344 Nigerian schoolboys released after mass kidnapping

More than 300 Nigerian schoolboys were released on Thursday after being abducted in an attack claimed by Boko Haram, officials said, although it was unclear if any more remained with their captors.The assault last Friday on a rural school in Kankara, Katsina state in northwest Nigeria, was initially blamed on criminal gangs who have terrorised the region for years.But on Tuesday Boko Haram, the brutal jihadist group behind the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, claimed responsibility for the raid.After a six-day ordeal, local officials said the boys had been released.“344 are now with the security agencies and will be moved to Katsina this night,” state governor Aminu Bello Masari said.In an interview with state channel NTA, the governor added: “I think we have recovered most of the boys, it’s not all of them.”Those who were released, “will be given proper medical attention and care before being reunited with their families”, he added.“This is a huge relief to the entire country & international community,” President Muhammadu Buhari said on Twitter.It remained unclear, however, if all the abducted schoolboys had been released, amid ongoing uncertainty over the number taken in the first place.In a video released by Boko Haram Thursday, a distraught teenager said he was among 520 students kidnapped.“No one can give the exact number of the children,” a security source told AFP Thursday, saying the schoolboys were left in the forest after negotiations with the government.“The children are being gathered in the town of Tsafe in Zamfara state and nearby Yankara in Katsina state.”“The actual number of freed children will only be known after a head count when they arrive (in the state capital) Katsina. Any figures given are a conjecture,” the same source added.Alliance of ‘bandits and terrorists’Sources had previously told AFP that the raid was carried out by a well known criminal in the region, Awwalun Daudawa, in collaboration with Idi Minorti and Dankarami, two other crime chiefs with strong local followings, acting on behalf of Boko Haram.Experts recently warned that jihadists – operating in the northeast of the country, hundreds of kilometres from where Friday’s attack occurred – were attempting to forge an alliance with criminal gangs in the northwest.President Buhari’s official spokesman Garba Shehu said on Twitter “the northwest now presents a challenge which his administration is determined to deal with.”“It is unfortunate that the bandits and terrorists continue to get weapons even under the circumstances of the border closure. We are going to dare them.”Many parents of the missing students in Kankara said they had long feared an attack, given escalating violence in the region.“Our children told us armed men would come up to the school fence but they never breached the fence… until last Friday,” Hauwa’u Isah, mother of an abducted child said.Around 8,000 people have been killed in the northwest since 2011, according to the International Crisis Group think tank.#BringBackOurBoys started trending on social media earlier this week, in reference to a similar hashtag after the Chibok kidnappings.Small protests to push for the boys’ release took place in Katsina on Thursday as Buhari was visiting the state.“Why we are here today is because we want to tell the federal government that what they are doing is not enough,” protester Jamilu Aliyu Turanci said.“Mr President has failed us.”


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Sabah to be given sovereign rights over Sipadan, Ligitan

The Special Council on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63) has agreed to hand over administration of the Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Sabah, while Sarawak will have full control and management of its gas distribution.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Maximus Ongkili said the decision was reached yesterday at the MKMA63 virtual meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and attended by Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.“The formal surrender of the Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Sabah means full authority and control over the administration of both islands will be under the purview of the Sabah government… this is with the exception of security control, which will still be under the purview of the federal government.“The prime minister said Sabah has sovereignty rights over the two islands, which are under the supervision of Sabah Parks and placed under the protection of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959,” he said in a statement today.Ongkili added that the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division (BHESS) and the National Security Council (NSC) will make arrangements for the full handover.He said the handover to Sarawak of control and management over gas distribution under the Distribution of Gas Ordinance 2016 will take effect on June 1.Ongkili, who heads the MKMA63 Secretariat, added that the two issues were resolved within the four months since the council held its maiden meeting in December last year.He said under the Equal Partner Working Committee headed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan, two reports were tabled.“One (is) on the proposed constitutional amendments under Article 1(2) and Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, which deals with the definition of the federation. The legal team is chaired by Attorney-General Idrus Harun, together with the Sabah and Sarawak attorney-generals.“Their second report is with regards to judiciary issues in the High Courts of Sabah and Sarawak. A committee has been formed on this to sit with the attorney-generals of Sabah and Sarawak,” Ongkili said.Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin, who heads the Security Working Committee, also presented his report on the outcome of its meetings on illegal immigrants, the Palau community and national registration issues on laws being infringed upon in Sabah and Sarawak.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Mustapa Mohamed, who heads the Socio-Economy Working Committee, furnished the council with a report on the poverty data for Sabah and Sarawak, which comprised details on the requirements and proposed solutions for infrastructure, especially pertaining to water, roads, digital facility and health.Ongkili said the committee will also set up a database and monitoring centre for the 12th Malaysia Plan for Sabah and Sarawak in the Economic Planning Unit.He said a Joint Consultative Review Committee was also set up between his office and the finance ministry, which will be focusing on reviewing special grants, including the 40% reimbursable provision for Sabah as stipulated under Article 112 (D) of the Federal Constitution.Ongkili also said Pakatan Harapan’s claims that 17 of the 21 issues raised about MA63 had been addressed during its rule were false.“There was no ultimate decision except for at least two or four issues in Sabah including forestry. There were mere commitments on their part to resolve those 17 issues but policies, laws and regulations were yet to be changed and tabled in the state assemblies or Parliament.“We through the MKMA63 are now doing these amendments on policies, rules and regulations. It is the Perikatan Nasional government that will deliver to the people resolutions and solutions,” he said.


Govt ends service of political appointees at statutory bodies, GLCs

The government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday decided that political appointees at statutory bodies, finance ministry companies and government-related companies should be immediately terminated.
In a circular brief to ministry chief secretaries sighted by MalaysiaNow, Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said the directive should be implemented without delay.
"The Cabinet members in a meeting on Dec 14 decided that the chairmen and board of director members for federal statutory bodies/finance minister companies (incorporated)/ government-related companies and government-related investment companies made through political appointments be terminated immediately," Zuki said in the circular.
The government led by Pakatan Harapan (PH) had previously ended the service of several high-ranking civil servants, namely treasury secretary-general Asri Hamidin who was placed on leave from the finance ministry, and Public Service director-general Mohd Shafiq Abdullah who was "retired".
Shafiq later hit out at what he described as a campaign to smear his reputation, saying he would take legal action against those involved in the "continous effort" to attack him.
The decision to end the service of political appointees appears to be part of efforts to strengthen the administrative transition following PH's success in forming the government with its long-time foe Barisan Nasional and parties from Sabah and Sarawak.


Sabah flood victims pass 8,000 mark

The number of flood victims evacuated to relief centres in four states remained on the rise today with the number in Sabah surpassing the 8,000 mark as of 2pm.
The Sabah disaster management committee (JPBN) secretariat in a statement said the number of evacuees sheltering in 33 relief centres in the state had increased to 8,523 people from 2,966 families, from 6,843 people from 2,412 families recorded this morning.
Kota Marudu had the highest number of evacuees at 6,150 from 2,208 families at 12 relief centres, followed by Pitas with 1,522 victims from 530 families, Paitan with 718 victims from 199 families, Tawau with 109 victims from 24 families, and Telupid with 24 victims from five families.
In Pahang, the PPBN secretariat reported a slight increase in the number of flood evacuees this afternoon.
A total of 327 victims from 99 families were reported at three relief centres in Rompin as at 2pm, compared to 323 victims from 97 families this morning. The relief centre in Kampung Setajam had the highest number of evacuees at 165, followed by Kampung Rekoh (122) and Bukit Lepas (40).
In Johor, the number of evacuees in seven districts dropped slightly to 3,676 people this afternoon from 4,868 people recorded at 8am.
The Johor PPBN secretariat said 10 relief centres had also been closed, one each in Pontian, Mersing and Muar, three in Kota Tinggi and two each in Segamat and Kluang.
Mersing remained the worst-hit area with 1,795 victims, followed by Kluang (874), Kota Tinggi (486), Batu Pahat (363), Segamat (131), Muar (19) and Tangkak (15).
The water level at five rivers in the state, however, is still above the danger level.
The rivers are the Muar River near Sungai Gemas in Segamat; Lenik River in Ladang Chaah, Segamat: Kahang River in Kampung Contoh, Kluang: Endau River in Mersing; and Muar River in Bukit Kepong, Muar.
In Sarawak, the JPBN secretariat said that two relief centres in Lundu and Sematan were closed just before 2pm.
The two centres at SK Sebat and Kampung Sebat Dayak were activated on Wednesday.


DAP willing to cooperate with Umno in Perak

DAP has decided to cooperate with Umno in Perak to form a multiracial government which is clean, strong and solid, says Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming.He said the decision took into account the current situation in the state where no party had the majority to form a stable government after Ahmad Faizal Azumu lost the majority support and tendered his resignation as menteri besar.Nga, who is also Aulong assemblyman, said the willingness of Perak DAP to cooperate with Umno had proven two things.“DAP is a big-hearted party that is willing to make the people’s well-being its main agenda, and the allegation all this time that DAP is ‘anti-Malay’ or ‘anti-Islam’ is not true at all,” he said in a statement today.Nga however added that in light of the unity spirit in Pakatan Harapan, Perak DAP would not participate in the new state government without the other component parties, Amanah and PKR.He said Perak DAP’s readiness to cooperate with Umno was based on the main principle of forming a multiracial government that is clean, with integrity and guided by the principle of good governance.He said there was also a need for a written agreement should both parties agree to cooperate.“It should be emphasised that DAP will not compromise on corruption or malpractice in the aspect of administration integrity,” he said.In the Perak state legislative assembly sitting last Friday, Faizal failed to obtain the majority support in a motion of confidence moved by Abd Manap Hashim (BN-Pengkalan Baru).He received the support of 10 assemblymen while 48 voted against him and one abstained from voting.


