Chinese jet carried out 'aggressive' manoeuvre near US military plane, Pentagon says

A Chinese fighter jet carried out an "unnecessarily aggressive" manoeuvre near a US military plane over the South China Sea in international airspace, the US said on Tuesday.
The US military command responsible for the Indo-Pacific said the manoeuvre by a Chinese J-16 aircraft occurred last week and forced the US RC-135 plane to fly through its wake turbulence.
"The US will continue to fly, sail, and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law allows," it said in a statement.
A video showed a fighter jet passing in front of the US plane's nose and the cockpit of the RC-135 shaking in the turbulence.
The spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, did not comment on the specifics, but said that for a long time, the US had "frequently deployed aircraft and vessels for close-in reconnaissance on China, which poses a serious danger to China’s national security."
"China urges the US to stop such dangerous provocations, and stop deflecting blame on China," Liu said in a emailed response to a request for comment on the US military statement.
He added that China would "continue to take necessary measures to resolutely defend its sovereignty and security, and work with regional countries to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea."
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, where several other countries have rival claims. Beijing has frequently said that the US sending ships and aircraft into the South China Sea is not good for peace.
The latest incident took place before China snubbed a request by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to meet on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue Asian security summit in Singapore this week.
A senior US defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that since 2021 China had declined or not responded to over a dozen requests to talk with the Pentagon, which says such contacts are important to avoid misunderstandings and unintended consequences.
The encounter followed what the US has called a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behaviour by Chinese military aircraft.
Such intercepts happen occasionally. In December, a Chinese military plane came within 3m of a US Air Force aircraft and forced it to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid a collision in international airspace.
Relations between China and the US have been tense, with friction between the world's two largest economies over everything from Taiwan and China's human rights record to its military activity in the South China Sea.


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Ukraine braces for harsh winter as Russian strikes cripple power facilities

Ukrainians braced for a winter with little or no power in several areas including the capital where temperatures have already dropped below freezing as relentless Russian strikes crippled the country's energy capacity.
President Volodymyr Zelensky urged people to conserve power, particularly in hard-hit areas such as Kyiv, Vinnytsia in the southwest, Sumy in the north and Odesa on the Black Sea.
Moscow's response to military setbacks in recent weeks has included a barrage of missile strikes against power facilities, and Zelensky said half of the country's power capacity had been knocked out by Russian rockets.
"The systematic damage to our energy system from strikes by the Russian terrorists is so considerable that all our people and businesses should be mindful and redistribute their consumption throughout the day," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. "Try to limit your personal consumption of electricity."
Millions of Ukrainians are most likely to live with blackouts - a daily occurrence across the country - at least until the end of March, Sergey Kovalenko, the head of Yasno, which provides energy for Kyiv, said on Monday.
He said workers are rushing to complete repairs before the winter cold arrives.
"Stock up on warm clothes, blankets, think about options that will help you wait a long outage," Kovalenko said. "It's better to do it now than to be miserable."
Citizens in the recently liberated southern city of Kherson, where Kyiv says Russian troops destroyed critical infrastructure before leaving earlier this month, can apply to be relocated to areas where security and heating issues are less acute.
In a Telegram message for Kherson residents - especially the elderly, women with children and those who are ill or disabled - Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk posted a number of ways residents can express interest in leaving.
"You can be evacuated for the winter period to safer regions of the country," she wrote, citing both security and infrastructure problems.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the blackouts and Russia's strikes on energy infrastructure are the consequences of Kyiv being unwilling to negotiate, the state Tass news agency reported late last week.
On Monday evening, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Russia was bombarding Kherson from across the Dnipro River, now that its troops had fled.
"There is no military logic: they just want to take revenge on the locals," he tweeted.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians in what it calls a "special military operation" to rid Ukraine of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities.
Kyiv and the West describe Russia's actions as an unprovoked war of aggression.
Nuclear plant shelling
Battles continued to rage in the east following Russian troop movements into the industrial Donbas region from around Kherson in the south.
Moscow has been reinforcing the areas it still holds and pressing an offensive of its own along a stretch of front line west of the city of Donetsk held by its proxies since 2014.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Tuesday its forces repelled numerous Russian attacks in several areas in the Donetsk region.
“The enemy does not stop shelling the positions of our troops and settlements near the contact line," it said.
"Attacks continue to damage critical infrastructure and civilian homes.”
Russia and Ukraine on Monday traded blame for at least a dozen explosions at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which has been under Russian control since soon after it invaded the country on Feb 24 but is across the Dnipro River from areas controlled by Kyiv.
Ukraine narrowly escaped disaster during fighting at the weekend that rocked the plant, Europe's largest, with a barrage of shells.
Zelensky urged Nato members to guarantee protection from "Russian sabotage" at nuclear facilities.
IAEA experts toured the site on Monday, and the agency said they found widespread damage but nothing that compromised the plant's essential systems.
The reactors are shut down but there is a risk that nuclear fuel could overheat if the power driving the cooling systems is cut. Shelling has repeatedly cut power lines.
Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine fired at power lines supplying the plant.
Ukraine's nuclear energy firm Energoatom said Russia's military shelled the site, accusing it of nuclear blackmail and actions that were "endangering the whole world".
Reuters could not immediately verify which side was responsible.
Repeated shelling of the plant during the war has raised concern about a grave disaster in the country that suffered the world's worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chornobyl meltdown.


Chicken prices capped at RM9.40 per kg in peninsula

The government today announced that the ceiling price for standard chicken will be set at RM9.40 per kg in the peninsula from July 1 onwards while the price of chicken eggs will be capped at 45 sen each for Grade A, 43 sen for Grade B and 41 sen for Grade C.Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Ronald Kiandee said the decision took into account the prime minister’s recent announcement of additional cash aid under the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM) initiative.“A total of 8.6 million BKM recipients have been approved, with households to receive up to RM2,600 this year,” he said in a statement.“This is the most assistance ever given by any government. With the implementation of this subsidy, the government will have allocated RM369.5 million, bringing the total amount of subsidies since Feb 5 to RM1.1 billion.”Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said on June 21 that the price ceiling control for chicken and chicken eggs would be discontinued from July onwards, with prices to depend on depend on market forces.However, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said several days later that the price of chicken would not be floated, and that a new ceiling price would be set instead.The retail price of standard chicken was previously capped at RM8.90 per kg.The maximum retail price of so-called super whole chicken, or chickens that are cleaned and sold without the head, feet and organs, was RM9.90 per kg.


Singer Yasin Sulaiman charged with cultivating cannabis plants, drug trafficking

Nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman was charged in separate courts today with cultivating cannabis plants and trafficking in 214g of drugs at a condominium in Kota Damansara.In the Sessions Court before judge Norshila Kamaruddin, Yasin, 47, pleaded not guilty to the charge of growing the plants.The drug trafficking charge was read out to him before magistrate Zhafran Rahim Hamzah and no plea was recorded as the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.Yasin, who is known for his song “Mimpi Laila”, was charged with cultivating 17 cannabis plants at his residence at Kondominium Casa Indah, Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Home, PJU 3 Kota Damansara at 5.30pm on March 24.The charge was framed under Section 6B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which provides for life imprisonment and a whipping of not less than six strokes upon conviction.Deputy public prosecutors Mohammad Al-Saifi Hashim and Asnawi Abu Hanipah prosecuted, while Yasin was represented by lawyer Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff.At the Magistrate’s Court, the father of two was charged with trafficking 214g of cannabis at the same location, time and date.The charge, framed under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B (2) of the same act, provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment.If not sentenced to death, he faces a whipping of not less than 15 strokes upon conviction.The prosecution did not apply for bail. According to Al-Saifi, no bail is allowed for cases under Section 41(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act.However, Yusmadi requested that his client be allowed bail on grounds that he had a bipolar disorder and had been receiving psychiatric treatment at the Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia Medical Centre since 2009.“Two months prior to his arrest, my client was treated at Pantai Hospital. He also suffers from health problems and needs help to get proper treatment,” he said, adding that Yasin was recently divorced from his wife.Both courts denied Yasin bail and set May 18 for mention.


