Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller premiered at last summer’s Venice Film Festival. The film was adapted from Samuel Hunter's 2012 play of the same name.
"I’m grateful to Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship, 'The Whale," said Fraser in accepting the Oscar.
The role marked his return to the big screen as a leading man after a nine-year absence from major roles. Once the star of big releases like “George of the Jungle” and the action-packed “Mummy” trilogy, Fraser had largely retreated from the limelight in part due to injuries sustained from doing stunts.
The 54-year-old actor took on a new set of physical challenges for “The Whale.” He wore a heavy bodysuit, prosthetics and makeup, which could take up to six hours to apply, to embody the story's obese hero, Charlie. The result left him barely able to walk in his character's cramped home.
"I needed to learn to absolutely move in a new way. I developed muscles I did not know I had," the American-Canadian actor told reporters in Venice in September, saying that it was the most challenging part of his career.
The film drew criticism from some reviewers who said its depiction of Charlie relied on tropes of depressed, obese people. Some spoke out against its use of prosthetics rather than casting an obese actor.
"The hope is we can change hearts and minds about how we relate to one another or don't relate to one another, how we may dismiss one another, by simply by virtue of how we appear to one another," Fraser said in an interview in December.