Agong being treated at IJN

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is undergoing treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN).Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin however said Sultan Abdullah’s condition was not worrying and that he was expected to be discharged soon.“Sultan Abdullah was admitted to the IJN Royal Ward yesterday after His Majesty complained of feeling unwell.“He has been advised to be monitored by doctors for now. His Majesty’s condition is not worrying,” Fadil said in a statement today.He added that the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who was in Kota Bharu for a three-day personal visit, had returned to be with Sultan Abdullah.He urged the people to pray for a speedy recovery and for the Agong’s continued good health.


Putrajaya assures effective supervision of Pfizer vaccine

Putrajaya has defended its move to purchase millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccine from US drugs firm Pfizer, saying the decision was based on its 95% success rate against the deadly virus.Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine was also published in a report by The New England Journal of Medicine on Dec 10.He added that the government has access to data to evaluate the quality and safety of the vaccine.“The vaccine has also received ‘Emergency Use Authorisation’ from seven countrie: the UK, US, Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Singapore,” Khairy told the Dewan Rakyat today.He said a final decision on the use of the vaccine would be up to the health ministry’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.He said the agency was already studying the data from Pfizer, and that the vaccine would be available in the first quarter of next year.The Pfizer vaccine is expected to cover 6.4 million Malaysians, or 20% of the population.Another vaccine, under the Covax global collaboration to fight Covid-19 aims to inoculate 3.2 million Malaysians, or 10% of the population.Combined, the two vaccines, to arrive on Malaysian shores early next year, will cover 9.6 million Malaysians.Khairy said a special committee chaired by him had been formed to ensure the safe and effective distribution of the vaccine.He said the committee is currently considering candidates to undergo the third phase of clinical tests, adding that the government wants to achieve 70% herd immunity in the population.


9 new clusters as death toll goes up by 2

Another 1,925 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 108,618.Selangor recorded 747 cases or 38.8%, of which 625 (83.7%) were from clusters and close contact screening.This was followed by Kuala Lumpur (360) and Pahang (288). Of the total cases reported in Pahang, 98% was linked to a new prison cluster.Sabah recorded 230 cases, Johor 110, Negeri Sembilan 60, Penang 57, Kelantan 31, Perak 17, Melaka nine, Kedah eight, Sarawak four, and Terengganu and Putrajaya two each.Nine new clusters were detected today: Seri Lanang (Klang, Gombak, Kuala Selangor and Petaling in Selangor; 173 cases), Jalan Chu (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 44 cases), Tapak Bina Awan Puteh (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 29 cases), Integra Ikon (Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 11 cases), Jalan Satang (Titiwangsa and Kepong in Kuala Lumpur; 30 cases), Tembok Mempaga (Bentong in Pahang; 284 cases), Timbang Dayang (Kota Belud in Sabah; 13 cases), Teguli (Putatan in Sabah; 12 cases) and Rambai (Melaka Tengah and Alor Gajah in Melaka; 16 cases).Three others ended today, leaving a total of 220 active clusters across the country.Active cases stand at 21,443 with 117 in the ICU and 55 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,123 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 86,715.However, two more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 457.


India approves wheat, broken rice exports requests from 4 countries

India has decided to approve wheat and broken rice exports to few selected countries following their requests to allow the shipments of the grains, the government said in two separate notifications issued late on Tuesday.
The South Asian country banned exports of wheat and broken rice in 2022 to lower local prices.
But following requests, India would allow broken rice exports to Indonesia, Senegal and Gambia in 2023/24 financial year started on April 1.
New Delhi also approved request from Nepal and allowed wheat exports in the current financial year.
Indian exporters, which were exporting grains to these countries, need to bid for the allocated quota of wheat and broken rice, the government said in notifications.
Indonesia has signed an agreement with the Indian government to potentially import 1 million tonnes of rice if the El Nino weather pattern hits domestic supply, media quoted the trade minister as saying on Friday.


Since when is MACC empowered to investigate judges' ethics, asks lawyer

A senior lawyer has questioned the recent revelation by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said that Court of Appeal judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali who convicted Najib Razak in 2020 was found to have violated the Judges' Code of Ethics.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Rafique Rashid asked when the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was given the jurisdiction to investigate a judge in the country's judicial system.
According to the The Judges' Ethics Committee Act 2010, he said, full power in this regard clearly rests with the chief justice as the head of the committee.
Section 5(1) (Committee Membership) states that the committee must comprise an odd number of individuals who hold office or have held office as president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court in Malaya, chief justice of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, and judges of the Federal Court, Court of Appeal or High Court, as deemed appropriate by the chief justice of the Federal Court.
Section 5(2) meanwhile states: "The chief justice of the Federal Court shall be the chairman of the Committee, unless he or she is the complainant in that matter, in which case the next senior judge shall be the chairman."
Azalina, who holds the portfolio of law and institutional reform, said on April 6 that the MACC, in a letter dated Feb 21, had said that it submitted a report on Nazlan to the chief justice in connection with the breach of the Judges' Code of Ethics.
She said MACC's investigation into Nazlan had found him involved in conflict of interest when leading the former prime minister's SRC International case.
But Rafique said that the committee's investigation proceedings should be conducted in private, without public knowledge.
"Judicial integrity is an important matter," he said.
"But the minister and MACC have announced it to the whole world."
Azalina has been under fire, including from legal practitioners who said her statement on MACC's investigation amounted to an attack on Malaysia's judicial institutions.
On social media, many also urged her to provide an explanation.
"Azalina must resign as minister of law and institutional reform as she cannot maintain her impartiality in her job," said Twitter user Eddy Daud.
Others meanwhile interpreted Azalina's actions as an attempt to save Najib, who recently lost his final legal bid to overturn his conviction and 12-year prison sentence.
"She should resign. She is showing her bias towards the convicted felon Najib Razak who committed the largest single case of kleptocracy in the world!" said Twitter user Rais Husin.
"She should resign and fight for Najib!"
Rafique also questioned the timing of the MACC letter which has been making the rounds on social media, saying Azalina's statement was also in line with the time frame for the confirmation of Najib's latest pardon application letter.
"If we scrutinise the Federal Court judgment, we will find that the conflict of interest claim against Nazlan was clearly said to have no merit," he said.
"Now, claims of a violation of the code of ethics have surfaced instead, as if to question Nazlan's decision after the appeal process is over. Is this not strange?"


Asian economies set to flourish while the West struggles on

Asia’s biggest economies are managing to escape prolonged fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Now they just have to make sure rising cases in the rest of the world don’t put their recoveries in jeopardy.China and Japan, the world’s second and third largest economies both reported Monday that their economies are picking up speed after languishing briefly in the coronavirus doldrums.The news out of Asia contrasts with the West, where many nations are struggling with a resurgence of Covid-19, forcing them to once again impose restrictions in an attempt to tame their outbreaks.In the US, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said last Thursday that the US economy will need more stimulus from both the government and the central bank to get through the crisis.The Bank of England warned earlier this month of a recession for the UK economy as the country re-entered national lockdown. The European Union is facing a similar fate.Louis Kuijs, head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics told CNN, “Because of a significantly better containment of the virus, most Asian economies are performing better than their Western counterparts.” He expects most major European economies to shrink this quarter because of new Covid-related restrictions.The challenge now in Asia is how to keep the momentum going, given the slowing growth among major trading partners.Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian Economic Research at HSBC pointed out that Asian economies depend on global trade. “Lockdowns in Europe and a slowdown in the US pose the risk that Asia’s export recovery could take a breather,” he told CNN. “Asia alone cannot pull the global economy out of its slump.”Fu Linghui, a spokesman for China’s National Bureau of Statistics, told reporters in Beijing that outbreaks in Europe and the United States have created uncertainties for China’s exports even though the total value of China’s trade has increased this year.Kujis, of Oxford Economics, was also optimistic that as long as Asian countries can avoid new outbreaks of their own their economies will recover fast. However, infections in Japan recently reached a three-month high, and South Korea is also experiencing a resurgence.“If Asian economies can continue to avoid major new lockdowns, the impact of weakness in Europe and the US will only soften the continued recovery in Asia, not undo it,” he said.