Revealed: Explosive telephone conversation between Anwar and Zahid

An explosive audio recording of a telephone conversation between the presidents of PKR and Umno has offered the clearest proof yet that the two leaders had planned to set the tone of the recent Umno general assembly, MalaysiaNow can reveal.Several audio files from parts of the phone call are already making the rounds on social media and messaging apps, in which the two are heard exchanging pleasantries over the way the Umno delegates had accepted Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s proposal to cut ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.“After 22 years, only now I am following the Umno general assembly,” Anwar Ibrahim said as he broke into laughter when greeting Zahid at the start of the phone call.“Don’t worry, that is only tactical, OK,” Zahid replied.“No, no, OK, OK, I think your speech was good, and you did mention about MT (Supreme Council), and of course we want to finish the game, but if you’re thinking about mandate, that’s OK, only that there’s some work to do with the MT,” Anwar replied.They were believed to be referring to Zahid’s speech earlier, where the Umno president said he was committed to the party Supreme Council’s “No DAP, No Anwar” principle in forming any future political alliance.Why the coming together of Anwar and Zahid is no surpriseMalaysiaNow, which obtained the high-quality recording through a reliable source, has been able to verify the voices as those belonging to the two men.The four-minute phone call is believed to have taken place hours after Zahid’s closing speech at the Umno general assembly, where he sought a mandate for the decision to cut ties with PN and Bersatu.In the conversation, Anwar congratulated Zahid on his speech and Zahid returned the gesture.Zahid: You do know who my teacher is, right?Anwar: Good lah, good. I’m proud of you.Zahid: Thank you, thank you. My teacher who [inaudible] is the same person I’m talking to now.In his closing speech at the Umno general assembly, Zahid had asked delegates to stand up to show their support for his proposal to cut ties with PN.He later declared that the motion had been unanimously accepted.At one point during his phone call with Anwar, Zahid touched on a speech by Perlis Umno chief Shahidan Kassim who had opposed the proposal. MalaysiaNow has learnt that the speech was not streamed live unlike other speeches in support of Zahid.Zahid: Shahidan, when he went against the motion, he was booed five or six times.Anwar: Correct. Only if we could get one minister to resign… but not one has the courage.Zahid: (They are) cowards.Anwar: Only, what’s his name, Shamsul, who said he would resign…Zahid: Yes, correct.Anwar: If he could, then in one or two days, if he says, ‘I respect the mood of the general assembly, I’m an Umno man, I will abide’, then there it is. Never mind, we shall see. But good lah, thank you, congratulations.Zahid: Thank you for your concern, thank you for your moral support.“Shamsul” refers to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, who had said that he would quit his Cabinet position if the party wanted him to.In their conversation, Anwar reminded Zahid that they would meet on Tuesday night before saying there was still work to be done.Anwar: It’s not over yet. We have a little more to do. Because, let’s say you get to [inaudible], then you have to call for an emergency meeting of the Supreme Council.Zahid: Never mind, I can do it, I can do it.Anwar: Because when you have the audience, you cannot [inaudible].Anwar again thanked Zahid, and jokingly asked him to tell his wife Hamidah Khamis that her husband had made him proud.“Alhamdulillah, tell Midah, this is the first time that Anwar is proud,” Anwar said before they hung up.Zahid was Anwar’s key ally during their time in Umno when it was headed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the 1990s. Anwar at that time was seen as the successor to the top post before Mahathir sacked him from both party and government in 1998.Zahid was among Anwar’s associates who were arrested under the Internal Security Act following Anwar’s dramatic removal. He later pledged loyalty to Mahathir and climbed up the political ladder while Anwar served time in prison.


Coup claim as Samoa’s first female elected PM locked out of parliament

Samoa’s first female prime minister has been sworn into office in a tent after she was locked out of parliament by her opponent, who has refused to step down.Fiame Naomi Mata’afa took the oath of office in a marquee in the parliamentary gardens, leaving uncertainty over who controls the Pacific island nation.Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who has been prime minister for 22 years, is ignoring a court order to step down and hand over power.Mata’afa, 64, arrived at parliament on Monday expecting to be sworn in but found herself barred from the building, which had been locked by allies of Malielegaoi in advance of her arrival.Instead, Mata’afa and members of her FAST party were sworn in gathered in the garden in the capital Apia, with supporters looking on.In a statement, the FAST party said: “Democracy must prevail, always. There can be no exceptions from this fundamental principle. Those who claim otherwise and act accordingly play with fire.”The ad-hoc ceremony was rejected by rivals as unofficial. Malielegaoi called the improvised swearing-in ceremony “illegal and unlawful”.The impasse comes a month after the closest-run general election in Samoa’s history, which was followed by bitter disputes and legal challenges.Malielegaoi’s Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) was ousted from power after four decades by Mata’afa’s FAST party. Both parties won 25 seats, but a single independent MP secured victory for FAST.That led to legal manoeuvring by the HRPP, which claimed its opponents had not correctly met the quota of female MPs.Samoa’s election commission revoked the results of the April vote and called a fresh election for 21 May.But five days ahead of the re-run, the supreme court ruled against HRPP, re-endorsing the results of the election and ordering the swearing in of Mata’afa to go ahead.After 22 years in charge, Malielegaoi is the world’s second longest-serving prime minister.After serving as Polynesia’s first female deputy prime minister, Mata’afa success in the general election makes her only the second woman in the region to head a government.She is the daughter of the country’s first prime minister and has been politically active since the mid-1980s.The majority FAST party in Samoa has described the caretaker government’s actions this morning in locking it out of parliament in Apia as tantamount to a coup.Right now, Samoa has a situation where two sides led by two political heavyweights both consider themselves the legitimate government of Samoa.


Indonesian army scraps ‘virginity tests’ on female cadets

Indonesia’s army has stopped imposing so-called “virginity tests” on female recruits, its chief said Thursday, following calls from rights groups to ban the invasive vaginal exams.The military had long defended the unscientific “two-finger test” to check if a cadet’s hymen was intact as a way to weed out recruits whose past sexual behaviour, they said, would damage its image.The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) welcomed the news – calling the tests “discriminatory and intrusive” – but cautioned they needed evidence the practice had ended.Army chief of staff Andika Perkasa said Thursday that the tests, which had been standard practice for decades, had been abolished earlier this year but did not specify a date.“Previously, it was part of the assessment (for female recruits), but now we are no longer doing it,” he told reporters in Balikpapan on Indonesia’s section of Borneo island.“The army always tries to learn and improve things within the organisation,” he added.The practice of subjecting the fiances of servicemen to such exams had also been ditched, the army’s commander said.Indonesia’s Komnas Perempuan urged the army to put the pledge into written regulations, and for the air force and navy to do the same.“We need certainty that the ‘virginity test’ has been ended,” commission head Theresia Iswarini told AFP on Thursday before Perkasa’s announcement.“This test is discriminatory and intrusive. It can bring shame, fear and trauma for victims.”Human Rights Watch, which has labelled the practice a “form of gender-based violence”, welcomed the news.The World Health Organization has said the procedure lacks scientific validity and was not a reliable indicator of prior sexual intercourse.A petition to end the practice on Change.org, which has nearly 70,000 signatures, said the procedure was “painful, humiliating, and lacks the support of scientific evidence”.


Rosmah's defence was mere denial, judge rules in solar graft case

The Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday ruled that the RM6.5 million was meant for Rosmah Mansor and that she received the money at her residence at Jalan Langgak Duta and Seri Perdana.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan in his written judgment said Rosmah denied receiving the two knapsacks containing RM1.5 million in cash, and said that the only thing that had transpired on that day was Saidi Abang Samsudin, the former managing director of Jepak Holdings, asking for her help with the water-well project that he intended to propose to the education ministry.
"Unlike the RM5 million cash, Rizal Mansor, at that time Rosmah’s aide, was not accused of taking the two knapsacks with the cash for himself.
"The accused merely denied that she had seen the knapsacks and that Saidi told him that he had brought the money as promised, to which the accused responded with a 'Hmmm'.
"At the end of the prosecution's case, I found Saidi to be a credible witness and accepted his version. In any event, I have found that the testimony of Rizal and Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, who is Saidi’s business partner, has amply supported Saidi's version," he said.
The judge said it had also been proven that Saidi brought the two knapsacks to Rosmah's Langgak Duta residence and brought them into the living room.
"The testimony of Rizal, Saidi, Rayyan Radzwill and a driver, Shamsul Rizal Sharbini, has restated this fact. I am of the view that the accused's defence is a bare denial. Her denial is devoid of any merit in light of the compelling testimonies of Rizal, Saidi, Rayyan and Shamsul.
"It immaterial whether the knapsacks were handed over to her physically. That the knapsacks were left in the living room signifies delivery. That she had instructed her butlers to bring the knapsacks upstairs to her room signifies acceptance," he said.
The judge said he was resolute that the accused had failed to rebut the presumption on a balance of probabilities, and that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt in respect of her receiving RM1.5 million.
The judge said the accused also denied receiving RM5 million at Seri Perdana and claimed to have been at her Langgak Duta residence.
"She also reiterated that Rizal had pocketed the RM5 million for himself and that the trip to Seri Perdana was a charade.
"It was no coincidence that the RM5 million was paid after the letter of award dated Nov 10, 2016 had been issued to Jepak.
"Saidi had taken out a loan of RM16 million for Jepak and used RM5 million to make the payment. This was, of course, after Rizal reminded him of his promise to pay the accused," he said.
The judge said the RM5 million had been withdrawn, brought to the Pavilion and refused to be accepted by Lawrence Tee Kien Moon, which had been established during the prosecution's case.
The judge said the accused denied that Rizal had called her when he was with Tee and that she had told him to send the cash to Seri Perdana.
"I find her denial untenable, as it defies belief that Rizal would have gone through the trouble of firstly going over to Tee to deliver the cash. He could have easily planned to take the cash through some other means.
"That he went to see Tee to deliver the RM5 million tallies with the facts in the solicitation charge, namely that Tee was entrusted with drawing up the consultancy agreement to facilitate the payments to be made by Saidi," he said.
Zaini further said Rizal could not have speculated that Tee would refuse to accept the cash as he would have otherwise not bothered to instruct Saidi to go to Tee's office with the cash.
"It made perfect sense for Rizal to call the accused as the whole scheme was the accused's own.
"Why would Rizal take the trouble to drive over to Seri Perdana if he wanted to pocket the cash for himself? He travelled there with businessman Ahmed Farriq Zainul Abidin who was with him throughout the journey. It was never suggested that Farriq was in cohorts with Rizal," the judge said.
The judge said the court had established that Farriq was a disinterested witness and credible.
"Farriq saw Rizal instructing the accused's butlers to carry the bags into Seri Perdana. I also accept Rizal's explanation of why he got the UTK officer to alight from his vehicle before arriving at Seri Perdana," he said.
The judge said the accused had, in her witness statement, merely denied being at Seri Perdana and claimed she was all over the place in Kuala Lumpur that day.
"It is a fact that Seri Perdana was her official residence. There would be no reason for Rizal to deliver the bags with RM5 million cash there if not for the fact that they were meant for the accused," said the judge.
He said he also found it difficult to accept that Rizal had solicited for himself 15% of RM187.5 million as it was a staggering figure and was merely an employee in the Prime Minister's Office.
"It would be preposterous to accept that Rizal had drawn up this scheme for his benefit, as he would surely be found out. I doubt that Rizal would take a risk of such magnitude. I am of the view that he was only able to solicit as he was instructed by the accused.
"I find the accused's denial untenable. To suggest that Rizal would boldly arrange such a scheme without the accused's knowledge is quite far-fetched. For instance, why would Rizal take the trouble to bring Saidi and Rayyan to meet the accused at her residence if he had wielded so much power?" he said.
The judge said it was also incredulous to suggest that Rizal had arranged for the duo to be at the accused's residence without her knowledge as it was her private residence. "It is difficult to accept that Rizal had taken a chance for her to be home and then brought over Saidi and Rayyan without an agenda. It is more likely than not that Rizal had informed the accused and made prior arrangements for the duo to meet the accused," he added.


