Zahid wins bid for permanent return of passport

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today succeeded in his bid for the permanent return of his passport, with the Court of Appeal giving him the green light for international and diplomatic passports for the purpose of carrying out his official duties abroad.
A three-man bench chaired by judge Hanipah Farikullah unanimously allowed Zahid's application, filed after the High Court on Feb 3 rejected his bid for the permanent return of his travel document, Berita Harian reported.
Hanipah, who sat with judges Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Lim Chong Fong, was quoted as saying that the panel was satisfied with the merit of Zahid's application.
"The court has examined the applicant's arguments, and is allowing this application," he said in the report.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had last month dismissed Zahid's application for permanent access to his passport.
However, he allowed the Umno president temporary access to his passport for the purpose of applying for a diplomatic passport, after which he was to surrender both documents to the court.
Zahid's passport was surrendered to the court as an additional bail condition after he was charged with 47 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving Akalbudi Foundation funds.
The Bagan Datuk MP said in his notice of motion on Feb 13 that the High Court decision would prejudice his rights and responsibilities as a country leader as he would have to apply to the court for access to his passport every time he needed to go abroad for work.
"As an individual who holds one of the highest positions in the country, it is seen as impractical and an inconvenience for me to apply to the court every time I want to go abroad for work purposes.
"Therefore, it is appropriate for the Court of Appeal to consider that the approval of the application would bring good and continuity to the administration of the country, which is the responsibility of every Malaysian," he said.
Zahid also said that the application was mala fide or prejudicial, and promised to continue giving his full cooperation in resolving his court cases.


Health ministry budget passed in further boost for PN

The budget for the health ministry was passed after the debate at the committee level in the Dewan Rakyat today, making it the 18th ministerial allocation to be passed so far.The RM31.94 billion budget was passed by voice vote.The debate on the health ministry budget saw issues raised by MPs from both sides of the divide on the Covid-19 pandemic.These include the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine, whether it has been tested, and when it will arrive in the country as neighbouring countries such as Indonesia have reportedly begun receiving their supply.The budget for 2021 – RM322.5 billion, the country’s largest ever – was passed at the policy stage on Nov 26 in what was seen as a crucial test of support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.It was passed by voice vote after the opposition failed to garner enough support to force a bloc vote.


Thai nationals to be charged over mass graves, trafficking camps found in 2015

Four Thai nationals will face charges in court on Friday over the 2015 discovery of mass graves and suspected human trafficking camps at the country's border with Thailand, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
The dense forests of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia have been a major stop-off point for smugglers bringing people to Southeast Asia by boat - most of them Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar and squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh.
The discovery of camps and graves on the Thai side of the border in 2015 led authorities in Thailand to crack down on people smugglers, but prompted traffickers to abandon at sea thousands of migrants making their way to the border area in overcrowded boats.
Four people wanted in connection with the two countries' probe into the camps discovered in 2015 were extradited from Thailand this week, and were expected to be charged on Friday at a Sessions Court in Perlis, Saifuddin said in a statement today.
Saifuddin did not say what charges the four would face but stressed that Malaysia was "committed to maintaining border security and viewed issues of cross-border crime seriously, particularly human trafficking and migrant smuggling".
The four people were among ten Thai nationals that Malaysia had sought for extradition since 2017 as part of its probe into the border camps, Saifuddin said.
Malaysia in 2019 launched a public inquiry into whether authorities mishandled an investigation into the 139 graves and more than 12 campsites suspected to have been run by people-smuggling groups.
The inquiry found weaknesses on the part of border patrols but concluded that no Malaysian enforcement officials, public servants or locals were involved in trafficking or migrant smuggling syndicates, according to a report published on the home ministry's website.


SRC trial judge appeared ‘motivated’ to hold Najib to account, appeals court told

The Court of Appeal was told today that the trial judge in Najib Razak’s SRC International case appeared “motivated” to hold the former prime minister to account.Najib’s counsel Farhan Read said this before a three-member bench led by judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, in the hearing of Najib’s appeal against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.The other two judges on the bench were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.“There appears to be a desire to hold the accused to account. The judge (Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali) was motivated to hold the accused to account,” Farhan said.He also said that criminal law was not the proper avenue for the accused to be held to account as he had already been held to account during the last general election.He added that the trial judge’s finding ordering the Pekan MP to enter his defence had been highly prejudiced.The Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28 last year sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.The hearing of the appeal continues.