PKR to defend all seats won in GE14, nominate Anwar as PM candidate

PKR today confirmed that it will defend all 48 parliamentary seats and 73 state seats won in the 2018 polls at the 15th general election (GE15) to come.
PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was one of the decisions made by the party leadership during its recent retreat in Subang Jaya.
"It was decided during the retreat that PKR will contest GE15 with the objective of winning and ruling.
"If given the mandate by the people, our prime ministerial candidate will be (PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim," he said when opening the annual national congress of the party's youth wing in Shah Alam today.
Saifuddin, who is Kulim Bandar Baharu MP, said it was also decided that a discussion would be held with other Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties, namely DAP, Amanah and Upko, on additional seats to be contested by PKR, with the hope that PKR would emerge as the largest and strongest party.
"We have also instructed our election machinery to make the necessary preparations," he said at the congress attended by 422 delegates from across the country.
Saifuddin said the party leadership had also underlined three thrusts to be included in the party manifesto, namely efforts to combat corruption; rebuild the country’s economy including by putting an end to the rice monopoly and providing social protection for the people such as cash assistance; and using the universal basic income to replace minimum wage.
Saifuddin also called on the delegates to continue giving their support and loyalty to Anwar’s leadership and to dismiss any allegation that the Port Dickson MP was a liability to the party.
"The allegation that Anwar is a liability has been around since 1999, it is not new... but the fact is, Anwar led PKR to win five parliamentary seats in 1999 and increased that number to 48 in 2018, which enabled PH to form the government," he said.


Five more deaths push toll to 444

Another 1,348 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 98,737.Selangor recorded 535 cases, of which 209 were from clusters, 154 from close contact screening, 160 from other screenings and 12 imported.This was followed by Kuala Lumpur with 226. Of these, 160 were from clusters, 14 from close contact screening, 49 from other screenings and three imported.Sabah recorded 189, Melaka 124, Johor 118, Pahang 45, Penang 43, Negeri Sembilan 31, Kedah 14, Perak eight, Kelantan, Sarawak and Putrajaya four each, Labuan two and Terengganu one.Five new clusters were also detected: Saga Tengah (Sabah), Menara Wang (Kuala Lumpur), Tapak Bina Jalan Panah (Kuala Lumpur), Hala Mutiara (Perak) and Kolam Air (Kedah).The Menara Wang and Tapak Bina Jalan Panah clusters are both workplace clusters.Active cases stand at 18,279 with 102 in the ICU and 44 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 710 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 80,014.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 444.


Electric car race buzzing with new Chinese competitors for Tesla as Apple Car stalls

It’s a giant jump from smartphones to electric vehicles, but one Chinese-owned company is taking that leap of faith to rival Tesla and a growing number of Chinese companies in the rapidly expanding EV market.According to CNBC, Xiaomi is the world’s third-largest smartphone maker. Its entry into the EV market makes it the latest Chinese venture to try to capitalise on that growing market in China.Xiaomi, announced on Tuesday that it plans to invest more than US$10 billion over the next decade to get its line of EVs up and running according to Bloomberg.It faces heavy traffic in the Chinese EV market, where several domestic companies (Geely, BYD, Nio, Xpeng, and Baidu) are already challenging Tesla in the crowded marketplace offering affordable EVs to Chinese consumers.EVs are hot in China, where estimates say that two million of the cars will be sold in the country in 2021. That’s a 51% increase over last year’s sales figures.Xiaomi is not the first tech company to enter the EV market. Apple and Huawei Technologies also have their sights set on the sector as the autonomous industry is expected to grow, Bloomberg reports.Apple has been rumoured to soon announce an agreement with an automaker for a self-driving car, but the company has remained silent on the subject and its plans for the Apple Car appear to have stalled in recent months, with reports suggesting that potential partnerships with the likes of Nissan, Hyundai and Kia all appear to have run out of road.Xiaomi appears to be in it for the long haul and said in its shareholder filing that it “hopes to offer quality smart electric vehicles to let everyone in the world enjoy smart living anytime, anywhere”.


Conditional approval given for antibody Covid treatment

The health ministry has given conditional registration approval for use of the Ronapreve solution for injection or infusion in the treatment and prevention of Covid-19 in the country.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the matter was approved at the 367th Drug Control Authority meeting yesterday.However, he said the Ronapreve product is not intended to be used as a substitute for Covid-19 vaccination.“Ronapreve is indicated for the treatment of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older and weighing at least 40kg who do not require supplemental oxygen for Covid-19 and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe Covid-19.“On prevention, Ronapreve is indicated for the prevention of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older and weighing at least 40kg who have been exposed or are at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and who either have a medical condition making them unlikely to respond to or be protected by vaccination or are not vaccinated against Covid-19,” he said in a statement today.He said the conditional registration approval required information on the quality, safety and effectiveness of the product to be monitored and evaluated based on the latest data from time to time, to ensure the benefit over risk comparison for Ronapreve remains positive.The registration holder for the Ronapreve product, which contains the active ingredients Casirivimab and Imdevimab at a strength of 120mg/ml, is Roche (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. It is manufactured by F Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland.Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency has approved the application for a clinical trial import licence (CTIL) for the MK-4482 200mg capsule (Molnupiravir), which is a Covid-19 prevention product.Phase Three of the clinical study will be conducted at two research centres in Malaysia involving 20 people aged 18 and above, he said, adding that this is expected to take nine months and is part of a study conducted globally involving various countries.The CFTIL for the product, which is manufactured by Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc in the US, was applied for by Merck Sharp & Dohme (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.


US to extend international minimum flight requirement waivers over Covid

The US government on Monday proposed extending temporary waivers of international minimum flight requirements at some US airports through late October due to Covid-19.Airlines can lose their slots at some congested airports if they do not use them at least 80% of the time. The waivers have been in place since the pandemic began in March 2020. International passenger air travel in 2021 was down 46% to 61 million over 2019 levels, but up over the 34 million international air passengers in 2020.The Federal Aviation Administration said it proposed extending temporary waivers of the requirements at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that were set to expire in October after petitions from airlines.At four other US airports where the FAA has a formal schedule-review process – Chicago O’Hare, Newark in New Jersey, Los Angeles and San Francisco – the agency proposes to extend credits to airlines for flights that were canceled in the pandemic as though those flights were operated.The FAA said “based on global vaccination rates, changing infection rates and the threat of new virus strains, continued unpredictability of travel restrictions, and the disparity between demand for domestic air travel and demand for international air travel, extending the current limited, conditional waiver for international operations by all carriers, is reasonable.”The government said that American Airlines AAL.O, Delta Air Lines DAL.N and United Airlines UAL.O submitted a joint petition to “urgently request continued relief from standard international slot usage rules” during the 2022 summer season.The airlines said the “Covid-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact worldwide air travel; the Omicron variant has caused governments to significantly restrict or control entry of passengers and airline crew members and unfortunately, the future remains unpredictable.”


Belongings of missing British reporter and expert found in Brazil, police say

Personal items belonging to a missing British journalist and an indigenous expert have been found in the Amazon region where the men disappeared one week ago, Brazilian federal police said Sunday.The latest advancement in the case came just hours after friends and relatives of the pair – freelance journalist Dom Phillips and respected specialist Bruno Pereira – held a vigil on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, with one family member saying she had lost hope that they would emerge from the jungle alive.“Objects belonging to the two missing persons have been found: a health card, black pants, a black sandal and a pair of boots belonging to Bruno Pereira, and a pair of boots and a backpack belonging to Dom Phillips containing personal clothing,” the Federal Police in Amazonas state said in statement.Fears have been mounting over the fate of Phillips, 57, a veteran contributor to The Guardian newspaper, and 41-year-old Pereira, an expert with Brazil’s government agency for indigenous affairs (Funai), since they disappeared last Sunday after receiving threats during a research trip to Brazil’s Javari Valley.The far-flung jungle region has seen a surge of illegal fishing, logging, mining and drug trafficking.The Amazonas Fire Department had previously told local media that personal effects possibly belonging to the missing men had been found “near the house” of Amarildo Costa de Oliveira, the only person arrested so far in the case and who witnesses say pursued the men upriver.Police said search teams on Sunday covered about 25 sq km with “thorough searches through the jungle, roads in the region and flooded vegetation,” especially in the area where a boat belonging to Oliveira was found.Phillips and Pereira were traveling together by boat in the Javari Valley region in the far west of Amazonas state, conducting interviews for a book on environmental conservation.They were last seen early June 5 not far from their destination, the river town of Atalaia do Norte.


Canadian police warn truckers to leave downtown Ottawa or face arrest

Police in the Canadian capital Ottawa on Wednesday started warning truck drivers blockading the downtown core that they should depart or face arrest, part of a promised crackdown to end a three-week-old protest over Covid restrictions.“You must leave the area now. Anyone blocking streets… (is) committing a criminal offense and you may be arrested,” read leaflets handed out by police to truckers. “You must immediately cease further unlawful activity.”Police also started ticketing some of the hundreds of vehicles blocking the downtown core. The tougher approach comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday invoked the little-used Emergencies Act, giving the Liberal government more powers to end the protest.Initial reaction was mixed. At least one large rig left the blockade while some demonstrators put the warning leaflets into a toilet placed in front of a truck.Wendell Thorndyke, who has been parked in front of parliament for 21 days, insisted he had no intention of leaving.“Oh, hell no, we think it’s cute. They turned all the cops into meter maids,” he said as he filled his engine with oil.Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly quit on Tuesday after criticism that he did not do enough to stop the protests, which began as truckers objecting to cross-border Covid-19 vaccine mandates but has become more of an anti-government movement also directed at Trudeau.Residents had expressed increasing anger at police who until now have mostly watched rather than intervening. The force says a total of 33 people had been arrested so far.Protesters remain camped out on Parliament Hill, weeks after police first allowed hundreds of trucks to park in the riverside core of the city.The Emergencies Act allows the government to boost local police forces with officers from the national Royal Canadian Mounted Police.“Politicians don’t decide when and how the police should act but we have given them a lot more tools and we hope they will be able to use them… to ensure this barricade ends,” Trudeau told reporters.Sources told Reuters that frustration with the failure of police to lift blockades at the US border and in the capital ultimately drove Trudeau to seek emergency powers.One blockade in the Manitoba town of Emerson was still in place on Wednesday morning but police said they expected the remaining protesters to leave later in the day.A government source said officials were also concerned about “nefarious elements” infiltrating the protests.Earlier this week police in the province of Alberta arrested 13 people linked to a border blockade and seized guns. Four members of the group have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, police said late on Tuesday.Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Brenda Lucki said she met on Tuesday with Steve Bell, the acting chief of the Ottawa police, and the head of police in the province of Ontario, where Ottawa is located.“Our teams are committed and look forward to working together,” she tweeted.


