Moscow accuses Wagner of stoking 'civil conflict'

Russian authorities on Saturday accused the head of the Wagner mercenary group of trying to start a "civil conflict" and called for his detention.
The FSB security service's probe into calls to stage an "armed mutiny" came after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin accused Moscow of targeting his forces with deadly missile strikes and vowed to retaliate.
Prigozhin, 62, urged Russians to join his forces and punish Moscow's military leadership in the most audacious challenge to President Vladimir Putin since the start of the offensive in Ukraine last year.
In a statement, the FSB said: "Prigozhin's statements and actions are in fact a call to start an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation and a stab in the back to Russian servicemen fighting pro-fascist Ukrainian forces".
The FSB urged Wagner fighters to "take measures to detain him".
The Kremlin said Putin had been informed of Prigozhin's claims and "necessary measures are being taken."
While Prigozhin's private military outfit has spearheaded much of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, he has in recent months engaged in a bitter feud with Moscow's military leadership that he alleges has now spilled onto the battlefield.
"They (Russia's military) conducted missile strikes at our rear camps. A huge number of our fighters, our comrades died," Prigozhin said in a series of furious audio messages released by his spokesmen.
"The council of commanders of PMC Wagner has made a decision – the evil that the military leadership of the country brings must be stopped."
He warned Russians against resisting his forces and called on them to join him, adding "there are 25,000 of us".
"Anyone who puts up resistance – we will consider this is a threat and destroy immediately. Including any roadblocks on our way," he said.
"We need to put an end to this mess," he said, adding, "this is not a military coup, but a march of justice."
He did not give the exact location of the alleged strikes or the number of victims. AFP could not independently verify the claims.
'Provocation'
Prigozhin has repeatedly blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, for his fighters' deaths on the battlefield.
The Russian defence ministry denied Prigozhin's claims of an attack on his forces, saying the statements "do not correspond to reality", and calling them a "provocation".
"The Russian armed forces continue to carry out combat missions" in Ukraine, the ministry added.
It later said Ukrainian troops were taking advantage of the infighting to ready an assault near the east Ukraine hotspot of Bakhmut.
"Taking advantage of Prigozhin's provocation to disorganise the situation, the Kyiv regime near the Bakhmut front is concentrating units... for offensive actions," the Russian defence ministry said.
A prominent Russian general urged Prigozhin to call off efforts to remove the leadership of Moscow's defence ministry.
"I urge you to stop," Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russia's aerospace forces, said in a highly unusual video address.
"The enemy is just waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country. Before it is too late, it is necessary and it is needed to obey the will and order of the popularly elected president of the Russian Federation".
Kyiv said it was following the infighting in Moscow.
"We are watching," the Ukrainian defence ministry tweeted, while Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said rival Russian factions had begun to "eat each other over power and money."
On Friday, Prigozhin said Moscow's forces were retreating in Ukraine's east and south following the start of Kyiv's counteroffensive early this month. That directly contradicted Putin's account that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses and that there was a lull in fighting.
"We are washing ourselves in blood," Prigozhin said.
"No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," he added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership.
Questioning military operation
After years of operating in the shadows, Prigozhin has now admitted to running the elusive mercenary group and even interfering in US elections.
His forces, bolstered by tens of thousands of prison recruits, played a central role in Russia's capture of the town of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk, the longest and bloodiest battle of the conflict.
However, this week he accused Moscow's top brass of deceiving Russians about the offensive in Ukraine.
"Why did the special military operation begin?" he said. "The war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of bastards."
Rarely has such a controversial figure shot to this degree of prominence on the Russian political stage under Putin.
Prigozhin rose from a modest background to become part of the inner circle around Putin.
He spent nine years in prison in the final period of the USSR after being convicted of fraud and theft. In the chaos of the 1990s, he began a moderately successful business selling hot dogs.
From there he fell into the restaurant business and opened a luxury location in Saint Petersburg whose customers included Putin, then making the transition from working in the KGB to local politics.
The catering company he founded at one point worked for the Kremlin, earning Prigozhin the soubriquet of "Putin's chef".
However, in recent months, Prigozhin has become embroiled in a bitter power struggle with the defence ministry.
He has accused the Russian military of attempting to "steal" victories in Ukraine from his forces, and slammed Moscow's "monstrous bureaucracy" for slowing military gains.
Wagner's presence has been reported in conflict zones including Syria, Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic, where it has been accused of abuses and capturing state power.


‘Authentic documents’ with Agong, give him ‘space and time’, says Anwar

Anwar Ibrahim today said he had presented “genuine documents” to the Agong to prove his claim that he has the majority to form the government, hours after his royal audience at Istana Negara.He claimed that MPs on his side exceed 120, adding that it would be appropriate for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign from his post.He said Muhyiddin had however snubbed his gestures.“I sent an olive branch to say we can communicate… but until today, no response.”Anwar said he was also aware of the threats from Covid-19, adding that the fight against the pandemic should not be clouded by “political expediency”.Yesterday, authorities declared the return of the conditional movement control order in several areas in the wake of a spike in new infections.Anwar meanwhile said he hoped all quarters would give space and time to Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.“Today, it is not a question of who wins or loses, but a quest towards building a nation that is prosperous and just,” he told reporters.He also repeated his claim that his government would be a Malay-Muslim majority, adding that the rights of all communities would be guaranteed under his administration.“It is (going to be) an inclusive government, no personal or political vendettas,” he said, but denied claims that he had cut deals with some quarters to get people on his side.It is learnt that Sultan Abdullah will be calling the top leaders of political parties in the coming days, as he did in February before declaring that Muhyiddin had the confidence of the majority.“I appeal all sides to exercise patience and wisdom, and to allow the king to digest based on the spirit of the constitution and the discretion of His Highness,” Anwar said.Anwar had been gunning for today’s meeting since his statement on Sept 23, where he said he had secured a “formidable majority” to topple Muhyiddin’s seven-month-old government.


Half of world's democracies in decline, report says

Half the world's democratic countries are experiencing an erosion of democracy, intensified by war in Ukraine and economic crisis, an international think tank said in a report on Wednesday.
"We're seeing extraordinarily severe headwinds for democracy now, intensified by the political fallout from the economic crisis that started with the pandemic and the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine", International IDEA secretary-general Kevin Casas-Zamora told AFP.
"It might be that the credibility of elections is challenged. It might be that the rule of law is under assault. It might be that civic space is being constrained", he explained.
The number of democracies with the most severe democratic erosion – a group dubbed "backsliding" countries which has included the US since last year – increased from six to seven in 2022 with the addition of El Salvador to the list.
The others are Brazil, Hungary, India, Mauritius and Poland.
Casas-Zamora singled out the US as particularly worrying.
"I'm very concerned by what we're seeing in the US", he said.
The country faces political polarisation, institutional dysfunction and threats to civil liberties, according to the report.
"It's quite clear by now that the fever didn't break with the election of a new administration," he said, pointing to "the runaway levels of polarisation (and) the attempts to undermine the credibility of electoral results without any evidence of fraud".
Casas-Zamora noted the US had also taken a "visible step backwards" in sexual and reproductive rights, "which is very exceptional because most countries, pretty much all other countries, are going forward in terms of expanding sexual and reproductive rights".
"The US is moving backwards", he said.
More authoritarianism
Of the 173 countries covered by International IDEA's report, 104 were democracies and 52 of those were in decline.
Meanwhile, the number of countries moving toward authoritarianism, 27, was more than double the number moving toward democracy, at 13.
Almost half of all authoritarian regimes became even more repressive in 2022, with Afghanistan, Belarus, Cambodia, Comoros and Nicaragua singled out as experiencing a "broad decline".
In Asia, where only 54% of people live in a democracy, authoritarianism is solidifying, the report said, while Africa, despite a myriad of challenges, remains "resilient" in the face of instability.
A decade after the Arab Spring, the Middle East continues to be "the most authoritarian region in the world". It has only three democracies – Iraq, Israel and Lebanon.
In Europe, almost half of all democracies, or 17 countries, suffered democratic erosion in the last five years.
"Democracies are struggling to effectively bring balance to environments marked by instability and anxiety, and populists continue to gain ground around the world as democratic innovation and growth stagnate or decline", the report said.
It noted there were "troubling patterns" even in countries that were performing at middle to high levels of democratic standards.
In the past five years, progress has stalled across all of the indices IDEA studies, with some scores "the same as they were in 1990", it said.
"Democratic systems have really wobbled over the past couple of decades and it quite clearly has become a burning issue in our age", Casas-Zamora said.
There were, however, some signs of progress.
IDEA noted that people were coming together to push their governments to meet 21st-century demands, ranging from creating community-based childcare in Asia to reproductive freedoms in Latin America, and youth climate protests around the globe.
"But also in places like Iran, where people have gone out to demand freedom and equality and dignity," Casas-Zamora said.