Thunderstorm warning for seven states

Thunderstorms with heavy rain and strong winds are expected to occur in seven states up until 4pm today.
According to the warning issued by MetMalaysia, the states in question are Kedah, Penang, Pahang, Perak, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah.
In Kedah, the affected areas are Kuala Muda, Sik, Baling, Kulim and Bandar Baharu, while in Penang, the areas are Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Selatan.
The warning was also issued for the entire state of Perak; Cameron Highlands, Jerantut, Maran and Bera in Pahang; and Segamat, Batu Pahat and Kluang in Johor.
In Sarawak, the warning was issued for Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Miri, Subis, Beluru and Marudi, while in Sabah, the areas involved are Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Nabawan and Tambunan in Pedalaman Division, as well as in the west coast, Tawau, and Kudat (Kota Marudu).


New cases creep past 5,500

Another 5,522 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,855,930.Another 3,285 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,773,948.Meanwhile 127 are in the ICU, including 102 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 70 are in need of respiratory assistance including 48 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,522 cases reported today, 39 (0.7%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,483 (99.3%) are in Category One and Two.


Next 2 weeks of lockdown critical for cutting daily infections to 4,000, says Noor Hisham

The next two weeks of lockdown are critical for the country to reduce the number of daily Covid-19 infections to 4,000, says health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.He said it was important for everyone to cooperate during this period to help flatten the Covid-19 curve as the number of daily cases is still on the rise.He also said he was disappointed that some were still travelling unnecessarily and gathering to celebrate events.“This is irresponsible,” he said in a Twitter post last night.Malaysia recorded 5,793 new Covid-19 cases yesterday compared to 6,849 the day before, while the total number of daily recoveries yesterday reached 8,334, the highest since the pandemic hit the country.The government on May 28 announced on the first phase of a total lockdown on the social and economic sectors nationwide for a period of 14 days from June 1 to 14.


US defunds science for Israeli universities in West Bank

The US said Monday it would stop funding scientific research with Israeli academic institutions in the West Bank, taking a new step away from validating the occupation of Palestinian territories.
The decision by President Joe Biden's administration reverses a move made under Donald Trump that rejected the wide international consensus that Israel illegally occupies the West Bank, which it seized in the 1967 Six-Day War.
New guidance to US government agencies advises that "engaging in bilateral scientific and technological cooperation with Israel in geographic areas which came under the administration of Israel after 1967 and which remain subject to final-status negotiations is inconsistent with US foreign policy," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
He stressed that the US "strongly values scientific and technological cooperation with Israel" and said the restriction on West Bank funding "is reflective of the long-standing US position going back decades."
The decision will most visibly apply to Ariel University, a major academic institution founded in 1982 on what was then a new settlement in the West Bank.
Members of the rival Republican Party swiftly attacked the decision.
Senator Ted Cruz, known for his outspoken criticism of Biden, slammed the administration for what he called "anti-Semitic discrimination" against Jews in the West Bank, and said it was "pathologically obsessed with undermining Israel."
David Friedman, Trump's ambassador to Israel and champion of Ariel University, accused the Biden administration of embracing the activist movement to boycott Israel.
The administration however says it opposes the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, which calls for severing ties with Israel as a whole, not just settlements.
Under Trump's secretary of state Mike Pompeo, Washington took actions to normalise Israeli settlements in the West Bank including by letting their products be labeled as "made in Israel."
The Biden administration has gone back to the long-standing US position of calling for a two-state solution with the Palestinians and criticising settlement expansion under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Washington has stopped short of any substantive effort at negotiating a peace deal, seeing prospects as highly unlikely with Netanyahu, who is leading the most right-wing government in Israeli history.


Thai police arrest suspected Chinese gambling kingpin

Thai police have arrested a Chinese fugitive wanted by Beijing for allegedly running illegal online gambling operations and will soon extradite him to China, the police told Reuters on Monday.
She Zhijiang, 40, a Chinese national who also holds a Cambodian passport, was arrested last week based on an international warrant and an Interpol red notice, Thailand's deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said.
According to Chinese news outlet Caixin, She has been on the run from the Chinese authorities since 2012 and has been involved with illegal online gambling operations in Southeast Asia.
China's embassy in Thailand did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gambling is illegal in mainland China and online gaming operators, mostly targeting Chinese gamblers, have flourished in Southeast Asia in recent years.
"He is a suspect that the Chinese authority wants... The extradition process to China is currently ongoing," Phathanacharoen said.
According to media reports, She is the chairman of Yatai International Holdings Group, which has made gaming investments in Cambodia, the Philippines and, most recently, developed the US$15 billion casino, entertainment and tourism complex in Myanmar's Kayin State called Shwe Kokko.
Cambodia banned online gambling in 2019 after it said the industry has been used by foreign criminals to extort customers and launder illicit earnings, following the proliferation of Chinese-run casinos in the country.


Students allowed to travel abroad for further studies

The government today agreed to allow students who need to continue their studies or register as new students to travel abroad.Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said they do not need to apply for approval from the immigration department, but must submit proof such as their student card and offer letter.“Parents who want to send and accompany their children abroad are allowed, but they will be limited to two persons. They cannot bring their (whole) family like before.“Upon their return, they are required to undergo the 14-day quarantine,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya.He also urged the public to fill up the e-Census form before Sept 30 to reduce the number of face-to-face interviews which will begin on Oct 7.As of now, he said, only 1.5 million of some 32.7 million people had filled up the form through the www.mycensus.gov.my website.“Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government would like to urge the public to participate in the 2020 census through the e-Census which will expire in 15 days,” he said.He said the government had set strict SOPs for census operations at private residences and institutions, including the requirement for census takers to wear face masks and observe physical distancing.On a separate issue, he said the police arrested 132 people for flouting regulations under the recovery movement control order yesterday.Forty-six illegal immigrants were also arrested.


No provisions for confidence motions in constitution, says law minister

There are no provisions in the Federal Constitution or the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders for procedures related to a motion of no confidence against the prime minister, law minister Takiyuddin Hassan said today.He said it would be up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who has the royal prerogative to decide on the matter.“Among others, the Agong can decide on the appropriate way to determine whether an individual in his opinion has the majority support of MPs.“This includes through the submission of documents and written or oral statements by each MP,” he said at the close of the budget debate.A total of 25 motions of no confidence are believed to have been accepted and included in the order of meeting for the third session of the 14th Parliament sitting.However, Takiyuddin maintained that there are no provisions for the matter under the Federal Constitution.“Clause Four of Article 43 of the constitution states that if the prime minister no longer possesses the majority support of MPs, he should resign from the Cabinet unless the Agong dissolves Parliament at his request,” he said.“While this provides for a situation in which the prime minister no longer enjoys the confidence of the majority, it does not provide for the procedure of submitting a motion of no confidence against the prime minister.”Takiyuddin said a no-confidence motion could be brought to the legislative assembly if it is in compliance with Standing Orders 26 (1) and 27 (3) regarding the requirements for notice of such motions.This would also be subject to Standing Orders 14 and 15 on the arrangement of meetings and the need to prioritise government affairs.He said it would be up to the speaker to determine when the debate on a motion can be held, taking into account these factors.“Other matters, including private motions, will only be debated once government matters are completed.”


Increase in critical Covid cases, deaths involving children under 5, says Noor Hisham

There has been an increase in the number of critical Covid-19 cases and deaths among children below the age of five this year compared to last year, says health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.He said three such fatalities were reported last year while for this year, the same number of deaths was recorded in the first five months alone.“Apart from that, the number of cases of children requiring treatment in the ICU also showed a significant increase. In 2020, a total of eight children were treated in the ICU, of which six were under the age of five.“As for 2021 (until May), a total of 27 cases required treatment in the ICU and 19 of them were below the age of five,” he said in a statement today.Noor Hisham advised all parties, especially parents and guardians, to play crucial roles in protecting groups with lower immunity, such as babies and children, from Covid-19.He also urged the public to build a safe environment for this group by fully complying with the SOPs and getting vaccinated immediately, if eligible.