Resident files bid to challenge demolition of Shah Alam stadium

A Shah Alam resident has filed an application for a judicial review to challenge the decisions of the state government and menteri besar to demolish the Shah Alam stadium and build a smaller one.
Ahmad Mua’Adzam Shah Ya’akob, 48, filed the application at the Shah Alam High Court yesterday through Messr Kamarudin & Partners, naming the Shah Alam mayor, Selangor menteri besar and Selangor government as the first to third respondents.
Ahmad Mua’Adzam is seeking a certiorari order to cancel the decision of the third respondent on July 16 and another decision by the second respondent on Sept 30 to demolish the Shah Alam stadium, build a smaller stadium and develop the surrounding land.
He is also seeking a mandamus order that the respondents follow the regulations according to the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 before any decision is made regarding the stadium, especially in the issuance of public notice and inviting stakeholders, particularly nearby landowners, to give their input – either agree or disagree with the proposal.
Ahmad Mua’Adzam is also seeking a court order for the decision of the state government to be suspended until the court decides.


Daily cases top 6,000 again

Another 6,210 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,413,592.Another 7,562 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,303,583.Meanwhile 677 are in the ICU, including 501 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 319 are in need of respiratory assistance including 205 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 6,210 cases reported today, 116 (1.9%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 6,094 (98.1%) are in Category One and Two.


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Show the math behind 31% Malay support, analyst urges PH

An analyst has urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to explain the methodology behind his recent statement that his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won 31% of the Malay vote at the 15th general election (GE15) last year.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Mazlan Ali said the figure was only an approximation.
"They need to look at the ballot boxes in each parliamentary constituency and compare it to the Malay and non-Malay demographics," Mazlan, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, added.
Anwar had given the figure at a press conference on Feb 6 to refute previous data showing only a small percentage of the community behind his pact.
Citing the results of a survey conducted by a PKR research team, he said it was not true that PH had the support of only 19% of the Malays.
He said Malay support for PH was low in states like Kelantan and Terengganu, but stood at over 50% in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.
He added that Malay support for PH was the highest in the federal territories.
Analyst Bridget Welsh previously said that PH only had the support of 11% of the Malay community.
Mazlan said that researchers would not possess detailed data as they would not know the ethnicity of voters unless the serial number on each ballot paper could be matched with the voters' information.
"That's impossible, and the votes are all secret," he added.
Mazlan, who conducted his own survey ahead of GE15 in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, said PH had about 18% of the Malay vote.
He added that a physical survey would be more accurate than studies based on phone calls, a method used before by Invoke, the think tank led by PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.
According to his research, he said, Malay support for PH was around 25% in urban areas, 18-20% in semi-urban areas and 7% in rural areas.
"But this figure of 18% would not necessarily have been reflected at GE15," he added.
"It's possible that decisions were made at the last minute. Some respondents had no problem revealing which party they support, while others hadn't made up their minds.
"And the percentage of those who did not know or who were on the fence was more than those who said they had made up their minds."
Mazlan said the level of Malay support for PH could have risen to 25% after the voting process.
He said PH had performed well in Malay-majority areas on the west coast, throwing doubt on the previous estimate of just 11% of support from the community.
PH won the most seats at GE15, sweeping to victory in 82 parliamentary constituencies.
It was followed by Perikatan Nasional, which won 74, and Barisan Nasional which won 30.
The rest were won by parties from Sabah and Sarawak.
At the end of the day, Mazlan said, any discussions on the level of support enjoyed by a political party would remain subjective.
"Even the findings of studies can change," he said.
"How participants respond at the time of the survey is not necessarily the same as it was when they cast their votes."


Apec leaders agree to cooperate on global vaccine push

Pacific Rim leaders vowed to ramp up the production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines Friday at an emergency virtual meeting to develop an action plan that will contain the global pandemic.The unprecedented talks brought together heads of state from the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) group, including US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who convened the online summit at short notice, described discussions as “rich”, saying they set a strong agenda for Apec’s major leaders’ meeting in November.“For the first time in Apec’s history, leaders have come together for an extraordinary meeting focused exclusively on Covid-19 and how our region can navigate out of the worst health and economic crisis in living memory,” she said.“Front of mind for leaders is achieving widespread access for vaccines globally and working collaboratively to provide them to everyone as soon as possible.”The meeting produced few specific commitments, although China’s Xi promised US$3 billion in aid to help developing countries recover from the social and economic impacts of the coronavirus.Xi said China had already supplied developing countries with more than 500 million Covid-19 vaccine doses.The US said that it was also donating more than 500 million “safe and effective” vaccines around the world.Biden “made clear that the US is donating our vaccines, not selling them, and underscored the importance of not attaching any political or economic conditions”, the White House said in a statement.In a joint communique, the Apec leaders vowed to “redouble our efforts to expand vaccine manufacture and supply”, with Ardern saying there was also a determination to cut tariffs on vaccines and associated medical equipment.She said the discussions “moved us beyond vaccine nationalism”, which she blamed for helping the development of the fast-spreading virus variants which are now fuelling the pandemic.“We need to suppress transmission and do everything we can to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible,” she said.‘Vaccine passports’The New Zealand leader signalled that Apec nations would be looking at digital documentation to streamline travel and trade across international borders without compromising pandemic-related health safeguards.“We are pushing for collaborative and practical solutions on safely reconnecting with the world by continuing to explore options including vaccine passports, travel green lanes and quarantine-free travel bubbles,” she said.Ardern said it was vital trade supply chains remained open in Apec, whose member nations collectively account for about 60% of global GDP.The virtual meeting brought together world leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Australia’s Scott Morrison and Justin Trudeau of Canada.Much attention was on whether Biden and Xi could set aside the rivalries of an increasingly fraught US-China relationship to cooperate on Ardern’s agenda.Xi delivered his remarks by pre-recorded video in contrast to other leaders, according to a diplomatic source.The US statement also said Biden had “reiterated his commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific” – a clear jab at China.Washington has accused Beijing of lacking transparency about the origins of the pandemic in the central city of Wuhan, adding to existing tensions on issues such as trade tariffs and the treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang.Faced with such criticism, China has been keen to position itself as a saviour for other countries now struggling to control the virus, supplying aid, vaccines and medical equipment.Underlining the battle for influence the pandemic has created, White House officials said in the lead-up to the talks that the United States intended to serve “as an arsenal of vaccines for the region”.Ardern said all the participating leaders were “totally focused on the issues that we as a region face”.


GPS under Abang Jo sets new record for seat wins

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) under its chairman Abang Johari Openg has succeeded in breaking the record for the most seats won by a coalition, set by his predecessor Adenan Satem at the 2016 state polls.Official results from the election today showed that GPS had won 75 of the 82 seats in the legislative assembly although the results for the Mulu seat are still pending.This was caused by a bad weather delay in the transport of ballot boxes to the official counting centre in Kuching, Election Commission chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh said.Adenan had led the Barisan Nasional coalition to victory with 72 seats at the 2016 state election.GPS, which fielded candidates in every state constituency, had voiced confidence before the election of a clean sweep come polling day.Sarawak politics observer James Chin of the University of Tasmania meanwhile had predicted a close race, saying GPS would win at least 60 seats, more if it succeeded in swinging the mood of the voters.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, Ghani said the results for Mulu would be announced tomorrow.He said ballot boxes from Long Seridan, Long Linei and Sg Belasoi might not arrive at the tallying centre at SMK Telang Usan tonight as the helicopter scheduled to transport the boxes could not fly due to the bad weather.“Results for the constituency will be announced after the stranded ballot boxes have been received,” he said.“The percentage of voter turnout will also be announced at the same time.”