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National unity ministry sets SOPs for the fully vaccinated at non-Muslim houses of worship

The national unity ministry has set SOPs for the opening of non-Muslim houses of worship during the National Recovery Plan (NRP) period for individuals fully vaccinated against Covid-19.“The total number of congregants who can attend a house of worship for the purpose of religious activities or prayers depends on the state or phase (NRP phase) in which they reside or are in,” the ministry said in a statement today.For states in Phases One and Two of the NRP, the attendance of fully vaccinated congregants for the purpose of religious activities or prayers is limited to 50 people at a time, while worshipping hours are from 6am to 2pm and from 4pm to 10pm.For states in Phase Three of the NRP, the attendance limit for fully vaccinated worshippers for religious activities or prayers is subject to the size of the place of worship, while operating hours are allowed from 6am to 2pm and from 4pm to 10pm.The ministry also said that a fully vaccinated recipient refers to a congregant who has received two doses of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccine, and that the individual must have completed 14 days from the date of being given the second dose.Meanwhile, for vaccines that only require one-dose shots, namely Johnson & Johnson and CanSino, the congregant must have completed 28 days from the date of the injection.States in Phase One of the NRP are Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, the federal territories of Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Selangor and Kedah.Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Pahang, Penang and Sabah are in Phase Two while Perlis, Sarawak and Labuan are in Phase Three.


Cambodia lifts lockdown for yellow zones despite climbing Covid infections

On Thursday, Cambodia ended a total Covid-19 lockdown in Phnom Penh after three weeks, even though the hoped for decrease in new cases has not transpired.Areas experiencing particularly high infection rates will remain under lockdown, however.Traffic quickly returned to some streets of the capital, Reuters is reporting.The country has recorded one of the world’s smallest Covid-19 caseloads, but infections have climbed from about 500 in late February to nearly 18,000 now, with 114 deaths.Authorities recorded 650 new cases and four deaths on Thursday.While health experts have warned about lifting curbs too quickly, the lockdown had caused anger from some residents who called the distribution of food aid inadequate.Authorities removed barricades on Wednesday night in yellow zones designated as safe for mobility, while red and orange zones with higher infection rates will remain under lockdown until May 12.“I request that people should not be negligent, because we are living under a new way of life in the context of Covid-19,” Phnom Penh’s deputy governor Mean Chanyada told a news conference.Yellow zones would see greater economic activity and traffic flows, but remain under a curfew from 8pm to 3am, he said.As Phnom Penh opens up, authorities have also introduced new measures, such as only permitting 50% of workers in factories to return and giving priority to those vaccinated.Other measures include more Covid-19 testing, more vaccinations in parts of the city with higher infection rates and a ban on alcohol sales.The World Health Organization’s representative in Cambodia, Li Ailan, had warned on Sunday against easing curbs too soon.She said in a message on Twitter: “Relaxing #COVID19 measures too fast and too soon means a possible surge.”Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a Wednesday press release that Phnom Penh red zones are causing hardship to more than 300,000 people. The residents of these areas face the country’s most restrictive lockdown measures, including a ban on leaving their homes except for specific medical reasons.HRW report that many residents have not been able to get food, medicine, and other necessities for weeks. Local and international groups have expressed their readiness to provide assistance directly to those most affected, but the authorities have denied them access.The humanitarian agency said the Cambodian government should immediately grant United Nations agencies and aid groups unrestricted access to residents under strict lockdown in Covid-19 red zones.It said the UN Country Team and donor countries should also publicly call on the government to end abusive police enforcement of public health measures.


Daily caseload tops 3,400 as death toll up by 8

Another 3,436 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,940,456.
There were 4,292 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,869,969.
There are now 33,965 active cases, of which 32,107 or 94.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,766 (5.2%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 92 are in ICU with 60 in need of respiratory assistance.
Eight more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 36,522.


Budget allocation for marketing a drop in the bucket, say hotel players

Hotel industry players have welcomed the overall allocation of RM1.6 billion in next year's budget for the development of the tourism industry although they question the share set aside for marketing initiatives and incentives, saying this might not be enough to boost local tourism in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Finance Minister Tengku Zaful Aziz, in presenting the budget for 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat last week, had announced RM200 million to strengthen the recovery of the tourism sector with incentives, promotions and marketing initiatives.
The government is also targeting more than 15 million foreign tourist arrivals, with a projected revenue of RM47.6 billion.
However, the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) said the allocation for marketing aid was less than 0.5% of the expected revenue.
"While we have seen an uptick in tourist arrivals, as of July 2022, Malaysia had recorded only 3.2 million tourist arrivals with tourism receipts of RM9.4 billion for the year 2022," MAH president Christina Toh said.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said this was a far cry from pre-pandemic numbers such as the 26 million tourist arrivals and RM86.1 billion and change in revenue seen in 2019, the year before the onset of Covid-19.
She voiced hope that the government would consider a number of proposals to support the recovery of the hotel sector, such as discounts for water and electricity bills, and the regulation of home-sharing sectors like Airbnb.
"This would provide a level playing field for all industry players," she said.
Toh also urged the government to extend personal tax reliefs for domestic travel in the year ahead, and provide discounts in assessment rates and quit rent.
As of 2020, more than 3.46 million people were employed in the tourism industry, which was among the worst hit by the movement controls and border restrictions imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.
In its budget for 2023, the government had announced a slew of other aid measures including RM25 million for incentives to encourage domestic travel.
These, it said, would come in the form of discounts, vouchers and rebates for accommodation, tour packages, handicraft and artworks.
But Fathir Badri, president of the Solidarity Association for Travel & Tours Agency Malaysia, said the total amount of RM1.16 billion would help the local tourism industry regain its footing.
He said the RM25 million for incentives, to be channelled directly to the people, would speed up domestic tourism business.
While he also praised the RM90 million set aside through the Galakan Melancong Malaysia grant, however, he suggested that the government look into the lack of manpower – an ongoing problem across many economic sectors.
"Hotels are unable to fully reopen, as are travel agencies which are having trouble finding workers," he said.
He also urged against the administration of the RM500 million in Bank Negara Malaysia tourism financing by banks, saying this would not help industry players.
Instead, he said, such funds should be managed by the tourism ministry itself, which he said had a better understanding of the industry needs.


Woman who died in front of Klang clinic tested positive for Covid-19

A woman who died after losing consciousness in front of a clinic in Taman Sentosa, Klang, yesterday morning had tested positive for Covid-19.South Klang district police chief ACP Shamsul Amar Ramli said the incident involving the woman was caught in a video that went viral on social media.He said the woman, who was accompanied by her sister, was believed to have come to the clinic at 9.45am to seek medical treatment.“When they reached in front of the clinic, the woman suddenly became unconscious.“The paramedics who were called to the location confirmed that she had died and the body was taken to Shah Alam Hospital.“The result of her Covid-19 RTK-Ag test was positive and she also had a history of diabetes and high blood pressure. The case was classified as Covid-19 sudden death,” he said in a statement today.


Schoolkids, teachers allowed to wear PE clothes on hot days, says education ministry

The education ministry has granted special permission to students, teachers and support service members in all educational institutions under its purview to wear appropriate sportswear during the current hot spell.
The ministry said the decision was made to avoid health complications resulting from the hot weather.
"For students who wear school uniforms, the use of neckties is not mandatory.
"School authorities are required to monitor the weather conditions from time to time so that immediate action can be taken to ensure the welfare, health and safety of students and teachers," the statement said.
"This phenomenon is a climate variability that occurs irregularly. Hot weather conditions can trigger heat waves that are harmful to health.
"The education ministry has always emphasised the importance of safeguarding the welfare, health, and safety of students, teachers and support service members when facing prolonged hot and dry weather that is currently affecting the country," the statement added.


Smartphones can be a blessing or curse in lockdown Raya

With their smartphones demanding undivided attention, many people are becoming disconnected from their families even during festivals that are meant to reunite and bring people together.This year, as interstate and interdistrict travel remains restricted, millions will be celebrating Raya as they did last year: away from their family.Once again phones will be key to connecting with loved ones.Mariani Md Nor, a psychologist and lecturer at Segi University, told MalaysiaNow that because using social media to communicate with their wider circle of family and friends may be the only option for those trapped at home, it can result in a form of addiction.Some people become more interested in updating their status on social media than celebrating the real festival happening around them.“Even older people can be affected by the so-called ‘phone pandemic’ when routine activity becomes a demanding habit.”“People are generally excited for the first few days of Raya, but they may then get busy with their phones, trying to connect with online friends by isolating themselves from immediate family members there in person,” she said.“This isn’t just a problem among young people – even older people can be affected by the so-called ‘phone pandemic’ when routine activity becomes a demanding habit.”Fauziah Mohd Sa’ad from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris agrees that more people are at increased risk of phone addiction as they are stranded at home during lockdown.“People are stuck at home and they have nothing much to do, so they spend their time on the phone including during Raya,” she told MalaysiaNow. “But the phone prevents us from interacting with people in person.”She believes limiting phone usage is the key to addressing this complex problem.“Phone use is okay as long as it serves a purpose and makes us happy. But we need to know the limitations,” she said.“Don’t use the phone to the extent it affects you physically, psychologically, and socially. Prioritise your health and interacting with family members around you.”Both Mariani and Fauziah warned of phone addiction among kids who have grown up with smartphones. If left to their own devices, they can drift further and further away from interacting with people in the flesh.Fauziah pointed out that many parents these days are actually “bribing” their children by giving them phones so they will not “disturb” them too much.But by doing this, she said, their kids will eventually find gadgets more interesting than real people and can easily end up missing out on developing vital social skills.There is also the risk of children being exposed to inappropriate content on the internet such as pornography and violence.The two experts have complementary advice for parents.Fauziah urges parents to monitor their kids’ phone usage all the time.Mariani advises parents to set a good example for their kids to follow.They agree that young parents should monitor their kids’ physical, emotional and social well-being.They should control the use of electronic devices, especially phones, by their children, but also by themselves as parents.Mariani said, “Parents should plan their children’s time meaningfully at home by ensuring their daily activities are balanced.“Allocate children’s time with phones properly by discussing it with them. Plan their time meaningfully at home and ensure they are growing up in a positive environment.”In short, don’t let your phone take control at Raya.