Auschwitz child victims honoured 76 years on

The more than 200,000 children killed by Nazi Germany at Auschwitz were honoured on Wednesday in online ceremonies marking the liberation of the camp which has come to symbolise the Holocaust.Survivors sounded the alarm over the modern-day dangers posed by the resurgence of racism, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial at a 76th anniversary event.“Do not let us down,” Auschwitz survivor, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, now 95, said in an appeal to young people for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.“Do not allow the memory to be distorted and poisoned by the ugly resurgence of xenophobia and anti-Semitism.“By denying these victims and poisoning ourselves with hatred we are murdering these victims a second time over,” she said at the ceremonies, held online only for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic.“Build bridges, talk to each other, celebrate your differences because in reality we have more in common than separates us,” Lasker-Wallfisch added.All told, Nazi Germany deported around 232,000 children to Auschwitz, including 216,000 Jews, 11,000 Roma, 3,000 Poles and the rest from Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere, according the to Auschwitz-Birkenau museum.Only some 700 were still alive when the Soviet Red Army liberated the camp on Jan 27, 1945.Part of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s plan of genocide against European Jews, dubbed the “Final Solution”, Auschwitz-Birkenau operated in the occupied southern Polish town of Oswiecim between June 1940 and January 1945.Babies ‘killed on the spot’Of the more than 1.3 million people imprisoned there, around 1.1 million – mainly European Jews – perished, either asphyxiated in the gas chambers or claimed by starvation, exhaustion and disease.In all, the Nazis killed six million of pre-war Europe’s estimated 10-11 million Jews.Zdzislawa Wlodarczyk, who was among the several hundred children still alive when the Red Army arrived at Auschwitz, said that babies born there were also put to death.“Children were born in the camp, but they were not allowed to live because they were killed on the spot,” Wlodarczyk, now 88, said during the online ceremonies.“They didn’t have names and they didn’t even have numbers. How many of these children died? Why? Were we enemies of the Third Reich?” she added.From mid-1942, the Nazis systematically deported Jews from across Europe to six camps – Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Chelmno, Majdanek, Sobibor and Treblinka.Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest Nazi death and concentration camp, and the site where the most people were killed.Victims were primarily European Jews, but also Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and Poles.


Human remains found in Amazon search for journalist, expert

Human remains have been found in the search for a British journalist and Brazilian indigenous expert who disappeared deep in the Amazon after receiving threats, Brazil’s president confirmed Monday.Relatives of veteran correspondent Dom Phillips and respected indigenous specialist Bruno Pereira meanwhile said authorities informed them two bodies had been found – though police and local indigenous leaders denied that, adding to confusion around the case.The families of Phillips, 57, and Pereira, 41, have endured an anguished wait for news since the pair disappeared a week ago Sunday during a reporting trip to Brazil’s Javari Valley, a remote jungle region rife with illegal fishing, logging, mining and drug trafficking.“The evidence leads us to believe something bad was done to them, because human innards were found floating in the river, which are now undergoing DNA testing,” President Jair Bolsonaro said.The development came a day after police said they had found personal items belonging to the two, including Pereira’s health card, pants and boots, as well as Phillips’s backpack and clothing.Bolsonaro, whose government has faced accusations of failing to act urgently enough in the case, said hope was fading.“Because of the time that’s passed – eight days now, approaching the ninth – it’s going to be very difficult to find them alive,” the president told CBN Recife radio.“I pray to God for that to happen, but the information and evidence we’re getting suggest the opposite.”‘Upset and distressed’Phillips’s niece Dominique Davies told AFP via text message that authorities had informed the family two bodies had been found.“We are waiting on confirmation from the federal police (in Brazil) as to whether they are Dom and Bruno. We all remain upset and distressed at this time,” she said.Britain’s Guardian newspaper, where Phillips was a regular contributor, said the bodies were found tied to a tree, according to information given to Phillips’s family by an aide to Brazil’s ambassador in London.Federal police said in a statement that reports that Phillips and Pereira’s bodies had been found were incorrect. And the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Javari Valley, which is taking part in the search, denied two bodies had been found.The police have confirmed they are analysing a blood sample and suspected human remains found during the search to determine whether they are from the missing men.They said the results of these analyses are expected “during this week.”Pereira’s wife Beatriz Matos said Monday on Twitter that the police had confirmed “that no body was found.”Brazilian police have arrested a suspect in the case, 41-year-old Amarildo Costa de Oliveira, nicknamed “Pelado.”Witnesses say they saw him threaten Phillips and Pereira prior to their disappearance, then pursue them in his boat just before they disappeared.The blood sample being analysed was found on a tarp in Oliveira’s boat.The search has been complicated given the difficult jungle terrain in the far-flung Javari Valley, where the men had travelled by boat gathering material for a book Phillips was writing about sustainable ways to protect the world’s biggest rainforest.U2 adds to pressureBrazil’s government faces pressure from international media organisations, rights groups and high-profile figures over the case – fuelling criticism of Bolsonaro’s policies on the Amazon, where illegal deforestation and other environmental crimes have surged since he took office in 2019.Dozens of indigenous protesters marched Monday in Atalaia do Norte, the small city Phillips and Pereira had been headed to, demanding answers on their whereabouts.“It’s been a week… and every day brings conflicting reports,” Natalie Southwick, Latin America coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), said in a statement.“CPJ remains deeply concerned about the government’s insufficient response and lack of transparency. Brazilian authorities must stop dragging their feet.”Irish rock band U2 became the latest to rally to the cause, joining Brazilian football legend Pele and iconic singer Caetano Veloso.“We are waiting to find out what has happened to these courageous men,” the band tweeted, along with a red-and-black drawing of the pair by artist Cristiano Siqueira that has gone viral.“Where are Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira?” it reads.


India posts global record of 315,000 daily Covid cases

India posted a global record of almost 315,000 new Covid infections on Thursday as hospitals in New Delhi sent out desperate warnings that patients could die without fresh oxygen supplies.India’s long-underfunded health system is being stretched to the limit by a devastating second wave blamed on a “double mutant” variant and “super-spreader” mass gatherings.Health ministry data on Thursday showed 314,835 new infections in the past 24 hours, the most of any country since the pandemic began, taking total cases to 15.9 million, the world’s second highest.There were 2,074 fatalities, bringing the total death toll to almost 185,000. The number of deaths and cases in India are however considerably lower on a per-capita basis than many other countries.Major private and government-run hospitals in New Delhi have sent out urgent appeals to the central government, calling for immediate supply of oxygen for hundreds of patients on ventilator support.On Wednesday, nearly 500 tonnes of oxygen was supplied to Delhi but this fell short of the required 700 tonnes per day.The megacity’s government, run by a different party to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national administration, has accused neighbouring states governed by Modi’s BJP of holding up supplies.Late Wednesday the Delhi High Court ordered the government to ensure safe passage of oxygen supplies from factories to hospitals across India.“We cannot let people die due to lack of oxygen… you beg, borrow and steal but have to provide,” the judges said, asking why the government is “not waking up to the gravity of the situation”.Highlighting the strain on health authorities, 22 patients died in a hospital in western India after an oxygen leak cut off the supply to 60 ventilators for half an hour on Wednesday.Recent months have seen mass gatherings, including millions attending the Kumbh Mela religious festival, as well as political rallies, lavish weddings and cricket matches against England.Production of key coronavirus drugs slowed or even halted at some factories and there were delays inviting bids for oxygen generation plants, according to press reports.Distraught relatives are now being forced to pay exorbitant rates on the black market for medicines and oxygen and WhatsApp groups are white-hot with desperate pleas for help.States across India have imposed restrictions, with Delhi in a week-long lockdown, all non-essential shops shut in Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh set for a weekend shutdown.The US now advises against travelling to India, even for those fully vaccinated, while Britain has added India to its “red list”. Hong Kong and New Zealand have banned flights.India’s inoculation programme has also hit supply hurdles, prompting New Delhi to put the brakes on exports of the AstraZeneca shot, which is manufactured locally by the Serum Institute.India has administered more than 130 million shots so far and from May 1 all adults will be eligible for a jab.


Nora Anne died by misadventure, coroner rules

A French-Irish teenager with learning difficulties died by “misadventure” after disappearing in the Seremban jungle on a family holiday and there was no sign she was murdered or sexually assaulted, a coroner ruled Monday.The body of Nora Quoirin, 15, was discovered unclothed after a hunt through the rainforest following her disappearance from a resort outside Kuala Lumpur in 2019.Police insisted there was no foul play and an autopsy found that she probably starved and died of internal bleeding after days in the jungle.But her parents think she was abducted, saying the teen would never have climbed out of the window of the chalet where they were staying in the dead of night, as police believe.However, following an inquest in Malaysia, coroner Maimoonah Aid said there was no sign the teen had been murdered or sexually assaulted, and ruled she died by “misadventure”.“After hearing all the relevant evidence, I rule that there was no one involved in the death of Nora Anne,” she told a court in Seremban.“It is more probable than not that she died by misadventure.”The teen likely left the family accommodation “on her own and subsequently got lost in the abandoned palm oil plantation”, she said.The inquest, which ran from late August to December, heard from over 40 witnesses and was streamed online due to the coronavirus pandemic.Massive searchDuring proceedings, police reiterated their view the teen had wandered off alone from the Dusun resort in August 2019, a day after checking in for a holiday with her London-based family.They defended their approach, insisting a thorough search was conducted.But her parents, who testified via video-link from Britain, painted a different picture, strongly criticising authorities for their response to their daughter’s disappearance.Her mother Meabh said police were slow to launch a full-scale search and did not take her concerns about potential criminal involvement seriously.Her father Sebastien also said he heard mysterious “muffled noises” coming from the chalet the night of the schoolgirl’s disappearance, fuelling the family’s belief she was snatched.The search lasted 10 days and expanded to include hundreds of rescuers, helicopters and sniffer dogs, before the teen’s body was found in a ravine not far from the resort.The five-hectare (12-acre) site is next to a patch of thick jungle and in the foothills of a mountain range.The teen had a condition known as holoprosencephaly, where the brain fails to develop normally. She had limited verbal communication and could only write a few words.She attended a school for young people with learning difficulties.