EPF says most members at risk of old-age poverty due to Covid-related withdrawals

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has expressed concern that the majority of its members are now at risk of falling into old-age poverty as Covid-19 related withdrawals have caused insufficient savings to live out a dignified retirement life.EPF chairman Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir said this will not only be detrimental to individual livelihoods as the socio-economic landscape of the country and its fiscal health will also be challenging.The situation, he said, is that 48% of EPF members below the age of 55 have critically low EPF savings.This is a 28% increase in members reaching critically low EPF savings from before the pandemic.“With Malaysians’ life expectancy at 75 years, and assuming EPF members start to draw down their retirement savings at age 55, the savings would need to be sustainable for at least 20 years.“In regards to that, the median savings for all EPF members below age 55 stands at RM13,000, which translates to RM54 a month for their retirement years,” he said in a speech at the 9th International Social Wellbeing Conference 2021 today.Badri further said the median savings of EPF members at age 54 is at RM38,000, which translates to RM159 a month for the next 20 years. He said in order for members to recover the loss of savings from Covid-19 related withdrawals, they would need to work an extra four to six years.As of Oct 31, 2021, a total of RM101.1 billion had been withdrawn under i-Lestari, i-Sinar, and i-Citra.This is equivalent to 22% of the total RM530 billion of the government stimulus programme as support for Malaysians as a whole, he said.On the issue of adequacy, Badri said social protection is a human right for all which includes all forms of work in both the formal and informal sectors.Roughly, only three out of 10 adults in Malaysia are covered by any form of social protection such as the government pension scheme and EPF coverage.“We are looking at only 7.5 million out of the 23.5 million working-age population currently residing in the country.“The pandemic has also shifted the employment landscape towards informality. The growth of the self-employed and informal bracket is expected to increase from the current 5.7 million to 8.8 million in 2040,” said Badri.To address these issues, he said the country would need far-reaching solutions covering an effective safety net programme, comprehensive life-cycle social protection systems, robust labour market and wage policies, sustainable economic growth, reskilling and upskilling of labour force, as well as policies to encourage automation and digitalisation to help increase productivity.“In this context, the EPF would like to contribute to improving the well-being of the people. We are truly supportive of the government’s Budget 2022 initiative to extend the i-Saraan programme to include those from age 55 to 60.“This will make i-Saraan more attractive to those in the informal sector to save for their retirement,” he said.The Caruman Sukarela Insentif Suri, or i-Suri, which has been integrated with the Social Security Organisation and renamed “Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia”, meanwhile, gives housewives and widows registered under the e-Kasih system access to social security.


Swiss to destroy more than 620,000 expired Moderna doses

Switzerland will destroy more than 620,000 expired doses of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, health officials said on Friday, as demand for the shots drops dramatically.“It was consciously accepted that under certain circumstances too much vaccine was procured for Switzerland’s needs,” a spokesman for the Federal Office of Public Heath said, confirming a report by broadcaster RTS.“The aim is to protect the population in Switzerland at all times with sufficient quantities of the most effective vaccines available.”Switzerland, which has ended public health measures designed to curb the spread of the disease, secured a total 34 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines for 2022 for a population of around 8.7 million.It said in February it would donate up to 15 million surplus doses to poorer countries by mid-year. How many doses can actually be donated is still under discussion.Switzerland said in March it had secured at least 14 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines for 2023 from Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna, with options to double the order.It will also buy up to one million doses from another manufacturer.Just over 70% of the population has had at least one shot in Switzerland and tiny neighbour Liechtenstein. Authorities have reported nearly 3.7 million Covid infections and 13,325 deaths.


Many children, not enough phones: A family’s struggle with home-based learning

Shaifol Bahri Mustaffa Kamalluddin and his wife Norilla Mustafa Albakri are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that their children’s education is not disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic which has shut down schools and pushed most classrooms online under the various movement restrictions put in place by the government since the outbreak of the virus early last year.When the government announced the implementation of home-based teaching and learning, or PdPR, to keep lessons going during the most recent instalment of the movement control order (MCO), they were all for it.But the couple, who live in a low-cost flat or PPR in Seri Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, with 10 children and four grandchildren, face a hurdle of sizeable proportions: there are simply not enough devices to go around.Of their 14 children and grandchildren, seven are of schoolgoing age – three of their children are in secondary school while two others and two grandchildren are in primary school.Taking turns and sharing means that some of them are inevitably left behind in their lessons.“The children in secondary school have their own phones but the kids in primary school have to share our phones and take turns,” Shaifol, 52, told MalaysiaNow.“Sometimes they use my phone or my wife’s. If I’m at work, they use my wife’s phone as well as another that was donated to us for their studies.”There is also a tablet, donated as well, which the children use to follow their classes.But taking turns and sharing means that some of them are inevitably left behind in their lessons. Still, Shaifol and Norilla, 49, do their best.“We divide the time for them, one or two hours each as all of their classes start at the same time.”The internet bill is another headache. Shaifol earns about RM1,400 a month, RM500 of which he sets aside for internet and electricity.He used to earn more at his job at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur but when his salary was slashed by 60%, it became much more difficult for him to provide for his family.Now, the little he earns must stretch to feed and clothe all 16 of them.“As a parent, I am very concerned about family ties.”But he has no plans to move elsewhere and doesn’t expect his older children to move out either.“As a parent, I am very concerned about family ties,” he said. “If possible, I want to live with all of them in the same house because it brings joy. Even though they are grownups, they still want to live with us.”Even if he wanted to move elsewhere, it would not be possible given his meagre income.“Why would you want to have more debt?” he reasoned. “Let us just stay here.”


NZ’s Ardern faces down frustration over pandemic curbs

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sought to cool simmering resentment over the slow unlocking of the country’s pandemic restrictions on Thursday, a day after police cleared a weeks-long Canada-style protest outside parliament.Police in riot gear battled protesters late into the night on Wednesday, finally bringing an end to the occupation which, despite acts of violence and extremist elements, helped rally some support for its calls to end pandemic restrictions.In a special session of parliament to discuss the protest, the most violent in decades in the normally peaceful city, Ardern promised things would change, but gave no timeframe for easing curbs.“Our people are coming home. Soon, tourists will return. Vaccine passes, mandates, restrictions – they will all change. There is reason to feel hopeful,” she said.A one-time poster child for tackling the coronavirus, New Zealand’s swift response to the pandemic and its geographic isolation kept the country largely Covid-19 free until the end of last year, winning Ardern strong support. Total deaths stand at just 56.However, anger over vaccine mandates for people working in sectors such as health and education and strict border closures have put pressure on the government to now soften its stance in line with much of the rest of the world.“Ardern has to weave a path between acknowledging some of the government’s mistakes without appearing like the protesters had a point,” said Andrew Hughes from the Research School of Management at Australian National University.“She can’t be seen condoning their behaviour but she also can’t be seen as tone deaf.”A Horizon Research snap poll released on Feb 18 found 30% of those polled supported the protests and about the same percentage was opposed to Ardern’s vaccine mandate policy.Some local businesses helped fund the encampment and well known figures such as Olympic yachtsman Russell Coutts, Winston Peters, a former deputy prime minister under Ardern, and former prime minister Jim Bolger urged dialogue.“I’m not anti-vaccine (I’m vaccinated) but I’m definitely against forced vaccinations,” Coutts said in a Facebook post two weeks ago.Ardern refused to meet the protesters, who she said had resorted to violence and bullying.Omicron shiftThe country of 5 million has a high Covid vaccination rate, with more than 95% of the eligible population double vaccinated. More than 70% of people have had a booster dose.Covid-19 cases were restricted to fewer than 15,000 in total by end-2021 through a strict elimination approach, but the arrival of the Omicron variant has seen cases top 20,000 a day, reaching a cumulative total of nearly 150,000 on Thursday.The government says restrictions that have frayed the public’s patience are set to stay in place until at least mid-March, when the Omicron surge is expected to peak.The saga has dented Ardern’s popularity since she won a second term in a landslide election victory in 2020.Her support fell to 35%, its lowest level since she became prime minister in 2017, according to a 1News Kantar Public poll at the end of January. However, Ardern remains preferred prime minister and her centre-left coalition government is still on course to win the next election in late 2023.The government has made some changes to its tough stand on borders that prevented many Kiwis from returning home due to a compulsory stay in limited quarantine facilities. Read full storyBut the border remains closed to foreigners, unlike in neighbouring Australia which relaxed curbs this month.Ardern said last week that her cabinet may bring forward the entry of foreign tourists from the current proposed date of October, but again gave no timeframe.“Unquestionably Ardern’s elimination strategy was a massive success and saved lots of lives,” said Martin Newell, a spokesman for Grounded Kiwis, representing overseas New Zealanders.“But with Omicron the government just seems to have been mentally unprepared for a shift in its approach.”