8 nabbed in bribes-for-foreign-workers case involving govt-appointed IT firm

A corruption investigation into what could involve some half-a-billion ringgit in bribes to facilitate foreign worker quotas has led to the arrest of eight individuals including the CEO of an information technology company.
The eight, who were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday, are suspected of receiving bribes of RM800 to RM1,500 to help employers or agents obtain foreign worker quotas.
A source said that the technology company was believed to have operated as a platform provider for foreign worker applications appointed by the government, and had been involved in processing approximately 345,861 quotas from May to the end of July this year.
Six of the suspects were remanded for three days while the other two were released on MACC bail after giving their statements.
The remand order was given by magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddi at the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court this morning.
According to the source, the CEO who is in his 50s, a senior officer in his 40s, and the six other suspects were arrested last night at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya where they had gone for questioning.
When contacted, MACC senior investigation director Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed the remand.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 16 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.


Trump insists pandemic almost over, Biden says he did ‘nothing’

President Donald Trump delivered a combative defence on Thursday of his Covid-19 response while election challenger Joe Biden – offering a glaring contrast in style in a rival town hall – accused him of doing “nothing” to end the pandemic.The duelling appearances, scheduled at the same time on rival television networks, showed Biden giving unflashy, empathetic, often in-depth answers to voters in the audience, while Trump delivered a fiery, sometimes agitated defence of his presidency.Trump, who trails in the polls ahead of the Nov 3 election, was especially under pressure about the coronavirus that has killed over 217,000 Americans and inflicted deep economic damage.“We’re rounding the corner,” Trump insisted with his usual optimism, even as swaths of the US see sharply rising caseloads.But pressed by the host of the NBC town hall in Miami, he became quickly frustrated, especially when asked about his previous lukewarm denunciations of extremist rightwing groups in the country.He notably refused to denounce QAnon, a conspiracy theory movement that claims Trump is waging a secret war against a global liberal cult of Satan-worshipping pedophiles.“I know nothing about QAnon,” Trump said, and then continued to praise the shadowy group’s position being “very much against pedophilia”.The president entered calmer waters when fielding a series of more comfortable questions from members of the audience, one of whom sparked applause by telling Trump: “You have a great smile.”‘Grudges don’t work’By contrast, Biden’s appearance on rival network ABC mirrored his steady and generally low-key campaign, with promises of bipartisan healing in divided Washington and aiming steady fire on Trump’s coronavirus record.“We’re in a situation where we have 210,000 plus people dead and what’s he doing? Nothing. He’s still not wearing masks,” Biden said of Trump at the event in Philadelphia.His standout comments at a time of profound political conflict in the country were when he vowed to improve the atmosphere, saying “grudges don’t work.”“We’ve got to change the nature of the way we deal with one another,” Biden said.“If I’m elected president, the first thing – and not a joke… I’m going to pick up the phone and call them and say, ‘Let’s get together.'”Biden repeatedly came back to the theme of unity, saying he would be president to all Americans including those who voted against him.“We’ve got to heal this nation,” he said. “If I’m elected president you’ll not hear me race baiting, you’ll not hear me dividing, I’ll be trying to unify.”In a gesture to those in the audience, Biden stayed on stage for some 30 minutes after the town hall ended so he could answer more questions.No debateOriginally, both candidates were meant to meet Thursday for what would have been their second of three presidential debates.The first was a brutal affair in which Trump repeatedly talked over Biden and the Democrat told him to “shut up”.The follow-up was scrapped after organisers switched to a virtual format, citing Trump’s coronavirus infection, and the president refused to accept the arrangement.Trump, who says he is clear of Covid-19 and returned to the campaign trail Monday, has rallies booked in battleground states every night this week.He predicted to supporters in North Carolina earlier Thursday that Biden would be given an easier time on ABC.“I’m being set up tonight,” he said.The decision by NBC to accept a Trump appearance at the same time as Biden’s town hall likely meant that few Americans would get to see and contrast both men.With only 19 days until the election, Trump is now running out of time to overtake Biden.Even a close ally to Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham, said Thursday Biden may be on his way to victory.“You all have a good chance of winning the White House,” he told Democratic colleagues at a hearing on Trump’s conservative Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.Trump and Biden hold their final debate Oct 22, and Biden said that out of “decency” he expects both men will get coronavirus tests beforehand.Harris on holdDespite Trump’s insistence that the pandemic is in the rear view mirror, it continues to disrupt the election.Following Trump’s temporary time out recovering, Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris has put her own travel on hold after her communications director and a flight crew member tested positive.Harris did not need to quarantine, the campaign said, but “out of an abundance of caution” would suspend in-person campaigning until Oct 19.Biden has reported multiple negative coronavirus tests since Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis on Oct 1, the latest on Thursday.The campaign said that yet another person who tested positive had traveled on Biden’s plane this week but had been so far away that the candidate was in no danger and doctors said “there is no need” for him to quarantine.


New infections dip to 1,300 as another 5 deaths reported

Another 1,352 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,450,859.There were 6,074 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,378,864.There are now 36,440 active cases, of which 35,439 or 97.3% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, five (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 930 (2.6%) have been hospitalised.A total of 66 are in ICU with 44 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 50.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 8.9%.Another five deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,555.


Tycoon Branson raps ‘Singapore’s relentless machinery of death’ after Nagaenthran’s execution

British aviation magnate Richard Branson says a “national conversation” about the use of the death penalty in Singapore is “long overdue”, voicing disappointment in the city-state’s “relentless machinery of death” following the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam yesterday despite his mental disabilities.“Singapore’s relentless machinery of death did what it always does,” Branson said in a blog post dedicated to Nagaenthran.“Stubbornly rejecting international human rights law and the views of experts, it left no room for decency, dignity, compassion, or mercy. Justice wasn’t served.”Nagaenthran was hanged at Changi prison early yesterday morning despite the international outcry over the death sentence handed down to him 12 years ago for trafficking 43g – about three tablespoons – of heroin into Singapore.He had an IQ of 69, a level recognised as a disability, and was reportedly coerced into committing the crime.His mother’s last-ditch attempt to halt his execution was thrown out by the court which said the criminal motion filed by Panchalai Supermaniam appeared to be a “calculated attempt” to diminish the finality of the court process.Panchalai had appeared in court herself as she was unable to find a lawyer in Singapore willing to represent her son.“Imagine the anguish, the anxiety, the grief,” Branson said on Panchalai’s final efforts to save Nagaenthran.“He was not a criminal. He was a victim – of his personal circumstances; of drug cartels that prey on the vulnerable; of a justice system that so consistently seems to fail minorities, the marginalised, and the poor. Humanity has failed him.”Branson, who had multiple times called for Singapore to give Nagaenthran clemency, said in his last plea that while he had “enormous respect” for the city-state, its use of capital punishment was the “one horrible blotch on its reputation”.“More than ever, I am convinced that it’s in our hands to end the death penalty in our lifetime. The global movement for abolition is growing. Also because of miscarriages of justice like this,” he said in his blog post.Adding that Singapore would not be the same after this, he said people were beginning to doubt the need for the death penalty.“If a system cannot protect the rights of those with disabilities, if it cannot offer empathy and reprieve, then something is fundamentally broken.“Nagaenthran’s case has raised so many questions about good governance, transparency, due process, fairness, and about Singapore’s commitment to international agreements. This will not go away.“I’d rather know Singapore as modern, world-class hub of trade than as a place that wastes its resources and its reputation on hanging people.”