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World Bank to finance extra Covid jabs for poorer nations

A new World Bank financing mechanism will allow developing countries to purchase Covid-19 vaccines collectively through the Covax facility, it was announced Monday.Covax was set up to ensure 92 developing territories could access coronavirus vaccines to fight the pandemic, with the cost covered by donors.The new mechanism will allow those countries to buy additional doses on top of the subsidised ones they will already receive via Covax.Using money from the World Bank and other development banks, the facility says it will make advanced purchases from vaccine manufacturers based on aggregated demand across countries.The financing mechanism builds on the existing Covax cost-sharing arrangement which aims to provide 430 million additional doses, or enough doses to fully vaccinate 250 million people, for delivery between late 2021 and mid-2022 for the 92 countries.Those doses could be purchased through new financing arrangement.Countries should also have some flexibility in selecting to buy particular vaccines that align with their preferences.Covax is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.The financing mechanism “will allow Covax to unlock additional doses for low- and middle-income countries” Gavi chief executive Seth Berkley said in a statement.“As we move beyond initial targets and work to support countries’ efforts to protect increasingly large portions of their populations, World Bank financing will help us advance further towards our goal of bringing Covid-19 under control.”Vaccine inequityWHO has raged against the staggering imbalance in global distribution of Covid-19 vaccine doses.Nearly 3.9 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been injected around the world in at least 216 territories, according to an AFP count.In high-income countries, as defined by the World Bank, 95.4 doses have been administered per 100 inhabitants.That figure stands at just 1.5 doses per 100 people in the 29 lowest-income countries.Covax has so far delivered more than 138 million vaccine doses to 136 participating territories – far short of the numbers it hoped.“Accessing vaccines remains the single greatest challenge that developing countries face,” said World Bank president David Malpass.“This mechanism will enable new supplies and allow countries to speed up the purchase of vaccines. It will also provide transparency about vaccine availability, prices, and delivery schedules.”The World Bank said it is making US$20 billion in financing available to developing countries to help purchase and distribute vaccines, supporting efforts in 53 countries so far.According to the Washington-based development lender, many countries have indicated they would like to purchase additional vaccines through Covax, but have the option purchase elsewhere including directly from manufacturers.


Case of businessman charged with assaulting security guard transferred to High Court

The Ipoh Magistrate’s Court today ordered the case of a businessman charged with causing grievous hurt to a security guard at a condominium in December 2020 to be transferred to the High Court.Magistrate Noor Azreen Liana Mohd Darus made the order following an application by deputy public prosecutor Fatin Hosna Mohamad Zikri to transfer the case involving Ahmad Noor Azhar Muhammad, 34.Noor Azhar was initially charged with causing grievous hurt to the security guard, but the charge was amended after the police reclassified the death of the guard, who was attacked while on duty at the swimming pool of the condominium in December last year, as murder.According to the new charge, Noor Azhar is accused of murdering S Thava Sagayam, 64, at Menara Majestic A-7-1, Jalan CM Yusuff, between 8am and 9.30am on Dec 29, 2020.The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder and carries the death sentence upon conviction.


US lawmakers look to crack down on airlines over cancelled flights

Two US House Democrats on Tuesday proposed making it unlawful for airlines to offer flights if they know they lack sufficient staff or to cancel flights close to scheduled departures because of foreseeable staffing issues.
In a summer of growing frustration over tens of thousands of cancelled flights, representatives Jan Schakowsky and David Cicilline said their proposal would give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general new powers to act.
"Stronger enforcement of the airline industry is urgently needed," said Schakowsky. "The airline industry must be held accountable for the harm they are causing: the missed life events, time separated from family and friends, and the stress of navigating a travel system that isn’t putting consumers first."
The measure would repeal an exemption passenger airlines received from oversight by the FTC under a 1958 law. It is the latest push by lawmakers to convince regulators to get tough on the aviation industry.
Some lawmakers have said the Transportation Department (USDOT) already has the power to fine airlines who knowingly cancel flights because of foreseeable staffing issues citing USDOT authority to investigate whether airlines are engaged in "unfair or deceptive practice[s]" or "unfair method(s) of competition."
In June, senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Alex Padilla and Richard Blumenthal wrote to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the FTC asking them to investigate "the major airlines to ensure they are not engaging in unfair and exploitative business practices."
Last week, Democratic senators Edward Markey, Elizabeth Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse and Blumenthal along with nearly 20 House lawmakers introduced legislation to provide consumers an "enforceable right to a full cash refund for flight and ticket cancellations."
Last month, Warren and Padilla urged Buttigieg to fine airlines that delay or cancel flights because of staffing or operational issues "to change airlines' calculus about harming consumers to pad their own profits."
Airlines for America, a trade group representing Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and others, said Tuesday "carriers strive to provide a seamless travel experience and are making every effort – including reducing summer schedules by 16% and increasing hiring initiatives – to accommodate the unexpectedly rapid recovery of demand for air travel."
Buttigieg, who met virtually with airline CEOs in June to demand better performance, told Reuters Monday airlines have improved but have more to do. He also noted the department was proposing a suite of consumer protection rules.


Govt has the power to compel banks on moratorium, lawyer questions Zafrul’s claim

The government has sweeping powers to instruct banks to allow a moratorium as well as interest waivers on loans, a lawyer has said in response to Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s statement that it cannot legally compel banks to do so.Derek Fernandez said the government could employ a string of measures, from “politely” asking banks to voluntarily allow a moratorium to applying the force of law, including invoking its powers under the present state of emergency.“There is tremendous power to get banks to voluntarily agree to an interest waiver or moratorium, and if not, to legally require or administratively force them to do so if there really is the political will to want the financial burden of Covid-19 to be shared by all, especially those who are actually still able to make big profits despite the Covid-19 situation.”On Monday, Putrajaya said banks had agreed to a three-month moratorium on loans upon request by borrowers in the B40 group as well as those who had lost their income due to the pandemic.The move was short of the blanket moratorium announced during the first movement control order (MCO) last year, when an automatic six-month freeze on repayments as well as an interest waiver were declared.Yesterday, Zafrul said the government was powerless to compel banks to do the same this time.“There is tremendous power to get banks to voluntarily agree to an interest waiver or moratorium and if not, to legally require or administratively force them to do so.”But Fernandez said even without the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which gives the government sweeping powers to help contain the impact of the Covid-19 virus, the authorities are in a position to call the shots.He said Sections 10 and 11 of the Financial Services Act 2013 (FSA) give the finance minister and Bank Negara Malaysia the power to renew a banking licence, as well as to impose conditions on existing licences with the aim of protecting national interests.“Both sections allow Bank Negara or the minister to take into account any matter they feel is relevant.“Emergency measures during a time of national suffering where the burden is being substantially felt and borne by the public and businesses will logically be such a matter,” Fernandez said.Meanwhile, Section 13 of the same act allows the minister or Bank Negara to impose any new conditions on any existing financial institutions.Fernandez said these powers put notice to banks which refuse the government’s request during a time of national crisis despite making record profits.Politely or by forceHe said the minister could “politely tell” banks to waive interests or grant a moratorium during the MCO.“Maybe some of the banks will understand the situation, and that social justice requires them to equitably share the economic burden of the people in times of national suffering,” he added.Failing this, he said, the government could bring back the Covid-19 Temporary Measures Act and enlarge it to cover financial institutions, or invoke its emergency powers, “but that may be unnecessary”, he added.“All governments have the power to fully control financial institutions because banking and finance is a critical component of national and economic security.“A banking licence is not a legal right but a privilege that comes with conditions the government can impose in national interests,” he said.