Clashes rock Libya capital for hours after rival PM enters city

The capital of war-battered Libya was rocked by fighting between backers of two rival administrations for several hours Tuesday, threatening renewed chaos in the oil-rich North African country.The side backed by an eastern-based military strongman then pulled out of the western city of Tripoli, citing the “security and safety of citizens”, as the UN, European Union and US launched urgent appeals for calm.There were no immediate reports of casualties from the fighting that erupted before dawn, according to AFP correspondents.Libya has been ruled by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, but he has been challenged by Fathi Bashagha, who was named as rival premier in February by the parliament in the country’s eastern city of Tobruk and is backed by strongman Khalifa Haftar.Violence flared before dawn after Bashagha’s press service announced “the arrival of the prime minister of the Libyan government, Mr Fathi Bashagha, accompanied by several ministers, in the capital Tripoli to begin his work there”.The fighting raised fears of a return to the chaos that reigned after a Nato-backed popular revolt in 2011 toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi, and to the all-out conflict that gripped the capital when pro-Haftar forces attacked in 2019-20.After several hours early Tuesday, Bashagha’s camp announced that he and his ministers “have left Tripoli to preserve the security and safety of citizens”.There was no immediate reaction from the unity administration led by Dbeibah, which was installed in 2020 as part of a troubled UN-backed peace process and which has since refused to step down.‘Dialogue and mediation’The UN’s top in-country official, Stephanie Williams, in a tweet called for calm and stressed the necessity of “refraining from provocative actions including inflammatory rhetoric, participation in clashes and the mobilisation of forces.“Conflict cannot be solved with violence but with dialogue and mediation.”Dbeibah’s government was tasked with leading Libya to elections scheduled for last December, but these were indefinitely postponed and his political opponents argue that his mandate has now finished.Bashagha, in video footage broadcast by Libyan television stations, meanwhile said he had “received a very warm welcome” in Tripoli.He announced that he would hold a news conference on Tuesday evening during which he would deliver a “unity speech to the Libyan people”.Bashagha’s interior minister Issam Abu Zariba pledged that their administration would assume its duties “peacefully” and “in compliance with law”.He called on “all security forces and concerned parties to cooperate” in ensuring a smooth transition.Pro-Bashagha armed groups had already deployed in March on the edges of the capital, raising fears of a confrontation that would end a fragile ceasefire in place since October 2020.‘Very worrying’Libya, a vast country with seven million people, was plunged into violent lawlessness in 2011 with the Nato-backed revolt that toppled Kadhafi. Armed groups have vied for control of territory as a string of interim governments have come and gone.Many such groups have been integrated into the state, partly in order to access a share of the country’s vast oil wealth, and human rights organisations have often accused them of abuses.The creation of two governments echoes Libya’s troubled period of rival administrations between 2014 and 2021, when the nation was ripped apart by civil war.Oil production, the country’s main source of income, has again been hit by political rifts with a wave of forced closures of oil terminals by groups aligned with the eastern camp, who want power transferred to Bashagha.Bashagha is backed by Haftar, who led the failed bid to seize Tripoli in 2019-20, and who maintains control of several key oil installations.EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell voiced alarm Tuesday, saying that “the situation in Libya has become very grave in the last hours.“We were expecting something like this to happen because in Libya we had not elections but we have two governments,” he added. “And sooner or later, when there are two governments, they clash.”The US embassy in a tweet urged “all armed groups to refrain from violence and for political leaders to recognise that seizing or retaining power through violence will only hurt the people of Libya”.The American mission also urged progress toward presidential and parliamentary elections, arguing that “the only viable path to legitimate leadership is by allowing Libyans to choose their leaders”.


Health ministry to relook RM50,000 compound on burger seller

The health ministry says it will re-evaluate the case of a burger seller in Kelantan who was issued a RM50,000 compound on Sunday for violating the movement control order (MCO), including by operating beyond 10pm, and look into whether to give a reduction or an exemption.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said the ministry was very concerned about the burger seller’s plight and took the case seriously, urging the offender to appeal against the compound as soon as possible.“The ministry views this as a special case and it needs to be addressed immediately,” he said in a statement today.The burger seller, in a viral social media post, claimed that he was slapped with the maximum penalty of RM50,000 for operating a burger stall in front of his house at around 11pm.Adham said the purpose of the ministry in enforcing the law and issuing compounds was to educate and not merely to punish.“Those who are issued compounds are always given an opportunity to defend themselves and are allowed to file an appeal according to the stipulated mechanism,” he added.“In this regard, the ministry will re-evaluate the case, whether to give a reduction or an exemption if there are reasonable grounds,” Adham said.


China rejects calling Russia move ‘invasion,’ urges citizens in Ukraine to stay home

China rejected calling Russia’s moves on Ukraine an “invasion” and urged all sides to exercise restraint, even as it advised its citizens there to stay home or at least take the precaution of displaying a Chinese flag if they needed to drive anywhere.Russian forces on Thursday fired missiles at several cities in Ukraine and landed troops on its coast, officials and media said, after President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation in the east.During a packed daily media briefing in Beijing, Hua Chunying, spokesman at China’s foreign ministry, bridled at journalists’ characterisation of Russia’s actions.“You are using a typical Western media question method of using the word invasion,” Hua said.“China is closely monitoring the latest situation. We call on all sides to exercise restraint to prevent the situation from getting out of control,” she added.Russia’s attack on Ukraine comes weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping just before the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The two sides announced a strategic partnership aimed at countering US influence, and said they would have “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation”.The Games ended on Sunday.Xi and Putin have developed a close partnership over the years, but Russia’s actions in Ukraine put China, which has an oft-stated foreign policy principle of non-interference, in an awkward position, experts say.China has been expected to back Russia diplomatically and perhaps economically in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, but not militarily. Hua, in response to a question on Thursday, said China would not provide weapons in the conflict.China’s embassy in Kyiv warned that the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated sharply and security risks have risen, with social order potentially descending into chaos.“The Chinese flag can be affixed to an obvious place on the body of the vehicle,” the embassy said in advice to any nationals who decide to venture out.During Lebanon’s military conflict with Israel in 2006, Chinese diplomatic personnel and their families evacuating the embassy in Beirut had draped their vehicles with the Chinese national flag to avoid being randomly targeted.China has so far stopped short of telling its citizens to consider leaving Ukraine. A security advisory issued by the embassy earlier this week had warned Chinese nationals to stock up on daily necessities such as food and water.


BN says MPs not out to topple govt

Barisan Nasional (BN) has denied that its MPs are involved in efforts to topple the government as alleged by some parties.
BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said BN would not bring down the existing government as it had promised to form a stable government needed to manage the country, and the government was built on the cooperation of various parties.
"To bring down the current government would be difficult. The anti-party hopping law is in effect and any MP who wants to support another party has to resign for a by-election to be held.
"The current government has a pretty big majority of 148," he told reporters at a media conference during the defence ministry’s Aidilfitri open house at Kementah Camp in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He was responding to Bersatu Supreme Council member Muhammad Faiz Na'aman’s claim that Perikatan Nasional had obtained the support of 126 MPs. Mohammad also voiced BN’s full commitment to ensuring that the government remains strong and stable, saying the country had lagged for almost five years after the 14th general election as the government established did not have a strong majority.
"Now we have a government with a strong majority and we need to sit down together to manage the country.
"This May 14, we will hold the unity government national convention to see how far and what promises made during the 15th general election have been delivered to the people," he added.


Managing director arrested over RM7 million false claims

The managing director of a company has been remanded for three days from today for allegedly submitting false claims amounting to RM7 million for a project, costing more than RM100 million in Terengganu.
According to a source at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the remand order against the 54-year-old suspect, who has a "Datuk" title,  was issued by magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin in Putrajaya.
"The suspect was believed to have submitted the false claims from 2020 until May this year.
"He was arrested at his office in Shah Alam yesterday," the source said.


Public health group calls for abolition of fees at govt facilities

A public health group today warned against increasing the fees for medical care at government facilities despite their "unsustainable nature", proposing instead a national health insurance scheme as a means of addressing the issue of healthcare financing.
Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy said the current system of charges per visit — RM1 for general outpatients and RM5 for specialist outpatients — was introduced in the mid 1980s.
"Every single patient entering the public health system has had more than 95% of their treatment cost subsidised by the public purse.
"As pointed out in the white paper, it has long been unsustainable," Galen CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib added, referring to the white paper on health tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Nevertheless, he said, increasing these fees "was not an option".
He said increasing the charges from RM1 and RM5 to RM10 and RM50 respectively would amount to a spike of 900%.
"This may be neither publicly or politically acceptable. It would also be pointless as the amount of funds raised would still be insufficient for cost recovery," he said.
Describing the fees as "obsolete" and "inadequate for meaningful cost recovery", he said they also "mislead the public regarding the true cost of healthcare".
"Even the government frequently describes their services as 'free' or 'cheap'," he said.
"These charges now act as barriers to reform. Rather than increase the RM1 and RM5 charges, they should be removed altogether. People should not be required to pay anything initially at the point of care."
Sustainable healthcare financing was one of the pillars of the white paper tabled earlier today.
Welcoming its inclusion, Azrul nevertheless cautioned that the white paper would face the same challenges as previous reform efforts of gaining sufficient political commitment from the government of the day, ensuring sufficient resources, and tackling both the demands and crises of the day.
He said a national health insurance would involve "almost everyone" contributing to a common pool of funds which would then be used to fund healthcare.
"Such a scheme would be applicable to all workers and be based on a sliding scale linked to monthly income and age.
"There would be collective pooling of both funding and risk. It would begin to address the issue by co-sharing the burden and responsibility of financing the health care system. It has the potential to stabilise public subsidisation, allow space for cost-containment, maintain access and quality to essential services, improve access to innovative treatment, and fund equitable access to services in the private health space."