Nato seeks to shore up Russia's neighbours as Moscow attacks Ukraine on multiple fronts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were trying to advance in the northeast and east and "planning something" in the south, while Nato sought on Wednesday to reassure other countries that fear destabilisation from Moscow.
Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had repelled six Russian attacks in the past 24 hours in the eastern Donbas region, while Russian artillery had relentlessly shelled the right bank of the Dnipro River and Kherson city in the south.
Winter weather has hampered fighting on the ground, and Zelenskiy has told Ukrainians to expect a major Russian barrage this week on Ukraine's stricken electricity infrastructure, which Moscow has pounded roughly weekly since early October.
"These are president (Vladimir) Putin's new targets. He's hitting them hard," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after Nato talks in Bucharest.
Putin had focused his "fire and ire" on Ukraine's civilians by bombing more than a third of its energy system supplying power and water, but the strategy would not work, Blinken said, adding that Nato was also concerned by China's ties with Moscow.
The Nato allies offered on Wednesday to help nearby Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina - all under pressure from Russia - Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.
"If there is one lesson from Ukraine it is that we need to support them now," Stoltenberg told a news conference, while Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told Reuters "the beast also wants to take control of the Western Balkans".
Zelenskiy said Russian forces were attacking Donetsk and Luhansk which make up the eastern Donbas as well as Kharkiv in the northeast, where Ukraine pushed them back in September.
"The situation at the front is difficult," he said in his nightly video address. "Despite extremely large losses, the occupiers are still trying to advance" in the east and "they are planning something in the south," he said, without elaborating.
Russia said its forces had taken full control of two settlements in the Donetsk region and destroyed a warehouse in the Dnipropetrovsk region containing HIMARS shells.
Reuters could not independently verify the latest battlefield reports.
Patriots
The ministers began their two-day meeting in Bucharest on Tuesday with pledges both to help Ukrainians cope with what the defence alliance's chief said was Moscow using winter weather as "a weapon of war" and to help sustain Kyiv's military campaign.
Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the meeting's outcome showed NATO was "absolutely not interested in a political and diplomatic solution in Ukraine".
Ukraine's foreign minister Dmitro Kuleba said Ukrainians needed fast and lasting help, and was looking to the global South as well as the West.
"We need to have more countries on board in this common struggle," he said.
Kuleba also demanded Russia withdraw its forces from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the south, where Moscow announced it had put the Ukrainian chief engineer in charge. Ukraine has said the engineer is a hostage.
Washington pledged US$53 million (about RM235.7 million) to buy power grid equipment, and US President Joe Biden said providing more military assistance was a priority. Republicans, who take control of Congress' House of Representatives in January, have talked about pausing the funding, which has exceeded US$18 billion.
Accumulating damage
In Kyiv, snow fell and temperatures were expected to remain below freezing as millions in and around the capital struggled to heat their homes despite attacks on infrastructure that Kyiv and its allies say are aimed at harming civilians, a war crime.
Workers have raced to repair the damage even as they anticipate more; electricity supplies crept back up towards three quarters of needs on Wednesday, national grid operator Ukrenergo said, a full week after the worst Russian barrage so far left millions of people shivering in cold and darkness.
Moscow, which has declared large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine annexed, says Ukrainians can end their suffering by accepting demands it has not spelled out. Ukraine says it will fight on until Russia withdraws completely.
Kyiv, where nearly 1 million people were without power on Tuesday, would see more emergency power cuts on Wednesday, DTEK, Ukraine's biggest private electricity producer, said.
The European Union said it aims to use proceeds from investing Russian assets it has frozen to help compensate Ukraine for the damage Moscow has inflicted, and proposed the establishment of a court to try "Russia's crime of aggression".
Kyiv welcomed the moves, saying Moscow had no legitimate goals. "It invaded another country violating international law, deliberately destroys its infrastructure and commits mass murders," presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.
Russia says the freezing of assets is theft, and denies that the invasion, which it calls a "special military operation" to disarm its neighbour, constitutes the war crime of aggression.
In the south, an overnight Russian missile attack damaged a gas distribution facility in the Zaporizhzhia region, while shells and heavy artillery hit Nikopol and Marganets - towns across the Dnipro river from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, the governors of the two regions said.
Ukrainian forces struck a power plant in Russia's Kursk region on Tuesday, causing some electricity outages, the regional governor there said. In Russia's Bryansk region bordering Ukraine's northeast, a local governor said a large oil storage tank was on fire on Wednesday, without giving a cause.


Trump to launch own social media platform?

Donald Trump plans to return to social media soon, using “his own platform” after being banned from Twitter and other outlets, a former adviser said Sunday.“I do think that we’re going to see president Trump returning to social media in probably about two or three months,” Jason Miller told Fox News.“It’s going to completely redefine the game, and everybody is going to be waiting and watching to see what exactly president Trump does, but it will be his own platform,” said Miller, who held senior posts in both of Trump’s presidential campaigns.Trump’s provocative use of social media was a defining feature of his presidency, as he drew 88 million followers to Twitter and often used tweets to slam his critics or to announce personnel changes or significant policy shifts.But Twitter permanently suspended his @realDonaldTrump account after he used it to encourage people to take part in the rally that turned into the violent storming of the US Capitol on Jan 6.Trump was also banned, temporarily or permanently, by other major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.Since leaving Washington and returning to his Mar-a-Lago resort home in Florida, the former president has kept a relatively low profile, largely relegated to issuing occasional news releases.But Miller said Trump had been hard at work.“There’s been a lot of high-power meetings he’s been having at Mar-a-Lago with some teams of folks who’ve been coming in,” Miller said. “There have been numerous companies.”He added: “This new platform is going to be big, and everyone wants him. He’s going to bring millions and millions – tens of millions of people to this new platform.”Miller provided no other details, nor did he say if he will be personally involved.Despite Trump’s defeat in November by Democrat Joe Biden, he remains influential in the Republican party and has not ruled out a third run for president in 2024.


DAP using PAS to 'terrorise' Chinese voters ahead of polls, says MCA

MCA today accused DAP of targeting PAS in an effort to "terrorise and scare" Chinese voters ahead of the elections to be held in six states next month.
MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker also claimed that this had led to racial and religious polarisation, reflected in the trend of Malay support for opposition pact Perikatan Nasional instead of Pakatan Harapan.
In a statement, he predicted that such polarisation would continue and become worse ahead of the state elections, where he said racial and religious sentiments would be exploited in the name of gaining support at the polls.
"Umno is hated by the people, including the Malays, because of the repeated incitement and attacks of DAP, and this has led to the hatred of Umno supporters towards DAP and the Chinese community which, for years, has generally accepted DAP's incitement.
"Suddenly, DAP is working with Umno and has made PAS its target to terrorise and scare the non-Malay voters, particularly the Chinese voters," he said in a statement.
Ti, a former deputy minister of youth and sports as well as national unity, said MCA itself had never used the excuse of PAS being an "extremist party" in order to justify its cooperation with Umno.
He also said that MCA had chosen to refrain from getting involved in disputes which "weaponise" racial and religious sentiments in order to ease the tensions which he said were becoming more apparent in the country.
"MCA does not agree with the use of unity simply in order to obtain votes while at the same time persecuting any other party as the enemy," he said.


HR minister confirms 5 officers sacked

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar today confirmed that he had terminated the service of five of his officers.
Sivakumar said the move was to ensure the ministry could function smoothly and well.
“The sackings are to ensure the ministry could function well and smoothly,” he told reporters after opening the government-linked companies' occupational safety and health summit at Tenera Hotel, in Bangi today.
He said that when asked on earlier media reports that claimed five of his officers had been terminated immediately following the arrest of his senior officers by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, believed to be over recruitment of foreign workers in April.
In another development, Sivakumar said the number of occupational injuries recorded in the country in 2021 was 21,534 cases which was a 34% fall compared to the year earlier.  He said there were 301 fatal occupational injury cases in 2021.
Sivakumar added that the fall in the rate of worker injuries was due to greater awareness by various interested parties on the importance of occupational safety and health.
Regarding the conference, Sivakumar said it was the first time it was organised together with government-linked companies, thus signalling the government's seriousness and concern in ensuring that the workforce is always safe and their health is maintained.


PKR has ‘zero chance’ in Sarawak, says PBB leader

Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today predicted that Sarawak PKR will not be able to win any seats in the Sarawak state election to come.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching today, he said PKR was at its weakest position yet under its current leadership.“I don’t believe PKR has any chance this time,” he said when asked to comment on PKR’s chances at the election.“They may contest up to 41 seats like they did during the previous election. They contested many seats but only managed to get three. This time, they will get zero.”Two state PKR chiefs have quit the party over the past year. Veteran Baru Bian announced his exit in the wake of the political crisis of 2020, while more recently Julau MP Larry Sng, who was tasked with leading the state chapter, decided in a shock announcement to revert to being an independent.From having six MPs in Sarawak, the party is now left with only one: Miri MP Michael Teo. It also lost all of its representatives in the state legislative assembly.Adding that his remarks were based on his own reading of the situation, Karim acknowledged that they might sound “arrogant”.“But with PKR under its present leadership, they will get zero, not even a single seat,” he said.With the party now in disarray, he added, GPS would easily be able to win the state election.“I believe GPS will win handsomely, at least two-thirds or four-fifths. I am confident about that.”Karim also said that PKR’s candidate for chief minister would be contesting the Asajaya seat.“But based on the information that I received, there are three candidates from PKR, not one. At this time, the three candidates from the same party are going around Asajaya, trying to lobby to contest there.“I don’t know why Asajaya is very important to them. Having said this, I welcome as many as possible – let it be a festival in Asajaya,” he said.Adding that he likes multicornered fights, he said he believed the Election Commission does as well.“More cornered fights are good for the government,” he said.