Retirement savings are depleting, EPF warns amid calls for more withdrawals

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) today warned that the country’s social protection has been pushed to the limit after a series of withdrawals due to the Covid-19 crisis, amid calls by Umno politicians for the compulsory retirement savings scheme to allow members to take out more money in the wake of the floods that recently hit several states.The fund said while it was understandable that withdrawals were allowed during the virus lockdowns, this should not be made a practice during natural calamities as it is bound by laws guiding how members’ contributions are managed.“The scale and impact of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic and the recent natural disasters have pushed the country’s social protection to its limits, and the approach of using EPF savings during emergencies will have a severe impact at a time when members are left with insufficient savings for their retirement, coupled with other uncertainties such as rising healthcare costs,” the EPF said in a statement.The reminder comes as several politicians, especially from Umno, continue to press the government to allow more withdrawals similar to the lumpsum withdrawal schemes introduced to cushion the impact of several economic lockdowns at the peak of the Covid-19 crisis.The leading proponent of such calls has been none other than former prime minister Najib Razak.Yesterday, he launched a scathing attack on Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz for refusing to open EPF funds under the pretext of floods.“Don’t listen to the advice of the outdated PN finance minister,” he said, referring to the previous Perikatan Nasional government.“Listen to the people. A final special withdrawal. After that, focus on rebuilding the savings of EPF contributors with low balance. There are many ways.”Over the past year, the government had introduced schemes such as i-Lestari, i-Sinar and i-Citra allowing EPF members to withdraw their savings.But the EPF said the move had led to the outflow of RM101 billion involving 6.1 million members, leaving them with less than RM10,000 in their accounts. Of these, 3.6 million have less than RM1,000.It also said that a majority of those who made the emergency withdrawals were Bumiputeras.“As a result, 4.4 million or 54% of Bumiputera members now have less than RM10,000, and two million or 25% have less than RM1,000.“This is very worrying as it reflects an increase in the percentage of members who cannot reach the EPF Basic Savings quantum of RM240,000, which is the minimum amount required by members upon reaching 55 years of age,” it said.The EPF meanwhile said it was bound by its fiduciary duties to equally protect members’ interests, saying millions of members who had not made any withdrawals have expectations of good returns from their savings upon retirement.It spoke of concern that allowing more withdrawals would lead to a trust deficit among members aged between 55 and 60, who could at any time resort to withdrawing a total of RM270 billion in EPF savings.Adding that Malaysia would become an ageing nation by 2030, the EPF said this would mean a higher burden on the government’s support system.“This further highlights the importance of having sufficient savings and income for future well-being, while at the same time preventing future financial shocks.”The EPF said it would continue its social responsibility to help flood victims under the GLIC/GLC Disaster Response Network (GDRN), where the government-linked bodies would be given a matching grant from the government in channelling humanitarian assistance.The EPF said the use of funds from GDRN would not affect members’ savings, adding that it was also able to make available some RM10 million saved from its operational expenses.“Assistance will be channelled in the form of material needed by those affected through credible non-profit charities,” it added.


New cases top 25,800 with another 78 deaths reported

Another 25,854 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,468,590.Of the total number of cases recorded yesterday, 152 (0.59%) were in Category Three and above. The remaining 25,702 (99.41%) were in Category One and Two.There were 25,548 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,142,112.A total of 1,754 cases were admitted to hospital yesterday, with 575 (32.8%) in Category Three and above and 1,179 (67.2%) in Category One and Two.Of the 152 cases in Category Three and above reported yesterday:* 25 (16.45%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 89 (58.55%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 38 (25.00%) had received a booster jab;* 65 (42.76%) were aged 60 and above;* 51 (33.55%) had comorbidities; and* 1 (0.66%) was a pregnant woman.There are now 293,651 active cases, of which 282,283 or 96.1% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 3,452 (1.2%) are at quarantine centres while 7,542 (2.6%) have been hospitalised.A total of 374 are in ICU with 213 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 62.4%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 43.1%.Another 78 deaths were reported, including 34 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 32,827.The country’s infectivity rate as of March 1 was 1.02.


PN reaches agreement on seat allocations for GE15

Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties have arrived at a consensus to settle the allocation of seats to be contested at parliamentary and state levels in the 15th general election (GE15).PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition would continue negotiations on the distribution of seats and hold meetings starting from next week despite not getting any indication from Umno or Barisan Nasional (BN).“We have not gotten any indication from Umno or BN to discuss about seat allocations. We are not sure of the forward direction of Umno and there is yet to be a clear statement from Umno or BN leaders.“But the reality is that we are together in the government. If we are to wait for other parties to make a decision and stand, it will interfere with the affairs of the general election that PN wants to arrange,” he said at a press conference after chairing a PN Supreme Council meeting at its headquarters last night.The Bersatu president said negotiations on seat allocations would be carried out among Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan for the peninsula, and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Parti Progresif Sabah (SAPP) in Sabah.Muhyiddin said this was among the issues discussed during the PN Supreme Council meeting, at which a decision was also reached to support the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on political stability and transformation signed between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan on Sept 13.He said PN would help convey its views and stand from time to time on the implementation of the MoU.In addition, he will meet with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to deliver PN’s stand on the post of the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker who will be picked at the coming Dewan Rakyat session.Muhyiddin said the official launch of the national-level PN would be held in November to be hosted by Selangor PN.The meeting also appointed Saiful Adli Mohd Arshad as PN’s executive secretary effective Oct 1.The PN Supreme Council meeting also discussed approaches and programmes to support the youth in line with the implementation of Undi 18, and in preparation for the addition of young voters.


Chinese city offers cash for births as alarm grows over China’s ageing population

China’s rapidly ageing population is leaving authorities struggling to boost the nation’s birth rate, searching for ways to reverse the decline.Now for the first time, one city is offering couples cash to have babies in what may well become a trend across the nation.The government of Panzhihua city in the far southwestern province of Sichuan announced on Wednesday it will give local families 500 yuan (around US$75) per baby every month if they have a second or third child, until the babies reach three years old, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.The city of 1.2 million, known for its steel industry, will also offer free childbirth services to mothers with local household registrations, and set up more nursery schools near workplaces.Panzhihua city government’s childcare subsidies form part of a broad set of measures announced to attract badly needed talent into the workforce.The city will also give cash bonuses to qualified top researchers, teachers, medical professionals and entrepreneurs who decide to settle there.China’s new births plunged to their lowest in almost six decades last year amid the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic.This points to the prospect that the country’s population, currently at 1.41 billion, may begin to shrink before 2025, according to Bloomberg Economics’ estimates.As China relaxes its child-bearing policies amid the declining birth rate, the country plans to promote tax deductions for child expenses for those under three, Xinhua reported last week.Also, at the end of May, Beijing said it would allow married couples to have up to three children.The previous limit was two children after Beijing ended its decades-long one-child policy in 2016 over concerns of an ageing population, but it didn’t lead to the necessary increase in births, due to the high costs of raising children in the country’s cities, Reuters reported.Beijing earlier this month pledged to lower the cost of childbirth, parenting, and education by 2025.The Chinese government is clearly alarmed. After decades of enforcing the one-child policy, the country is facing a rapidly ageing population, with fewer and fewer young workers available to keep the economy going.Furthermore, the cultural preference for male children in China, combined with the one-child policy, has led to an enormous, and growing, gender imbalance.Huge numbers of Chinese men can never hope to get married or have children, something that experts fear could increase social unrest in the country and lead to the kind of upheaval the ruling Communist Party is coming to dread.


Putrajaya under fire after health minister delists liquid nicotine ahead of new vape tax

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration has come under fire from the medical fraternity after deciding that liquid or gel nicotine – the main ingredient for vape products – will no longer be a controlled substance under the Poisons Act, paving the way for the government to tax vape products as announced in the 2023 budget.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced the exemption yesterday despite strong objections from the Malaysian Pharmacists Society, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control and public health advocate Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy.
Leading the charge was Galen Centre which expressed shock at the government's decision, calling it an "exceptionally regressive move" that raises questions about Putrajaya's commitment to public health.
"How did we get from being leaders in advocating a progressive policy which aims to produce a smoke-free generation of people, to a policy which deregulates nicotine and encourages the growth of the local nicotine vape industry?" asked the centre's CEO Azrul Mohd Khalib.
Galen Centre also alluded to the efforts of health professionals in their decades-long campaign to stop the smoking habit.
"It must be incredibly frustrating for them to see this happen," it said.
The decision by Zaliha stands in contrast with the anti-smoking drive by her predecessor Khairy Jamaluddin, who pushed for a historic bill that would have seen a ban on the consumption of tobacco products or substitutes on those born after 2007.
The generational endgame bill was criticised by some Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders including Anwar during his time as the opposition leader. He said the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill might violate "constitutional rights".
The bill was not passed following delays caused by PH leaders who called for a special parliamentary committee to examine it.
Azrul today said the decision to delist liquid nicotine as a poison was designed not only to legitimise e-cigarettes and vape, but to encourage more business opportunities for such products so that the government could collect tax from them.
He also said Putrajaya was moving against the global trend of reducing smoking and vaping.
"This government decision now undermines and removes a cornerstone of anti-tobacco policy in Malaysia.
"Unfortunately, this country will join an exclusive group of nations which are reversing or ignoring anti-tobacco measures intended to reduce the prevalence of smoking, the number of young smokers and vapers, nicotine addiction, cancer, and premature death," he added.
He said the move also showed the government's desire for more revenue at the cost of public health, adding that it would open the "floodgates to existing and new problems".
"This decision is likely to mark the beginning of one of the biggest public health crises in Malaysia: a dramatic increase in young people and children who are addicted to nicotine, through vape.
"We are already going through a non-communicable diseases crisis with millions of people living with diabetes, cancer, hypertension and obesity. This will be the next one."
Azrul said the new status of nicotine in Malaysia meant it would be easily accessible to all including minors, with nothing to prevent it from being sold online.
He warned that despite the billions of ringgit collected from vape products, the revenue would be used up in treating diabetes caused by vaping.
"Those who vape have a 22% increased risk of developing prediabetes compared to those who do not. Encouraging vaping will increase the number of people suffering from diabetes, and increase the cost on the healthcare system," he said.
He said the government must stop giving excuses to delay the retabling of the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill.
"No more excuses, ifs and buts. Vape should be taxed but it also needs to be regulated as strictly as tobacco. That is only possible with the provisions contained in the bill.
"The government and MPs must find the moral courage and vision to step up and do the right thing," said Azrul, adding that the health of future generations was at stake.
"One day, we will look back at the harm and suffering caused by smoking and vaping, the lives lost prematurely, the billions spent, and wonder why we did not act sooner."