North Korea breaks ties with Malaysia over citizen’s extradition to US

North Korea severed diplomatic ties with Malaysia on Friday, abruptly shutting down a once-close relationship that took a major downturn following the shock assassination of Kim Jong Un’s estranged half-brother at klia2 in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.Pyongyang’s foreign ministry said it was responding to Malaysia’s extradition of a North Korean citizen to the US earlier this month – a move it labelled an “unpardonable crime” carried out under “blind obedience” to US pressure.Malaysia had been one of the nuclear-armed country’s few allies until the North Korean leader’s relative, Kim Jong Nam, was murdered with a banned nerve agent as he waited to catch a flight from Kuala Lumpur.Ties plunged after the Cold War-style hit but had started to get back on track with Malaysia announcing the re-opening of its Pyongyang embassy – but Friday’s surprise move put a swift end to that.North Korea’s foreign ministry announced the “total severance of the diplomatic relations with Malaysia”, according to state news agency KCNA, saying the citizen being extradited had been involved in “legitimate” trading activities in Singapore.The move came after a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to South Korea, the second leg of an Asian tour to bolster a united front against the nuclear-armed North and an increasingly assertive China.On Thursday, the North accused the new US administration of adopting “lunatic theory”, ruling out any engagement with Washington unless it changed course.Turbulent tiesOn March 9, a North Korean man named Mun Chol Myong lost his final appeal in Malaysia’s top court against extradition to the US to face money laundering charges.He had denied claims of leading a criminal group that violated sanctions by supplying prohibited items to the North and laundered funds through front companies, according to his lawyers.Mun, in his 50s, faces four charges of money laundering and two of conspiracy to launder money. The allegations relate mainly to his work in Singapore.There have been cases of businesses in Singapore sending luxury items, such as liquor and watches, to North Korea, which is banned under sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its weapons programmes.Before the assassination of Jong Nam, Malaysia and the North enjoyed particularly warm relations.But afterwards, a reciprocal visa-free travel arrangement for visitors was axed while North Koreans who had been working in coal mines in Sarawak were sent home.Two young women, from Indonesia and Vietnam, who had smeared the nerve agent VX on Jong Nam’s face were arrested and put on trial but murder charges against them were dropped in 2019.Their lawyers argued the real assassins were a group of North Koreans who had recruited and trained them but fled Malaysia soon after the murder.North Korea operated embassies in about 25 countries as of December last year, including Cuba, Iran, Germany, and its key ally China, according to Seoul.Illicit activities are known to be rampant in North Korea’s foreign missions, and Pyongyang has long been accused of using them for intelligence gathering, sanctions-busting and money laundering.


Bomb-sniffing rat retires after award-winning Cambodian career

A giant African pouched rat called Magawa who spent years sniffing out landmines in the Cambodian countryside has stopped working and will enjoy a well-earned retirement eating bananas and peanuts, his employers told AFP.Magawa, originally from Tanzania, was trained by the Belgian charity Apopo which says the rodent helped clear mines from 225,000 square metres of land in his five-year career, the equivalent of 42 football pitches.But after detecting 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordnance “he is getting a bit tired”, Michael Heiman, the charity’s programme manager in Cambodia, told AFP on Saturday.“The best thing to do is to retire him.”Millions of landmines were laid in Cambodia between 1975 and 1998, causing tens of thousands of casualties.Apopo trained Magawa in his native Tanzania to detect the chemical compound within explosives by rewarding him with tasty treats – his favourites being bananas and peanuts.He alerts de-miners by scratching the earth.Magawa can scurry across an area the size of a tennis court in just 30 minutes, something that would take four days using a conventional metal detector.He is big enough to be attached to a leash as he goes about his business but light enough not to set off mines.In his autumn years, Magawa will spend more time doing what he loves, says Heiman – eating bananas and peanuts.In September last year the rodent won the animal equivalent of Britain’s highest civilian honour for bravery because of his uncanny knack for uncovering landmines and unexploded ordnance.Magawa was the first rat to receive a PDSA medal in the 77 years of the awards, joining an illustrious band of brave canines and felines – and even a pigeon.The group says 20 newly trained rats that recently arrived in Cambodia have just received their accreditation from the authorities to start landmine detection work.But it will be a tough challenge following in Magawa’s footsteps.Magawa is a “very exceptional rat”, Heiman said.“Obviously we are going to miss him in operations.”


US Covid jabs for children under 5 delayed by at least 2 months

A US decision on Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for infants and children six months through four years of age has been postponed for at least two months after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it needed more data.The FDA had planned to decide on the vaccine based on early trial data as soon as next week with the government planning to roll it out on Feb 21. It had asked Pfizer to speed up its application as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused a surge of infections, including among children.On Friday, the agency said it had reviewed new trial information that arrived after Pfizer and BioNTech’s request for emergency authorisation and decided it needed more data before weighing in on the authorisation.The FDA said parents anxiously awaiting the vaccine for the roughly 18 million children in the age group should be reassured that the agency is taking the time to make sure it meets the standard it has set for authorisation.“If something does not meet that standard, we can’t proceed forward,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Marks noted some of the new data that pushed the FDA to delay the decision was “late-breaking.”Pfizer and BioNTech had submitted data on the first two doses of a planned three-dose regimen earlier this month at the request of the FDA. It did not disclose efficacy data.The submission was surprising because in December the companies said early trial results of the two low doses of the vaccine fell short of expectations, and it amended its clinical trial to test a three-dose version.The companies said on Friday that they expect to have data on three shots in early April.“It makes sense to wait for the safety and efficacy data on all three doses to be available before we make a decision about this vaccine,” said Dr. Paul Offit from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Offit is a member of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee that had been scheduled to vote on whether to recommend authorization of the shot for kids under five on Tuesday. The meeting was postponed.The primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been two doses in all older age groups. But Pfizer began testing a third dose of the vaccine in the younger age group because early results showed the lower dose generated an immune response in 2- to 4-year-olds that was inferior to the response measured in those aged 16 to 25 in previous clinical trials.In 6- month- to 24-month-old children, the vaccine generated an immune response in line with 16- to 25-year-olds.The delay may be disappointing for harried parents of younger children who have had to contend with quarantines and closures of preschools and day care centres.But not all parents are eager for the shots. Casey Shea, 42, and his wife Langhorne, 40, of Glendale, California, are vaccinated themselves but have not inoculated their five-year old daughter and are not in a hurry to vaccinate their three-year old daughter.The couple said they only knew about half a dozen children in their older daughters’ school who became ill during the Omicron surge and none were hospitalised. “For us, we’re sort of not chomping at the bit (for a vaccine). And we’re hoping it doesn’t become a mandated thing,” Casey Shea said.Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said there had been considerable pushback among scientists about the FDA’s decision to pursue authorization so quickly. “This age group is very low risk for severe disease and vaccine uptake in the five-11 (age group) has been very suboptimal,” he said.“It’s critical that people have confidence in the process if higher vaccine uptake is the goal,” Adalja said.


Revealed: The privileges for 'jailed' Anwar, as spotlight turns to Malaysia's latest prominent prisoner

A stream of visitors, "unprison-like" furniture and countless out-of-jail trips were among the privileges accorded to PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim when he was serving his sentence after losing his sodomy appeal in 2015, MalaysiaNow can reveal as a debate brews over the issue of special treatment for Najib Razak who recently became the first former Malaysian prime minister to be sent to prison.
Officials familiar with dealing with "VIP guests" in prison over the last decades also spoke about how Anwar received "better treatment than ordinary prisoners".
In 2015, the Federal Court upheld Anwar's sodomy conviction and sentenced him to six years in jail.
The Pakatan Harapan chairman was released barely a week after the coalition's electoral victory in May 2018, following a royal pardon backed by the new government of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
But a source involved in coordinating Anwar's jail stay said during the 40-plus months he was serving his sentence, the politician spent a considerable amount of time outside the prison walls.
"About one-third was spent in a hospital ward for various health complaints, which means prison SOPs were suspended and the ban on communications was also difficult to enforce," the source told MalaysiaNow, giving a detailed breakdown of Anwar's out-of-jail visits during his three and half years as an inmate of Sungai Buloh Prison.

Anwar Ibrahim spent about a third of his jail time outside the prison walls, and met a stream of friends, supporters and prominent politicians.

These visits included emergency applications to attend to family matters as well as court appearances.
"After November 2017, Anwar was no longer seen at Sungai Buloh Prison because he was held at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital until his release in May 2018," said another source.
Checks by MalaysiaNow showed that the politician spent about six months at the hospital.
"I think the top brass decided to allow him to stay on in hospital because it’s far more comfortable than prison. Being in hospital is not like being in prison.
"No prisoner was taken to hospital for check-ups or treatment as often as he was. He was taken out for hospital stays many times. You can check the Sungai Buloh Prison records to confirm this," said the same source.
Prisoners are rarely taken to hospitals outside of the prison premises unless their condition is serious enough to warrant it.
MalaysiaNow has meanwhile learnt that Anwar received regular visits from top doctors assigned by the health ministry to monitor his health and nutrition.
One of them was the late Dr S Jeyaindran, who retired as deputy health director-general in May 2018.
Besides hospital stays, Anwar was also allowed to attend the funerals of relatives, a privilege rarely, if ever, accorded to ordinary prisoners.
Checks by MalaysiaNow showed that Anwar was also allowed to leave prison under escort to visit sick relatives who had been hospitalised.
These included his stepmother, brother, grandchild, wife, and father-in-law.
This is in contrast with the jail experience of rights activist and lawyer P Uthayakumar, who related how he was denied permission to visit his dying mother when he was serving a two-year sentence for sedition.
"The only day I cried in prison was when my beloved mother passed away and the prison authorities had, the week before, refused my application to visit her in hospital," Uthaya was quoted as saying by The Star soon after his release in 2014.