Former PM Cameron says Britain was prepared for flu-like pandemic rather than Covid

Former prime minister David Cameron told an inquiry on Monday that Britain was prepared for a flu-type pandemic but not enough work was done in advance to confront an asymptomatic disease similar to Covid-19.
Britain is holding an inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic after Britain recorded one of the world's highest death tolls. More than 175,000 deaths from the novel coronavirus had been reported by July last year.
Last week the counsel to the inquiry Hugo Keith said that Britain was taken by surprise by many aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic and had not considered policies such as lockdown and shielding in advance.
It could prove a headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was finance minister during the pandemic and faces an election expected next year.
However the inquiry is beginning with preparations for the pandemic and so Cameron is the first politician to give evidence to the inquiry although his premiership ended seven years ago.
"Much more time was spent on pandemic flu and the dangers of pandemic flu rather than on potential pandemics of other, more respiratory diseases like Covid turned out to be," Cameron, who was prime minister from 2010-2016, told the inquiry.
"This is so important because so many consequences followed from that."
Cameron said that while the government did consider other diseases like MERS and SARS, he questioned whether there had been adequate follow-up on that work and the possibility of asymptomatic transmission of respiratory diseases.
"When you think: what would be different if more time had been spent on a high-infectious asymptomatic pandemic, different recommendations would've been made about what was necessary to prepare for."
Cameron's finance minister George Osborne will testify on Tuesday while Jeremy Hunt, the current finance minister and health minister under Cameron, will give evidence on Wednesday.


Average monthly wages up 4.4% in 2019

The average monthly salary of employees increased by 4.4% from RM3,087 in 2018 to RM3,224 in 2019, according to the 2019 Salaries and Wages Survey Report published by the statistics department today.Chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement that the increase was in line with Malaysia’s economic performance, which also recorded growth of 4.4% at current prices in 2019.The report provides the main statistics for salaries and wages, that is the monthly median and mean based on demography and socio-economy.Uzir said salary and wage recipients in Malaysia totalled 9.2 million in 2019, up by 5% from 8.8 million people in 2018.Median monthly salary and wages recorded an increase from RM2,308 in 2018 to RM2,441 in 2019, an increase of 5.8%.“In 2019, the median salary and wages received by male employees was RM2,477 and female employees, RM2,370 which saw an increase of 5.8% and 6.8% respectively compared to 2018.“The mean monthly salary and wages for male employees increased by 4.1% to RM3,304 and for female employees by 5% to RM3,108 respectively compared to the previous year.“Meanwhile, the median and mean monthly salaries and wages for employees with tertiary education remained high, with 6.9% and 2% growth respectively,” said Uzir.The report also showed that median and mean monthly salaries and income for employees in urban areas went up by 6.2% to RM2,565 compared to those in the rural areas, which rose to RM1,560 at a rate of 5.3%.Meanwhile, mean monthly salary and wages showed a reversing trend in which the percentage change in rural areas was higher at 6% compared to that of employees in urban areas at 4% in 2019.Uzir said it was expected that the Covid-19 pandemic would affect this year’s salaries and wages, especially for those in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, and transportation and storage sectors.“The accommodation industry, food and beverage services, and the arts, entertainment and recreational sectors are also expected to be affected by the enforcement of the movement control order,” he said.


Russian soldier pleads guilty at Kyiv war crimes trial

A Russian soldier pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing a Ukrainian civilian in the opening stages of Moscow’s invasion during the first war-crimes trial held since the war began.The hearing in a packed Kyiv courtroom is the first in a series of proceedings being brought by Ukraine against Russian servicemen who have been accused of carrying out atrocities by Kyiv and its Western allies.They are also a public test of Ukraine’s judicial system at a time when international institutions are simultaneously investigating abuses allegedly committed by Russian forces.Russian soldier Vadim Shishimarin is accused of killing a 62-year-old man in northeast Ukraine on Feb 28, just four days into the Russian invasion.The 21-year-old from the Siberian region of Irkutsk in eastern Russia has been charged with war crimes and premeditated murder faces a possible life sentence.Asked in court if he was guilty of killing the elderly civilian, the sergeant responded: “Yes.”The Kremlin said earlier Wednesday that it had “no information about the case”.Moscow’s “ability to provide assistance due to the lack of our diplomatic mission there is also very limited,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.Wearing a blue and grey hoodie, the youthful-looking soldier with a shaved head looked towards the ground as a prosecutor read out charges against him in Ukrainian.Viktor Ovsyannikov, the soldier’s lawyer, said he would build his case after hearing “testimonies of witnesses” and described the trial as without precedent.“In Ukraine, this is the first criminal case of this type. Judges have never before announced these kinds of verdicts,” he said following the hearing.“If we’re talking about murder, then in our legislation there are several articles that punish this kind of action.”‘Sending a clear signal’He added that he had not liaised with anyone in Russia on the case, with the exception of Shishimarin’s mother.“No Russian officials have consulted with me. I have provided her with all the necessary explanations,” he said.Ukrainian authorities had earlier said the Russian soldier was cooperating with investigators.Prosecutor Andriy Sinyuk told reporters that two witnesses – including one of the Russian soldiers who was with Shishimarin at the time of the incident – will be brought to testify in court.The soldier’s weapon will also be examined as part of the probe, he said.Prosecutors say Shishimarin was commanding a unit in a tank division when his convoy came under attack.He and four other soldiers stole a car, and as they travelled near the village of Chupakhivka in the Sumy region, they encountered a 62-year-old man on a bicycle.“One of the soldiers ordered the accused to kill the civilian so that he would not denounce them,” the prosecutor’s office said.Shishimarin then fired a Kalashnikov assault rifle from the window of the vehicle and “the man died instantly, a few dozen metres from his home”, they added in a statement.Ukraine authorities announced the soldier’s arrest earlier in May alongside a video in which Shishimarin said he was fighting to “support his mother financially”.Ukraine’s chief prosecutor Iryna Venediktova on Twitter said there were “over 11,000 ongoing cases of war crimes and already 40 suspects”.“By this first trial, we are sending a clear signal that every perpetrator, every person who ordered or assisted in the commission of crimes in Ukraine shall not avoid responsibility,” she said.Oleksandr Pavlichenko, the head of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group for Human Rights, said that in the Shishimarin case “the motivation is not only legal, but political as well.”What is at stake, he said, is whether Ukraine “will have a real judicial process or just a play for the public”.The trial is due to continue on Thursday, when two more Russian servicemen are expected in a central Ukraine court for firing rockets at civilian infrastructure in the northeastern Kharkiv region.


US tells vaccinated people in high-risk areas to mask up again

People vaccinated against Covid-19 in high-risk parts of the US should resume wearing masks indoors, the top health authority said Tuesday, a major reversal in guidance that underscored the country’s struggle to suppress the Delta variant.President Joe Biden said the announcement showed that America needs to “do better” on vaccinations, adding that a vaccine mandate for the country’s more than two million federal workers was now “under consideration”.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky cited new data that shows rare breakthrough cases involving Delta have an increased risk of onward transmission.“In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends fully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings,” she said.As recently as last week, the CDC had defended its surprise decision in May that vaccinated people did not have to wear masks indoors in most circumstances.In another setback, the White House on Tuesday also ordered all its staff to mask up again due to local transmission rates in Washington.According to the latest CDC data, 63% of the country’s more than 3,200 counties are experiencing substantial or high transmission.Substantial is defined as being between 50 to 100 daily cases per 100,000 people over seven days, while high is defined as more than 100 daily cases per 100,000 over seven days.Biden said he would lay out new steps on Thursday to overcome the lag in vaccinations after the country’s strong start to its programme.Viral loadIn a separate address to the US intelligence community, when asked about a possible vaccine mandate for US federal workers, Biden replied: “That’s under consideration right now.”On Monday, the Veterans Affairs department said it would require its frontline health workers, some 115,000 people, to get the shot, becoming the first federal agency to institute the requirement.Walensky stressed that so-called “breakthrough” cases among people who are vaccinated remain rare – shots reduce the risk of symptomatic disease seven-fold, and hospitalisations and deaths by a factor of twenty.However, new CDC research showed that when a vaccinated person does become infected, their viral load is similar to an unvaccinated person.“That leads us to believe that the breakthrough infections, rare as they are, have the potential to forward transmit at the same capacity of an unvaccinated person,” she said.To stem the spread of the Delta variant, the CDC will recommend schools adopt universal masking, including teachers, staff, students and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, when they reopen in fall, she added.Infection numbers in the US are now swelling, thanks to the Delta variant, which accounts for around 90% of cases.The latest seven-day average of daily cases is more than 56,000, similar to levels last seen in April.In total, more than 610,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US.Forty-nine percent of the US population is fully vaccinated, but the vaccination rate is heavily skewed towards politically liberal parts of the country.Walenksy stressed she saw masks as a “temporary” measure, adding: “What we really need to do to drive down these transmissions in areas of high transmission is to get more and more people vaccinated.”Vaccines the solutionEric Cioe-Pena, director of global health at Northwell Health in New York, told AFP that “this is a solution to a problem that exists because we have high levels of people that are not vaccinated”.“The main predictor of how much Covid is going to surge in an area is the vaccination rate,” he added, so areas that are highly vaccinated will not fall under the new mask guidance.According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness.Last month, Israel reinstituted mask mandates, just 10 days after lifting them, due to the Delta variant, and local US jurisdictions, including Los Angeles county, have taken similar steps.