Hackers dump more customer data from Australian insurer Medibank

Australia's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd, said on Thursday that hackers had released more of its stolen medical records, as media reported that the complete set of data on millions of customers was now public.
The latest release on the dark web follows progressive uploads, including records of customers' mental health and alcohol use, that began after Medibank said on Nov 7 it would not pay a ransom.
"The raw data we have analysed today so far is incomplete and hard to understand," chief executive David Koczkar said. "While there are media reports of this being a signal of 'case closed', our work is not over."
On Thursday, media reported that a blog, believed by cyber experts to be used by the hackers, carried a new post: "Happy Cyber Security Day!!! Added folder full. Case closed." It also included a file that had several compressed files amounting to more than 5 gigabytes.
Reuters has not verified the contents of the latest files uploaded on the dark web, part of the World Wide Web that is accessible only with special software. Medibank did not immediately respond to a Reuters question asking whether it believed all stolen data had now been released.
Australian Federal Police last month said Russia-based hackers were behind the Medibank cyberattack, which compromised the details of almost 10 million current and former customers. Medicare revealed the breach on Oct 13.
In its latest update, Medibank said there were currently no signs that banking data had been stolen. Personal details accessed by hackers were not enough to enable financial fraud, it added.
Six zipped files placed in a folder called "full" and containing raw data believed to have been stolen had been uploaded, Medibank said in a statement.
Australia has been grappling with a recent rise in cyber attacks. At least eight companies, including telecoms company Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications, have reported breaches since September.
Technology experts have said Australia has become a target for hackers just as a skills shortage leaves an understaffed, overworked cybersecurity workforce ill-equipped to stop attacks.


UK PM Johnson under fire over ‘partygate’ photos

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday faced renewed accusations of lying, after photos emerged of him drinking at a Downing Street gathering during lockdown in 2020.The revelations came as a senior civil servant was expected to publish her long-awaited full report into the “Partygate” scandal, despite allegations that Johnson was trying to have it dropped.A slew of revelations earlier this year about lockdown-breaking parties caused widespread political and public anger, and put Johnson’s position in jeopardy.But the heat was taken out of a potential mutiny from his own MPs by the war in Ukraine and his hawkish support for President Volodymyr Zelensky.The photos published late on Monday by ITV News were taken during a leaving event for Johnson’s communications director Lee Cain on Nov 13, 2020, days after the government ordered a second Covid lockdown and banned households from mixing.Johnson can be seen raising a glass and chatting with several people around a table with bottles of wine and food.Police have investigated the leaving event as part of their probe into “Partygate” and fined one person – but not Johnson.When he was asked in parliament last December about the gathering, the prime minister insisted there had been no party on that date and that no rules had been broken.The police did fine Johnson over a surprise birthday party he attended at Downing Street in June 2020 but he has not been fined for any other event.In total, they issued more than 100 fines related to multiple gatherings in an around the prime minister’s residence and place of work.The BBC’s Panorama programme on Tuesday quoted people who attended Cain’s leaving party as saying it developed into “about 30 people, if not more, in a room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people (sitting) on each other’s laps.”The event was on a Friday, when the prime minister press office organised regular “WTF” (“Wine-Time Friday”) drinks starting at four o’clock in the afternoon, some of the people who attended told the BBC.A Downing Street security guard was mocked when he tried to stop a party in full flow, they said.“People made fun of him because he was so worked up that this party was happening and it shouldn’t be happening.”The deputy leader of the main opposition Labour party, Angela Rayner, said it was “astonishing” that Johnson was not fined for the November gathering.She told ITV News that it looked “pretty clear” the gathering had been a party, not a work event. She said it was “pretty shocking” Johnson had not been fined for it.“He’s tried to lie to the British public and he’s tried to lie to parliament,” Rayner said.PublishTransport Secretary Grant Shapps sought to defend Johnson on Tuesday, saying the new pictures showed the prime minister was “clearly not” partying.“It looks to me he was asked to go and thank a member of staff who was leaving, raises a glass to them and I imagine comes in and out pretty quick, which is presumably why the police have not issued a fixed-penalty notice (fine) to the prime minister,” Shapps told BBC radio.In a separate development, the Times newspaper reported on Tuesday that Johnson had put pressure on civil servant Sue Gray to drop her much-anticipated report into “Partygate”.Sky News quoted sources as saying Johnson had questioned what more would be left to say in Gray’s report after the police concluded their work.Rayner joined a chorus of opposition voices calling for the Gray report to be published “as soon as possible”.“The full report – and all the evidence – must be published without delay,” she tweeted.The Metropolitan Police said on Thursday they had completed their “Partygate” probe, issuing a total of 126 fines.Those fined include Johnson, his wife Carrie and finance minister Rishi Sunak.Johnson’s fine – the first for a sitting British prime minister – prompted calls for him to resign or be forced out.He has apologised for the breach of Covid regulations but has refused to quit.He is also facing an investigation by a parliamentary committee into his denials of lockdown lawbreaking to the House of Commons.


Tuan Ibrahim sues Rafizi for defamation over flood mitigation project

Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has filed a suit against PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli for allegedly defaming him regarding the approval of several projects, including for flood mitigation.
Tuan Ibrahim, 62, filed the suit through Yusfarizal Aziz & Zaid at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday, naming Rafizi, 45, as the sole defendant.
In his statement of claim, Tuan Ibrahim alleged that Rafizi made defamatory statements against him at two press conferences at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya, which were streamed live on the defendant’s YouTube account on Nov 7 and 9.
The PAS deputy president claimed the statements implied that during the time of the caretaker government, discussions and efforts involving the plaintiff were actively conducted to approve projects worth RM2 billion to Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd through direct negotiations for the Sungai Langat flood mitigation project.
He said Rafizi’s remarks implied that he had approved two sewage treatment plant and sewerage pipe network projects in Papan, Kinta, and one project for building a sewerage pipe network in Petaling Jaya to Mangkubumi, all worth more than RM2.3 billion, apart from conspiring with then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to secretly award projects under Program Jana Wibawa.
He claimed that the statements were false and made with malicious intent by twisting facts to give the impression that he was dishonest and untrustworthy and had exceeded his power as a caretaker minister.
Tuan Ibrahim said the statements also created a bad perception of him as a political leader who had always practised Islamic principles in his administration and had caused him to be criticised by netizens on social media where he could not reply or clarify.
Tuan Ibrahim demanded that Rafizi issue a public apology in local Malay and English newspapers, on his Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as the PKR website, within 14 days from the date of judgment, in addition to retracting or deleting all related media statements on the same social media within 48 hours of the date of judgment.
Tuan Ibrahim also applied for an injunction to restrain Rafizi, his agents or assistants from broadcasting and publishing any similar statements and videos, whether directly or indirectly, as well as general, exemplary and aggravated damages.
Tuan Ibrahim’s lawyer Yusfarizal Yussoff, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed that the suit had been filed.


Vietnam, UK sign immediate free trade deal

Britain and Vietnam have signed a free trade agreement, Vietnam’s trade ministry has announced, just days before Britain completes its transition out of the EU.Trade between Vietnam and Britain has risen by an average of 12% a year in the last decade to reach US$6.6 billion last year, and the deal will help boost Vietnam’s exports of clothing, footwear, rice, seafood and wooden furniture.The agreement inked on Tuesday will take effect on Dec 31, and will replace the existing EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which came into effect in August and was designed to cut or eliminate 99% of tariffs on goods traded between Vietnam and the EU.The free trade agreement with Britain has the same provisions as those of EVFTA, the ministry said.Tuesday’s deal will ensure Britain does not lose access to preferential tariffs in one of the fastest growing and most open economies in Asia, reports Reuters.“The agreement will create a framework for comprehensive, long-term and sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry said.Since leaving the EU in January, Britain has been negotiating new trade deals with many countries to replace those set up by the EU.Many of the negotiations should now come to fruition after the recent final leaving deal was agreed with the EU, and Britain finally exits as the new year begins.


Syed Saddiq apologises in court for social media post on trial

Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of funds and money laundering, today apologised in the Kuala Lumpur High Court for commenting on the ongoing trial on his social media.
Syed Saddiq made the apology after receiving a final warning by judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid. "I offer my humblest apologies," he said.
Azhar gave the warning after deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the court that a police report had been lodged against the Muar MP for reposting a post made by his friend, Ahmad Zarul Afiq, regarding the trial proceedings and the credibility of the 13th prosecution witness, Rafiq Hakim Razali, who is former assistant treasurer of the Bersatu Youth wing or Armada.
Syed Saddiq's lawyer Gobind Singh Deo meanwhile told the court that his client had deleted the post. "I told him (Syed Saddiq) this is something that you cannot be saying and asked him to be careful next time. He has already deleted his post," Gobind said.
This is the second apology made by the defence team on the same matter within a week.
On July 4, another lawyer representing Syed Saddiq, Haijan Omar, apologised to the court after one of the politician’s lawyers, Lim Wei Jit, made a public statement on the case.
Earlier, on the defence's application to impeach Rafiq Hakim, Wan Shaharuddin said there were preconditions to be met by those who wanted the witness' written statement to be admissible in court, under Section 402B of the Criminal Procedure Code.
"As the written statement was not signed by the witness, the first precondition under Section 402B (2) was not complied with," he said.
Gobind asked the court to use its discretion to allow the defence to begin the proceedings to challenge Rafiq Hakim's credibility as the witness statement was given to the defence before the trial began, even though it was not used in court.
Azhar then set July 18 to deliver his decision.
Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with criminal breach of trust of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.
He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
He is accused of committing the offence at a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and 19, 2018.