Prison officers stand at the entrance of Sungai Buloh Prison, where PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim served time in jail for a conviction of sodomy in 2015.
An aide to a senior Umno leader said there had been requests from Anwar's associates as well as PKR politicians when it came to according prison privileges to their party boss.
"Such privileges could not have been given without the green light from the then home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, or even from Najib, who was the prime minister at that time."
As a prisoner in hospital, Anwar also received a stream of visitors including Najib, Zahid and their spouses.
"It was from this hospital room that he was actively engaged in pre-GE planning with his party comrades.
"Prison rules were almost thrown out. In fact, it is public knowledge that he was also on the phone with Najib at one point," said a PKR MP, referring to claims by Anwar that Najib had phoned him on the night of the 14th general election, offering the PKR leader a deal to thwart the collapse of the Barisan Nasional government.
Out of jail
But being away from the gloomy prison surroundings was not the only perk of being a "VIP convict", said another source familiar with prison SOPs.
"At Sungai Buloh, Datuk Seri was given a special single room, unlike other prisoners who were forced to share a cell due to overcrowding.
"He had a fan, a bed, and a chair and table which ordinary prisoners don’t get. He even had a special sitting commode."
The source added that Anwar was also assigned "a special prisoner-cook".
"He had plenty of books and magazines usually brought in by his lawyers, who always came in at least twice a week," the source said, adding that it was open knowledge that lawyers acting for Anwar were smuggling in press statements and letters, especially in the wake of the opposition's move to launch a united campaign at the 14th general election.
A former warden confirmed the claim, saying it was a challenge to implement jail rules when attorneys were involved.
"These lawyers, they took advantage of lawyers' visiting hours to do these things.
"But most of the time, we closed one eye to these goings-on. Remember, Anwar was never subjected to disciplinary punishment for breaking prison rules by making press releases," the 63-year-old told MalaysiaNow on strict condition of anonymity.
MalaysiaNow has been unable to obtain a response from several lawyers who represented Anwar during his imprisonment.
When contacted, one of them said they were still bound by attorney-client privilege despite no longer representing him.
The prison department meanwhile has repeatedly denied speculation surrounding Najib's imprisonment.
This includes a strong denial of a rumour making the rounds on social media that the former leader had been placed in a house within the prison grounds.
"This is fake information. Stop spreading it," the department said.
Najib began serving a 12-year jail sentence on Aug 23, after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for charges of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.
He has since filed a judicial review as well as a petition for pardon.


Prasarana adds 20 feeder buses to help LRT commuters

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has added 20 free feeder buses for affected commuters following the closure of 16 LRT train stations between Kelana Jaya and Ampang Park.
It said in a statement that the number of feeder buses had now reached over 100 to accommodate passengers on five routes along LRT Line 1 (Ara Damansara station-Pasar Seni station); Line 2 (Ara Damansara station-Kelana Jaya station); Line 3 (Kelana Jaya station-Pasar Seni station); Line 4 (Pasar Seni station-Masjid Jamek station); and Line 5 (Masjid Jamek station-Dato’ Keramat station).
It said the move was made following cooperation from Smart Selangor.
Prasarana will also station 80 personnel at the relevant stations to facilitate passenger movement, it added.
"Rapid Rail will provide free fares for each day of service disruption to Kelana Jaya Line LRT users. "This will be implemented after the service is restored. Detailed information will be announced soon," it said.
It said the status of the Kelana Jaya line will be regularly updated on its social media channels and mass media.
The LRT service between the Kelana Jaya and Ampang Park stations has been suspended for seven days for passenger safety reasons and due to the time needed to identify the cause of the service disruption.


Musk floats 'general amnesty' of suspended Twitter accounts

New Twitter owner Elon Musk on Wednesday polled users on whether the site should offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, using the same method he used to handle the case of Donald Trump.
The move comes as Musk has faced pushback that his criteria for content moderation is subject to his personal whim, with reinstatements decided for certain accounts and not others.
"Should Twitter offer a general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam?" Musk asked in a tweet.
The poll was open until 1746 GMT on Thursday and mimicked the strategy used just days ago for the former US president Trump.
Trump's Twitter account was reinstated Saturday after a narrow majority of respondents supported the move.
Polls on Twitter are open to all users and are unscientific and potentially targeted by fake accounts and bots.
A blanket decision on suspended accounts could potentially alarm government authorities that are keeping a close look at Musk's handling of hateful speech since he bought the influential platform for US$44 billion (RM200.4 billion).
It could also spook Apple and Google, tech titans that have the power to ban Twitter from their mobile app stores over content concerns.
Trump was banned from the platform early last year for his role in the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
'No mercy'
Musk's reinstatement of Trump followed that of other banned accounts including a conservative parody site and a psychologist who had violated Twitter's rules on language identifying transgender people.
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has said that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones will not be returning to Twitter and will remain banned from the platform.
Musk on Sunday said he had "no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame" due to his own experience with the death of his first child.
Jones has been ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for his lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that killed 26 people, mostly children.
Musk, who closed his buyout of Twitter in late October, did not make clear whether the bans to be covered by the poll were permanent suspensions or temporary ones.
The future of content moderation on Twitter has become an urgent concern, with major advertisers keeping away from the site after a failed relaunch earlier this month saw a proliferation of fake accounts, causing embarrassment.
Meanwhile the teams in charge of keeping nefarious activity off the site have been gutted, victims of Musk-led layoffs that saw half of total employees leave the company.
John Wihbey, a media professor at Northeastern University, speculated that all the chaos might be because Musk is seeking to "buy himself time."
"Regulators are certainly going to get come after him, both in Europe and maybe the US... and therefore a lot of what he's doing is trying to frame those fights," Wihbey said.


China firmly opposes Huawei ban by some EU countries

China firmly opposes some EU countries' ban on Huawei and said the European Commission has no legal basis nor factual evidence to prohibit the Chinese telecom giant, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton on Thursday urged more EU countries to join the 10 that have restricted or banned China's Huawei and ZTE from their 5G telecoms networks, citing risks to the bloc's collective security.
He said both companies will also be banned from EU-funded programmes.
Huawei has criticised the move saying this was not based on a verified, transparent, objective and technical assessment of 5G networks.
Several countries including Germany have been slow to implement the EU's security measures for 5G networks agreed three years ago to curb the use of "high risk vendors" (HRV) such as Huawei due to concerns about possible sabotage or espionage.
Telecom operators across Europe have been using Huawei gear because they were cheaper than rivals and works as good, making it difficult for companies to choose costlier options.
Publicly singling out an individual entity as HRV without legal basis is against principles of free trade, a Huawei spokesperson said.
"As an economic operator in the EU, Huawei holds procedural and substantial rights and should be protected under the EU and Member States’ laws as well as their international commitments," the person said.


Cobbling a living together during the Covid-19 pandemic

Each morning, Indra Bujang pushes up the shutters of his small shop under the Satok flyover in Sarawak’s capital city Kuching and gets ready for work.As vehicles roll their way over the road above, he and five other cobblers lay out their tools and prepare for another day of mending shoes for customers.Sitting on chairs or stools outside their tiny shops, they set to work, with the shoes that are already repaired waiting in neat rows to be collected by their owners.This has been their routine for nearly 20 years now.In addition to mending, they also polish the leather shoes of office workers who come for a quick shoeshine at lunch.On normal days, they work through the day and sometimes into the night. But with Covid-19 on the loose, customers have been few and far in between.Indra Bujang waits for customers who have become few and far in between since the onset of the pandemic.“Usually on weekends I am here until 9pm because of the food truck night market,” Indra told MalaysiaNow.“But now, I only stay here until 4pm.”When the pandemic first hit the country early last year, Indra’s business was among the many forced to shutter due to the movement control order.Eventually restrictions were lifted and he was allowed to reopen but the once-plentiful stream of customers had slowed to a trickle.He and his fellow cobblers have been struggling to get by ever since.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said in all his years sandwiched in his tiny shop under the flyover, he had rarely seen the area without a crowd.Now, even with the gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions, the streets remain mostly deserted.The workers who used to drop by for a polish during their lunch break now work from home, and with the many lockdowns enforced since March last year, few have had need for repairs.Indra Bujang and a fellow cobbler hard at work, repairing the shoes of the few customers who still require their services.“Sometimes someone will pop in, ask a question, and then leave,” Indra said.“We have suffered a lot because of the pandemic.”People are simply not going out as much as before, he said, adding that most are afraid to venture from their homes.“On weekends, I used to have 20 to 30 customers,” he said. “Last Saturday, I had only four the whole day.”Things are not much better for his friend Pubalan Selladuri, who delivers imported crops for food traders in Lundu and Sematan.Pubalan Selladuri with some of his deliveries of produce.Sarawak’s strict quarantine measures mean that the quality of goods is affected, which in turn impacts the market price.“The pandemic has substantially affected the distribution of imported food, perishable products such as fruits and vegetables,” Pubalan said.For example, imported onions from China are usually shipped in bulk. The tight rules on health screening mean that crews are placed under a two-week quarantine upon their arrival.“They are not allowed to unload the cargo until the quarantine period ends,” Pubalan added.“So the port will face congestion issues, particularly in cargo-handling work. This delays the unloading of food products which makes them less fresh.”Refrigerated storage space is also problematic due to the shortage of workers and disruptions in clearing cargo, all of which affect the quality of fresh produce bound for the marketplace.“The extended delays cause perishables to spoil and increase food waste,” Pubalan said.