Rosmah’s defence in graft case ‘a bare denial’, says prosecution

Rosmah Mansor’s defence in her corruption case on the solar energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak is a bare denial and fails to rebut the presumption of corrupt intention, the prosecution says.The prosecution said it had proven beyond reasonable doubt its case on all three charges against Rosmah, who is the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak.“The defence’s case may be summarised as follows, that the accused (Rosmah) is the victim of a conspiracy which has resulted in her being charged, and the real culprits are Rizal Mansor, Mahdzir Khalid, Madinah Mohamed, Alias Ahmad, Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah and Saidi Abang Samsudin, the prosecution witnesses who testified against Rosmah.“Rosmah’s witness statement and her evidence during re-examination comprised a virulent and scathing attack on the counsel leading the prosecution and upon the foregoing witnesses,” the prosecution said in its written submission filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on March 4.The prosecution said Rosmah had denied instructing her former aide Rizal to solicit the bribe, and that the question then arose as to whether Rizal was a sufficient political heavyweight to be able to make the demand of his own accord.“Given the accused’s pre-eminence and given the fact that in her own words, she was ‘sleeping with the PM’, it is highly improbable that Rizal made the demand for himself. The accused also suggests that Rizal used her name to solicit the bribe.“The fact that the accused used Rizal to solicit the bribe is consistent with her modus operandi,” it said.In its submission at the end of the defence’s case, the prosecution said there was no reason whatsoever for star witnesses Rayyan Radzwill and Saidi to make up the case against the accused.“Why would Rayyan Radzwill, Saidi and Rizal conspire to ‘fix up’ the accused? The accused says that these witnesses were all wrongdoers, and to escape the consequences of their wrongdoing, they pointed their finger at her.“Given the totality of the circumstances, this version of the accused borders from the sublime to the ridiculous.“And the point is brought home to finality by the evidence of the manner in which the RM1.5 million was collected from the bank and delivered to the accused. What transpired upon that occasion as described by Saidi puts paid to any suggestion that he cooked up a story to implicate the accused,” the prosecution said, adding that it had proven the charge of solicitation beyond reasonable doubt.On Feb 23, the defence closed its case after calling two witnesses, Rosmah and former director of the First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) division, Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod.High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan set April 5 for hearing oral submissions from both the prosecution and defence.On Feb 18 last year, Rosmah, 70, was ordered to enter her defence on the three charges after the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against her.She faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings’ former managing director Saidi.The bribes were allegedly received through Rizal, as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the hybrid photovoltaic solar system integrated project as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel generator sets for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 billion from the education ministry through direct negotiation.


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Muhyiddin calls for RCI into combat ship scandal

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin today called on the Cabinet to form a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into claims of misappropriation in the litterol combat ship (LCS) project for the use of the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM).
In a statement today, he described it as the latest scandal of the former kleptocratic government, saying it had caused billions in losses.
“Although the administration of the kleptocratic Barisan Nasional (BN) ended at the 14th general election, we are still haunted until today by the relics of its depravity,” he added.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed on Aug 4 that nine proceedings related to the lCS project from Nov 18, 2020 onwards had found that not a single ship was completed.
According to PAC, the project contract worth just over RM6 billion was issued through direct negotiation with five ships to be completed and handed over this month.
Yesterday, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the government would make reports on the project development in stages.
He said the defence ministry had been given six months to mobilise efforts to revive the project, and that he believed the first ship would be delivered to TLDM within two years.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said PN strongly opposed the corrupt practices and misappropriation that had taken place under the BN administration.
He added that PN would not allow a return of such practices.


Questions on the value of a degree and caps on university admissions

Amid renewed debate over the matter of minimum wage, the question has arisen of whether tertiary education in Malaysia is still relevant to meeting the demands of the job market.The minimum wage debate has cast light on the differences in interest between employers and workers.The Malaysian Employers Federation and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, for example, are against the proposal to raise the minimum wage to RM1,500.They are of the opinion that this would kill off companies that are just starting to regain their footing after the Covid-19 pandemic.The Malaysian Trades Union Congress meanwhile say employers should be ready for such an increase in wage.Beneath the debate though are other underlying issues such as the influx of graduates in the job market and the problem of unemployment.According to the statistics department, 2020 saw some 5.46 million graduates, an increase of 4.4% from the 5.13 million recorded the year before.Education site studymalaysia.com meanwhile states that there were at least 20 public universities and 47 private universities in Malaysia as of September 2019.Malaysia also boasts 34 university colleges and 10 foreign university campuses.The abundance of institutions has enabled many youth to pursue their education at the tertiary level – but it has also invited criticism from those who say that the easy access to college and university education has diluted the value of a degree.Educationist Dzulkifli Abdul Razak told MalaysiaNow that in terms of proportion, there are more institutions of education and universities in the country than there are people.“Not all of them were established on the basis of knowledge and scientific pursuit, either,” he said.Dzulkifli, who is the rector at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, also questioned the effectiveness of the mass approach to tertiary education.He said tertiary education should not be seen as a factory process.He also said that the value of a degree would decrease when every other person has one.“Employers are not looking at degrees anymore,” he said. “What matters is a person’s attitude, skills and integrity.“This is not emphasised in our education system, unlike Japan’s, for example.”Anuar Ahmad of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia however was of the opposite opinion.“Easy access to tertiary education is actually a good plan,” he said. “It has nothing to do with a decrease in value of education or degree.“There are clear guidelines for entrance into university, and legitimate conditions that should be fulfilled by the applicant.”According to him, discrepancies between the type of work and the qualification of a graduate are due to the rapid changes in industries.“Universities and industries need to work more closely so that university managements know the industries’ needs for the next three to five years,” he said.Annuar also disagreed with the suggestion for a cap to university admissions, saying not everyone enters university in order to land a job. On the contrary, he said, some enrol purely for the sake of gaining knowledge.If university admissions are capped, he said, the government and employers would need to create opportunities for school leavers to enter the working world.Dzulkifli meanwhile said there was no need for more schools offering specialisations.“What is needed more right now is a transdisciplinary approach,” he said.Habibah Abd Rahim, a senior fellow at think tank Institut Masa Depan Malaysia, said it would be inaccurate to compare school and university qualifications when entering the workforce.“Secondary school graduates are different from university graduates,” she said.“The type and level of work that can be pursued are different. There is a big likelihood that school leavers would be unable to compete and to perform the same job as a university graduate.”For Dzulkifli, the problem of a surplus of graduates might be rooted in policies that push universities to become vocational in nature, or places to train future workers.“Education without a soul,” he said, adding that this differs greatly from the national education philosophy which seeks to produce well-rounded citizens.


Govt considering lemon law to protect used car owners

The domestic trade and consumer sffairs ministry is looking into efforts to improve laws related to the sale and purchase of used vehicles, including the proposal for the introduction of a lemon law.
Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said this was important as it would protect consumers from becoming victims of fraud or having to bear losses when buying used vehicles.
He said based on statistics from January to August this year, a total of 1,126 cases related to the sale and purchase of used vehicles were recorded by the Tribunal for Consumer Claims.
"As proposed by consumer associations including FMCCAM (Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations Malaysia), the ministry should enhance the existing legislation including by introducing a lemon law.
"At the ministry level we have discussed (the lemon law) and we are gathering industry players’ input," he told a press conference after officiating the launch of the AutoGen Plus extended warranty programme for used car owners in Kuala Lumpur today.
A lemon law protects consumers who purchase products that have a lifespan of more than six months such as cars, to address the issue of existing damages as well as the possibility of accidents and claims for the defective product.


DAP's Gobind speaks out against minister's defence of Sosma

Damansara MP Gobind Singh Deo today urged his Pakatan Harapan (PH) colleague, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution, to reconsider his position on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, describing it as at odds with the stance of PH as a whole acknowledging the law as "problematic".
In a statement, Gobind said PH had been consistent in its call for change.
"When faced with legislation oppressive in nature, discussions must be held and points of view taken moving ahead in line with our push for reforms," he said.
Saifuddin had said at a press conference on Dec 13 that the government had no intention of reviewing the act, known by its abbreviation of Sosma.
He said Sosma allowed the court process to take place, and compared it to its predecessor, the Internal Security Act, saying that under Sosma, the period is "only 28 days".
He also said that arrests under Sosma were only done on "reliable intelligence and evidence".
Gobind said while laws are needed to deal with national security, there was no denying the fact that Sosma was "oppressive in nature".
He also cited remarks in 2019 by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim himself that Sosma should be amended and improved for the benefit of all parties as it had been deemed "too harsh".
He referred to Section 4 of the act which permits a person to be detained for a period of up to 28 days and for detention without access to court.
"There is therefore no check and balance on the powers of the investigating authorities during this period of time. This allows for abuse not only in point of wrongful arrests but also during the course of investigations which must not be allowed.
"There ought to be that process which allows a person detained access to court during that time. This is why we in PH voted against the motion brought by the previous home minister to extend Section 4(5) of Sosma in Parliament on March 23," he said.
Even after an accused is charged, he said, there remained other problems which, taken together, could mean "years in court".
"The trial and appeals process is lengthy, which means that an accused in a case like this would be held in custody for indefinite periods of time even after an acquittal which is certainly harsh and oppressive.
"There is certainly much to be done in order to remove these draconian aspects of Sosma," he said.