Daily cases barrel past 11,000 to new high as 125 more deaths reported

Another 11,079 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 855,949.Selangor recorded 5,263 cases, Kuala Lumpur 1,521, Negeri Sembilan 1,033, Kedah 497, Sarawak 472, Johor 406, Perak 329, Melaka 323, Pahang 321, Sabah 239, Penang 234 and Kelantan 211.Terengganu recorded 93 cases, Putrajaya 77 and Labuan 60.Active cases stand at 96,236 with 972 in the ICU and 456 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 5,990 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 753,328.However, 125 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 6,385.


Thailand changes tune: acceptable tourist Covid-19 numbers now zero

Governments are struggling to come up with an acceptable number of Covid-19 cases to enter a country via air travel. According to Thailand’s Tourism Minister the answer now is zero.Speaking about the country’s proposed special tourist visa, the minister said: “First phase tourists arriving under the scheme must be 100% Covid-19 free.”Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says if this is not achieved, then the reopening plan will be halted indefinitely.“Before we approach the second stage on Nov 17, which aims to shorten the quarantine period, we must evaluate the first phase. If there’s even a single case, we cannot continue to the second phase.”Given the number of infected Thai returnees in the past three months, that 100% scorecard appears unrealistic.Last month, the message was, “If there are five cases among five million tourists, and we can contain those infections with stringent measures, that would be a good balance between public health and business survival.”So last month the target for imported cases was  “almost zero”, this month that’s now been reduced to “absolutely zero” – an almost impossible target to hit.Rather than this being an unpopular point of view, many Thais not employed in the tourism industry think it’s the right way to go, says Southeast Asia travel industry consultant Hannah Pearson.They are watching the second wave in Europe and North America in horror and think closed borders are a price worth paying to avoid the same thing happening to them.It’s this way of thinking that has reduced Thai Airways to selling food on the street in Bangkok in a desperate attempt at making some money.At the end of August, a group of prominent Thai doctors came out against the proposed very limited and strictly controlled reopening of Phuket, calling instead for a total border shutdown for another six months.For now, public health is winning out over business survival.


Ahmad Maslan’s hearing for money laundering, false statement charges to begin Oct 16

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has set four days beginning Oct 16 to hear the case of Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan who is facing charges of money laundering and giving false statements.Judge Azman Ahmad set Oct 16 and 23, Nov 6 and Dec 24 for the hearing after deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar told the court that the High Court had dismissed Ahmad’s application for a review of a lower court’s decision against his bid for the charges against him to be dropped.Ahmad was represented by lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh.On Aug 14, judicial commissioner Aslam Zainuddin dismissed Ahmad’s review application after finding that the Sessions Court had made no mistake in dismissing his application to quash the charges against him.The decision by the Sessions Court was made on July 24, on grounds that Ahmad’s application was premature.Ahmad, 54, was charged with laundering money by failing to state his actual income on the RM2 million received from former prime minister Najib Razak in his income tax return form for assessment year 2013.The act was in violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967.The offence was allegedly committed at the Duta branch of the Inland Revenue Board at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim on April 30, 2014.The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction.Ahmad was also charged with giving false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) when questioned by MACC investigating officer Mohd Zairi Zainal over the issue at Parliament’s media conference room between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on July 4, 2019.The charge, framed under Section 32(8)c) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM3 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction.


Russia to stop selling oil to countries that set price caps

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia would stop selling oil to countries that impose price caps on Russia's energy resources – caps that Moscow said would lead to significant destabilisation of the global oil market.
"Companies that impose a price cap will not be among the recipients of Russian oil," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a conference call, endorsing comments made on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
"We simply will not cooperate with them on non-market principles," Peskov said.
Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers were due to meet virtually on Friday and were expected to firm up plans to impose a price cap on Russian oil purchases with the aim of reducing the revenues flowing to Moscow.
The European Union earlier this year imposed a partial ban on Russian oil purchases, which Brussels says will halt 90% of Russia's exports to the 27-member bloc when it fully comes into force.
European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday it was time for the EU to consider a similar price cap on Russian gas purchases.
Peskov said it was European citizens who were paying the price for such moves, imposed in response to Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
"Energy markets are at fever pitch. This is mainly in Europe, where anti-Russian measures have led to a situation where Europe is buying liquefied natural gas from the US for a lot of money – unjustified money. US companies are getting richer and European taxpayers are getting poorer," Peskov said.
Russia was studying how a price ceiling on its oil exports might affect its economy, Peskov said.
"One thing can be said with confidence: such a move will lead to a significant destabilisation of the oil markets."
Before Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February, Europe was the destination for almost half of Russia's crude and petroleum product exports, according to the International Energy Agency.
The bloc imported 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, 1.2 million bpd of refined products and 0.5m bpd of diesel in 2021, with Germany, Poland and the Netherlands the largest customers.