Navy to receive remaining 2 littoral mission ships this year

The Royal Malaysian Navy is expected to receive the remaining two littoral mission ships (LMS) in August and November this year.Navy chief Admiral Mohd Reza Mohd Sany said the first LMS (KD Keris), received last year, had joined the navy fleet on Jan 17 to carry out patrol and maritime surveillance duties, while the second LMS (Sundang) was received on Jan 14.He said all the LMS would join the 11th LMS Squadron to carry out search and rescue efforts and to enforce Malaysian maritime law.The LMS is part of the navy’s “15 to 5″ fleet transformation programme, which involves reducing its current 15 classes of vessels to just five: the LMS, multi-role support ships (MRSS), littoral combat ships (LCS), patrol vessels (PV) and submarines.“The navy will also receive three maritime operations helicopters in stages, starting next year,” he said in his 2021 New Year message today.He said the first of the three helicopters would be delivered on Oct 30, 2022, the second unit on May 31, 2023 and the last on Feb 28, 2024.He also said six of the 12 ScanEagle vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been delivered while the remaining six will be received in June this year.“It is in line with the development plan and future operational needs of the navy, apart from planning to implement procurement through the 12th Malaysia Plan from this year until 2025,” he said.He said the navy had been allocated RM2.9 billion this year, an increase of RM164 million (5.96%) compared to last year.“Of the total, RM1.683 billion is allocated for operating expenditure and RM1.233 billion for five development expenditures.”He also advised navy personnel to be ready to open their minds to changes in order to become a credible naval force.


For Mahathir, Najib still tops list of Malaysia’s worst leaders

More than a year after the so-called Sheraton Move which saw the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government established on the ruins of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration, Dr Mahathir Mohamad has yet to budge from his criticism of Muhyiddin Yassin and others from his former Cabinet whom he says “snatched away” the 2018 election victory.But some of his strongest comments are still reserved for Najib Razak, whose involvement in the 1MDB scandal triggered Mahathir’s exit from Umno five years ago.“Any ruling bloc that includes Najib will be bad,” he told MalaysiaNow when asked why he could not come to terms with Muhyiddin’s government despite the bad blood between the prime minister and Najib.When it comes to describing Najib, Mahathir has several key words.“This man has been known to be a criminal. Stealing huge sums of money, money laundering and all kinds. And he has been found guilty of seven charges, sentenced to 12 years’ jail,” he said, referring to Najib’s conviction of charges related to the 1MDB-linked SRC International over millions of dollars found in his private bank accounts.Yet, Mahathir never fails to stress his respect for Najib’s father, Abdul Razak Hussein.“We promised the people during the election that we were going to bring down Najib, and we did that but now you are going to do just the opposite.”“Tun Razak is regarded as the best prime minister we ever had. So I thought the son would at least be something like Tun Razak.“But he turned out to be the worst,” he said.“He stole money, not one or two dollars but billions of dollars. The whole world condemned this country, from being an Asian Tiger, we descended to become a kleptocracy, a country ruled by thieves. That is what happened when Najib became prime minister.”At the heart of his continued resistance to support for Muhyiddin is his belief that the PN government gave Najib a new lease of life.“We promised the people during the election that we were going to bring down Najib, and we did that but now you are going to do just the opposite, to actually help Najib regain position in the government. That I could not accept,” he told MalaysiaNow in an hour-long interview focused solely on politics, a subject on which he spoke with passion despite being out of power.In 2018, Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister, achieved yet another milestone when he was catapulted back to the top post at 92, becoming the oldest person in the world to hold the position.But he resigned hardly two years later in February 2020, making him the shortest reigning prime minister as well.He has repeatedly said that his resignation was due to a loss of majority support although critics accuse him of getting cold feet midway and triggering the collapse of the PH government.So committed was Mahathir to Najib’s removal that he buried the hatchet with Anwar Ibrahim, the man long regarded as his sworn enemy.Until this day, he insists that Muhyiddin had helped Najib.“But not to the extent of pardoning Najib, which is what Najib wants” – he admits that much.“But on the other hand, Muhyiddin has adopted the kind of government that was Najib,” he said, accusing Muhyiddin of offering lucrative government jobs in exchange for political support.Mahathir is also unsatisfied with the way Bersatu, the party he co-founded with Muhyiddin, is being run.“He has come to the point where he changed Bersatu from a Malay party into a multiracial party. What Muhyiddin is doing is completely the opposite of what he promised to do when he was with me in Bersatu,” he said.Mahathir insists that the court cluster – the pandemic term used for Najib and other former government leaders facing corruption charges – should not be counted on for political support.“What happens is that he depends on them. This so-called court cluster, about six or seven of them, if these people resign, his government will collapse. So he is dependent upon them,” he said.For Mahathir, Najib’s criticism of Muhyiddin is irrelevant.“He is still hoping that somehow or other he can pressure Muhyiddin into helping him escape from being jailed.”In July last year, barely six months after Muhyiddin came to power, Najib was convicted of seven charges and handed a 12-year jail term.But Mahathir remains unconvinced, ever aware of the fact that Muhyiddin once depended on Najib and others facing charges to get a parliamentary majority.“He (Muhyiddin) doesn’t want to help them, but at the same time he needs their help. On the other hand, they too need his help. So it is mutual,” he added.Since his conviction last year, Najib has emerged as Muhyiddin’s biggest critic and makes it a point to put up daily social media posts hammering the PN government.Mahathir said this was true, adding however that Najib could not walk his talk.He pointed out that Najib had no choice but to support PN, including during the crucial vote on the 2021 budget last December.So does Najib have a political future?“Najib thinks that if he is pardoned, he will become the prime minister again. That is his aim but at this moment, he cannot get enough support to overthrow Muhyiddin.“In parliament, he will give the support – outside, he will appear to be against Muhyiddin.”


DNA ‘scissors’ discovery wins female scientists chemistry Nobel

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for developing a way of editing DNA with biological “genetic scissors”.Charpentier, a French microbiologist, and Doudna, an American biochemist, are the first women to jointly win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.Secretary-general for the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Goran K Hansson, said that this year’s prize was about “rewriting the code of life”.The pair discovered the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors with which scientists can change the DNA of animals, plants and micro-organisms with extremely high precision.There are hopes it will transform the treatment of inherited illnesses.Since the two scientists discovered the genetic scissors, the bio-tool has contributed to many other important discoveries, and clinical trials of new cancer therapies are already underway.Charpentier said at a  news conference on Wednesday that she hoped their win would send a “positive message to young girls who would like to follow the path of science, and to show them that women in science can have an impact through the research that they are performing”.


Daily caseload just below 4,000 as 2 more deaths reported

Another 3,969 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,909,846.
There were 2,696 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,840,348.
There are now 33,018 active cases, of which 31,458 or 95.3% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,497 (4.5%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 63 are in ICU with 47 in need of respiratory assistance.
Two more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 36,480.


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13,000 evacuees at over 100 relief centres in flood-hit states

A total of 13,039 people were still at 104 relief centres (PPS) in the flood-hit states of Kelantan, Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka as of this morning.In Selangor, based on the Welfare Department’s Info Bencana application (app), the number of evacuees had dropped to 5,186 people at 26 PPS at midnight from 5,399 people at 27 PPS in the afternoon.According to the Selangor fire and rescue department, a total of 94 clean-up operations and 24 sanitation exercises had been conducted so far in flood-affected areas in the state.Several stretches of road are still affected by the floods, including FT 31 Dengkil-Banting Bridge; Jalan Kg Kalong Tengah; Ulu Yam Baru and Jalan Genting Peras-Kuala Klawang and Jalan Kuala Kubu Bharu-Bukit Fraser heading to Peretak, as well as Jalan PJU 7, in front of MRT Mutiara Damansara and Jalan BRP 7/2 Bukit Rahman Putra, and the road leading Lapang Sasar, Subang.In Pahang, the number of evacuees dropped slightly to 7,730 people at 74 PPS in Bentong, Temerloh, Bera, Maran, Kuantan and Pekan.Rain is forecast in one or two areas in Kuantan and Pekan, while in other districts, the weather is expected to be fine.In Kelantan there was no change in the number of flood evacuees with 54 people from 15 families still at the SK Tok Deh PPAS in Pasir Mas at 7am today.The water level of all major rivers in the state meanwhile is below the danger level.In Melaka, the number of flood victims also remained unchanged with 26 people from eight families still at the PPS at SK Penghulu Benteng in Jasin, according to state Civil Defence Force (APM) director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra.In Negeri Sembilan, state APM director Mohd Syukri Madnor said the number of flood victims at the two PPS in Jelebu remained at 43 people from 14 families.