Give RoS more time, Ahmad Maslan says on amendment to Umno constitution

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan has asked all parties not to blame the Registrar of Societies (RoS) in the issue of the party's constitutional amendment application.
He said like the RoS, his party also hoped that Barisan Nasional (BN) would not be blamed for urging the department to provide an answer to the application.
"Don't point fingers and blame the RoS for not listening to BN or anything like that. We’ll give more time to the RoS... another week or two," he said after an event in Bangi yesterday.
The Pontian MP said more time should be given to enable the RoS to examine the additional documents requested from Umno.
"As the RoS has requested eight additional types of documents, it means additional time will be needed for them to provide feedback," he said, denying reports by several media outlets that the RoS had approved the party's constitutional amendment.
Umno had applied for the amendment to enable it to postpone its leadership elections until six months after the general election.
The notice of constitutional amendment was submitted to the RoS on May 17.
The RoS had issued a brief statement to Bernama on July 7, saying a decision on the application would be made known by July 16.


Thousands demand action on US gun violence

Thousands of people took to the streets in the United States on Saturday to push for action on the devastating gun violence plaguing the country, where Republican politicians have repeatedly blocked efforts to enact stricter firearms laws.Protesters of all ages streamed onto the National Mall in Washington, where activists placed more than 45,000 white vases holding flowers – one for each person killed by a firearm in the US in 2020.“Protect People Not Guns,” said one sign held by a protester near the Washington Monument. “Fear Has No Place In Schools,” read another.Two horrific shootings last month – one at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 children and two teachers, and another at a New York supermarket that left 10 black people dead – helped spur the rallies, organized by March For Our Lives.The student-led organisation, founded by survivors of a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, held a rally that drew hundreds of thousands of people to the nation’s capital in March 2018.Four years later, the demonstration was marked by frustration at the lack of progress.“Enough is enough” rang out repeatedly from the podium, with speakers including Parkland survivor X Gonzalez and Martin Luther King Jr’s granddaughter Yolanda King.“We are here to demand justice,” said Garnell Whitfield, whose 86-year-old mother was killed in the racially motivated supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York on May 14.“We are here to stand with those who are bold enough to demand sensible gun legislation.”Widespread outrage, little changeThe problem of gun violence in the US – which has killed more than 19,300 people so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive – goes far beyond high-profile mass killings, with more than half of those deaths due to suicide.Outside of Washington, hundreds of other demonstrations were planned around the country Saturday, including in Parkland, where protesters carried signs with messages such as “Am I Next?”Thousands also turned out in New York City. In Brooklyn, white crosses were erected for the children killed in Uvalde and portraits of those killed in Buffalo fastened to shopping carts.Ease of access to firearms, and mental health problems that can lead to them being used in attacks, have both been in the spotlight in the wake of the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.The massacre was carried out by a gunman who bought two assault rifles shortly after turning 18.Gun control advocates are calling for tighter restrictions or an outright ban on such rifles. But opponents have sought to cast mass shootings as primarily a mental health issue, not a weapons problem.Gerald Mendes, a physical education teacher in Texas who joined the rally in New York said he supports the US constitutional right to bear arms, but that “as far as AR-15s and weapons of war, we regular citizens don’t need those.”The majority of Americans support tighter gun laws, but opposition from many Republican lawmakers has long been a hurdle to major changes.“The will of the American people is being subverted by a minority,” said Cynthia Martins, a 63-year-old resident of the US capital, referring to the Republican Party.“There’s a reason that we’re still in this situation,” she said.‘Fear that we live with everyday’Some lawmakers are trying to pass gun regulations.The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed a broad package of proposals this week that included raising the purchasing age for most semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 – but the party does not have the requisite 60 votes to advance it in the Senate.A cross-party group of senators has also been working on a narrow collection of controls that could develop into the first serious attempt at gun regulation reform in decades.But it does not include an assault weapons ban or universal background checks, meaning it will fall short of the expectations of President Joe Biden.Faith Barrett, a teacher who travelled to the rally with her daughter, also a teacher, voiced the frustration shared by many on the Mall.“We’re still back in the same place,” the 47-year-old said, voicing only “tentative” hope change would come.Both she and her daughter have plans in place in case of a shooting at their school.“Most teachers look at every single classroom they go into and think, where am I going to put my kids if something happens,” Barrett said.The spectre of gun violence also hung over the rally, where police and security forces had a heavy presence.A moment of silence for the Uvalde victims was shaken by a brief panic when a disturbance near the stage sent people sprinting away in terror.While the crowd quickly calmed and the man creating the disturbance was detained, with park police telling local media no weapons were found, some were left in shock and tears.Fred Guttenberg, the father of a Parkland victim, took to the podium to ease the crowd.“Unfortunately somebody decided to show up and put the fear that we live with everyday to life.”


Pandemic career changes, from IT and consultancy to farming and cendol

While many businesses and workers are battening down the hatches in a bid to weather the economic storm of Covid-19, which has seen three major lockdowns imposed throughout the country so far, others are taking a different approach and simply opting for a change in career.Muhammad ‘Alif Fitri Mohd Arif spent six years working as a freelance IT programmer in the Klang Valley. Towards the end of 2019, though, jobs became more and more scarce and he knew he would soon have to make a decision about what to do next.As he was looking for job opportunities elsewhere, he met a friend who was involved in agriculture.“He uses fertigation technology on his farm,” Alif told MalaysiaNow. “It has an automatic watering system for the plants he is working on. I am passionate about technology so the use of that system caught my attention.”The problem was, he had no land on which to work. Undaunted, he asked around among his family members and eventually found a relative who allowed him to cultivate a plot of land in Sepang, Selangor, that had been unused for 60 years.Armed with his savings as capital, he embarked on his new career as a farmer. What began as a small cucumber plot measuring a quarter of an acre gradually expanded to one and a half acres, with chilli plants growing alongside the original cucumbers.The 29-year-old considers himself lucky to have made the career switch before the pandemic, which broke out in earnest a few months after he started his farm.“When the movement control order (MCO) started, farming was considered an essential service so I could still earn an income throughout the period.”Others, like former consultant Maazan Mahamat Ajmi, made the switch after experiencing the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on their livelihood.Maazan had been a consultant in town planning for 10 years before he decided to switch to a food and beverage (F&B) business instead. He now sells cendol at a roadside stall in Shah Alam.“During the MCO, my company warned us that they would have to lay off staff. I didn’t want to wait, so I called it a day and went back to my home town.“It then occurred to me that this was the time to start an F&B business, a thought that for years had lingered only at the back of my mind.”Maazan Mahamat Ajmi, busy at his cendol stall in Shah Alam. The former consultant made the move after his company warned that they would be laying off workers due to the pandemic.Venturing into F&B seemed like a natural step for him as he had spent his youth helping his mother sell nasi lemak.“I don’t think I would be able to survive in the current situation had I opened a business in another sector,” he told MalaysiaNow.Economist Barjoyai Bardai agreed that those who make a career switch to the essential sectors would find a silver lining.“People should not be dependent on one profession alone,” he said.There is also the added benefit of acquiring new skills and utilising existing skills in a new environment, which could also come in handy should they one day return to their old field.“For example, an IT programmer who becomes a farmer may be able to bring artificial intelligence to farming, or he can impart his knowledge in farming to develop an app or software related to agriculture.”Yeah Kim Leng, a professor of economics at Sunway University, called for greater clarity in the classification of activities as essential or non-essential.“Essentiality differs according to public health, national security, livelihoods, social and economic functions or a combination of these factors,” he said.“Typically essential services refer to basic or fundamental activities that are critical for meeting society’s basic needs. But how essential they are depends on the nature of the problem or threat.”In the case of Covid-19, he said there would likely be an accelerated investment in healthcare and medical research as well as digitalisation and e-commerce across the various economic sectors once the pandemic is over.Meanwhile, on his farm, Alif is still happy with his decision.“What I like about farming is that the products are always in demand. When I was working in the IT sector, my job depended on my clients’ events and presentations.”And farm work is not as backbreaking as it is made out to be, at least not for him.“Technology nowadays has made things much easier,” he said. “I only have to set up the fertigation system and control the timing.”But while the change in career has made it easier for him to meet the challenges of Covid-19, he still thinks about his old life in the IT sector every now and then.“If in the future I am offered a freelance IT project or a job, I would take it,” he said.“I could do it in my free time. To leave behind my skills in IT would be a waste.”


Swiss outlaw face coverings in narrow vote on ‘burqa ban’

Switzerland has narrowly voted in favour of banning face coverings in public, including the burqa or niqab worn by some Muslim women.Official results show the measure passed by 51.2% to 48.8% in Sunday’s referendum.A leading Swiss Islamic group said it was “a dark day” for Muslims.“Today’s decision opens old wounds, further expands the principle of legal inequality, and sends a clear signal of exclusion to the Muslim minority,” the Central Council of Muslims said in a statement, adding that it would challenge the decision in court.The proposal in Sunday’s referendum did not mention Islam directly and was also aimed at stopping violent street protesters from wearing masks to disguise their identities.However, The Swiss People’s Party’s posters showed threatening looking women in black niqabs, and warned of Islamic extremism. The vote was widely referred to as “the burqa ban”.The latest proposal predated the coronavirus pandemic, which has meant all Swiss adults having to wear medical masks in many settings.Many Swiss feminists view the burqa and niqab as oppressive to women but they also oppose laws telling women what they can and cannot wear.Sanija Ameti, a member of Switzerland’s Muslim community, told the BBC that the campaign – and the depiction of Muslim women in the posters – had been upsetting.“So many Muslims in Switzerland will feel insulted and not part of this society, and pushed into a corner where they don’t belong. We don’t look like these women in the pictures, we just don’t,” she said.However, others in the Muslim community supported the ban.Imam Mustafa Memeti, from the city of Bern, told the BBC he thought the motivation behind the campaign was “probably Islamophobic”, but he said he supported the ban anyway because it could help to emancipate Muslim women in Switzerland.Ahead of the vote, Walter Wobmann, chairman of the referendum committee, described Muslim face coverings as “a symbol for this extreme, political Islam which has become increasingly prominent in Europe and which has no place in Switzerland”.He said, “In Switzerland our tradition is that you show your face. That is a sign of our basic freedoms.”The wearing of Islamic veils in public has been a controversial topic in other European countries.France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Bulgaria have put in place full or partial bans on wearing face coverings.


Elections can wait, Sarawak politicians agree after health DG’s warning

Politicians from all sides in Sarawak appear to agree that the state election, due in June, can wait following the fierce spike in daily Covid-19 infections there.They said the state election could be held once the vaccination programme’s goal of reaching 70% herd immunity is achieved.This comes amid catastrophic scenes in India which recently held five massive state elections, triggering an explosion of daily cases numbering in the tens of thousands.State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said one way to accelerate herd immunity was to consider the AstraZeneca vaccine, following the success of the pilot programme in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur where slots were fully booked within hours despite the bad publicity surrounding the brand.“I’m not a medical doctor but from what I read about Pfizer and AstraZeneca, both are good. Tens of millions of people have been vaccinated with these vaccines,” Karim told MalaysiaNow.“I feel Sarawak should accept this vaccine too if it is available, in our efforts to get as many Sarawakians as possible vaccinated following the recent ‘opening’ for those who wish to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca,” he said.But whatever the case, elections should be avoided at all costs, he said, echoing the view of health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah who warned earlier this week that any move towards holding polls would result in a replication of the health catastrophe in India.“The safety and welfare of Sarawakians is of the utmost importance. I fully agree with the call by our health director-general to postpone the election until the situation gets better,” said Karim, who is the vice-president of PBB, the lynchpin party of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).State opposition leader Wong Soon Koh also said he could not see polls being called any time soon.“I fully agree that the state election should be postponed until the pandemic is well contained.“We should not follow India’s footsteps. After all, we are now under the emergency ordinance. I think there are ways the administration can continue until the Covid-19 situation improves.”However, he was not confident that herd immunity in Sarawak could be achieved by August, the target set by the state government.Sarawak DAP’s Dr Kelvin Yii agreed, blaming the low rate of vaccination.He said Sarawakians should be given the freedom to opt for the AstraZeneca vaccine as implemented in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.“Either way, we will need to wait until the majority of the population is immunised. Only then can an election with the necessary adjustments be even considered.”He called on the Election Commission (EC) to break away from conventional ways of holding polls.“This includes safety and security measures to make sure any postal or absentee voting process or facilities must be tamper-proof, transparent, fair and convenient for eligible voters so that it will instil public confidence in the system itself.”Yii said this was even more critical as some 20% of eligible Sabah and Sarawak voters live and work in the peninsula.“This is why I am calling on the EC to expedite the process for postal voting or any other means to enable Malaysians who want to vote to do so without much inconvenience.“Such a reform is even more pertinent, especially with the upcoming Sarawak state election.”In a recent Covid-19 press briefing, Noor Hisham warned that any state election in Sarawak would mean the movement of people from the peninsula, including voters.He cited as example a cluster of more than 2,000 infections caused by an individual from Johor who travelled to Sarawak.“Imagine if Sarawakians return from the peninsula to cast their votes. There would definitely be infections. This is what we fear,” he said, adding that any increase of infections in rural Sarawak would be difficult to tackle.


Japan to push child care, labour reforms to stem falling births, sources say

Japan aims to reform labour law, easing the way for couples to work and share household chores, in a bid to avert an expected sharp fall in the number of its young people by the 2030s, three government sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said a fast-ageing Japan has a last chance to reverse a decline in births, which could hurt economic growth and social security, before the 2030s bring a drop in the share of young people in the population.
Kishida is set to unveil a final version of his child care policy at a news conference on June 13.
The labour reforms will allow workers to opt for a more flexible work-style such as three days off each week, the sources, who sought anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to media, told Reuters.
Further regulation to be adopted in fiscal 2024 will put a uniform cap on overtime. The new plan also aims for those who engage in care or undergo fertility treatment to hold down jobs.
The child allowance plan calls for abolition of income limits on recipients, while clarifying that such allowances are available until a deadline of March 31 subsequent to attaining the age of 18, up from 15 now.
The draft plan seeks to further rectify long working hours so that both parents can share household chores without throwing an unfair burden on mothers.
Men working long hours have traditionally formed the bulk of the workforce at many Japanese firms, but reform proponents say this forces women to shoulder a disproportionate share of domestic chores.
Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment outside business hours.


Sri Lankan health minister tests positive for Covid-19 after endorsing sorcery

Sri Lanka’s health minister, who publicly endorsed sorcery and magic potions to stop surging coronavirus infections in the island, has tested positive and will self-isolate, officials said Saturday.Pavithra Wanniarachchi had publicly consumed and endorsed a magic potion, later revealed to contain honey and nutmeg, manufactured by a sorcerer who claimed it worked as a life-long inoculation against the virus.She also poured a pot of “blessed” water into a river in November after a self-styled god-man told her that it would end the pandemic.The island nation of 21 million on Friday approved the emergency use of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University only hours after Wanniarachchi tested positive, officials said.“Her antigen test returned positive on Friday and she has been asked to isolate herself,” a health ministry official said.“All her immediate contacts have been quarantined.”A junior minister who had also taken the potion made popular by Wanniarachchi tested positive for the virus earlier this week.Doctors in the island nation have said there is no scientific basis for the syrup, and there is no known cure for Covid-19.But thousands defied public gathering restrictions to swamp a village in central Sri Lanka last month to obtain the elixir, made by carpenter Dhammika Bandara.Family members of another politician, who hailed from Bandara’s village, have also been infected after taking the syrup.Pro-government media gave widespread publicity to the holy man, who claimed the formula was revealed to him by Kali, a Hindu goddess of death and destruction.But the government has since scrambled to distance itself from Bandara, whose preparation was approved as a food supplement by the official indigenous medicine unit.Sri Lanka is in the grip of a coronavirus surge, with the number of cases and deaths soaring from 3,300 and 13 in early October to nearly 57,000 infections and 278 dead this week.


We’re watching, Thai govt warns protesters using Clubhouse app

Thailand warned users of Clubhouse on Wednesday not to break the law after the audio social media app emerged almost overnight as a platform for discussion of the monarchy.It is the latest example of the fast-growing app drawing the ire of governments in several Asian countries.Digital minister Puttipong Punnakanta said Thai authorities were keeping their eye on Clubhouse users. He accused political groups using the app of distorting information and potentially violating laws.Thousands of Thais have joined Clubhouse since Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a prominent Japan-based critic of the Thai palace, joined on Friday and started discussing the monarchy.Clubhouse, launched last year, lets users host and listen to audio chats. It has surged in popularity in the past couple of months, especially after Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared on it.“What needs to be spoken will be spoken. It is risky but it must be encouraged, as the more we speak about it the more such discussions become the norm,” Pavin, who gained more than 70,000 followers in his first five days on the app, told Reuters. “These exercises help boost courage.”Youth protests last year focused on demands for reforms to the monarchy in Thailand, a subject long considered taboo. Some 60 demonstrators have been held or charged under Thailand’s “lese majeste” law which forbids insulting the king.The Thai government regularly uses a cybercrime law to prosecute critics of the monarchy on national security grounds. It has previously cracked down on such criticisms on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.Earlier this month, China blocked access to the app after a brief period when thousands of mainland users joined in discussions often censored in China, including about Taiwan, Xinjiang detention camps and Hong Kong’s National Security Law.Some Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have gained thousands of followers on the app, although users there have stopped short of hosting public discussions about reviving protests that might attract Beijing’s wrath.On Wednesday, Indonesia said Clubhouse had yet to register with authorities and could be banned if it failed to comply with local regulations. Jakarta has already banned Reddit and Vimeo.


Dogs rescued from China butchers arrive in NYC, meet their new families

An Air China plane landed in New York with 45 very special passengers on Saturday.The furry flyers were all dogs rescued from China’s meat markets, the New York Post reports.They followed a first batch of 34 rescued mutts who landed on Friday.Both batches were greeted with hugs and treats by their eager adopters, some of whom had waited the better part of a year to meet their new best friends and were eager to take them home and care for them.The pooches were saved by No Dogs Left Behind, a charity which has operated a shelter in Beijing since 2017 and works to save pups from China’s dog meat farms and wet markets. They also target illegal traffickers and breeders.Jeff Beri, the founder of the organisation, expects to bring in another 135 dogs early next year. He says that all the rescue dogs have been vaccinated and spayed before they are put up for adoption. He did not say whether they are also given a crash course in English doggy commands.China has very few animal welfare laws, and it is not illegal to beat a dog or kill one inhumanely.This year, with Covid-19 causing nationwide fear, many families have abandoned their pets or sold them to butchers as rumours spread that dogs can carry the virus and transmit it to humans.