Visually impaired man hit by self-driving bus in Paralympic Village

A visually impaired man was hit by a self-driving bus in the Paralympic village in Tokyo, organisers said Friday, adding the accident left no “external injury”.The accident took place on Thursday afternoon, according to organisers and Toyota, which developed the autonomous shuttle buses used in the compound.It said it had suspended operation of the vehicles after the accident, in which one of its electric buses “made contact with a pedestrian who is visually impaired” on a pedestrian crossing.“We deeply apologise for those who suffered injuries. We are fully cooperating with the police on the case,” the company added.Tokyo 2020 said the man hit by the bus underwent “a full examination” and “no external injury was identified.”“The shuttle bus service in the Village has been temporarily suspended and operations will be resumed as soon as it is deemed safe to do so,” organisers added.Neither Tokyo 2020 nor Toyota identified the person hit by the vehicle, but several local media outlets named the injured pedestrian as Japanese judoka Aramitsu Kitazono.Local media said the 30-year-old fell and will need two weeks to recover from his injuries, with public broadcaster NHK reporting he will miss his bout on Saturday due to “his bad physical condition”.His coach said he made the decision after talking to Kitazono and consulting with a doctor who treated him, the report added.Japan’s Asahi Shimbun daily said two bus operators – on board to supervise the autonomous operation – said they noticed the athlete, but thought he would stop walking as the bus was approaching.The Mainichi Shimbun daily said the bus automatically stopped but the operators pressed the start button as they did not think the pedestrian would walk out onto the road.Five passengers were aboard but none were injured, the Asahi said, adding that the pedestrian was not holding a cane and there was a traffic-control guard at the crossing.Thousands of athletes and team officials are staying in the Paralympic Village for the virus-delayed Games that began on Tuesday.The self-driving buses were also used in the athletes’ village during the Olympics.


Death toll in massive Haiti quake jumps to over 1,200

The death toll in Haiti’s powerful earthquake jumped to over 1,200 on Sunday, as crews desperately dug through collapsed buildings for survivors in the Caribbean nation still reeling from its president’s assassination.In Les Cayes, as in other hard-hit cities on the southwestern peninsula, most of the population spent the night sleeping outdoors in front of their houses – or what remained of them – amid fears of new aftershocks.The streets there were filled with the grinding sounds of heavy equipment lifting debris from collapsed buildings, as well as the quieter sounds of people pulling away rubble by hand in desperate searches for the missing.“Thanks to God and also to my phone, I’m alive,” said Marcel Francois, who was rescued from his collapsed two-story home in hard-hit Les Cayes.His younger brother Job Francois said a desperate-sounding Marcel had called to say, “‘Come save me, I’m under the concrete’… He told me he couldn’t breathe, that he was dying.”The neighbours and Job spent hours freeing him and his 10-year-old daughter from the heavy debris.But at least 1,297 people were killed in the 7.2-magnitude tremor that struck Saturday about 160km to the west of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince, which was devastated in a massive 2010 quake.Some 13,600 buildings were destroyed and over 13,700 damaged, trapping hundreds under rubble and leaving more than 5,700 people injured, the country’s civil protection agency said in an update.President assassinatedRescuers face new pressure as Tropical Depression Grace approaches, raising fears of torrential rainfall, flash floods and mudslides from late Monday, according to the US National Weather Service.The UnS and other nations have pledged to help Haiti cope with this latest disaster.Usaid head Samantha Power tweeted Sunday that her agency had deployed a 65-person urban search and rescue team – equipped with “specialised tools, equipment & medical supplies” – to join an earthquake disaster response team already in Haiti.Haiti’s neighbour the Dominican Republic said it was shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment. Mexico also sent an aid shipment. Cuba and Ecuador dispatched medical or search-and-rescue teams.And Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help, as did the United Nations.“We want to plan a better adapted response than in 2010 after the earthquake – all aid coming from abroad should be coordinated by the Civil Protection agency,” said Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry.A 7.0-magnitude quake in January 2010 left much of Port-au-Prince and nearby cities in ruins, killing more than 200,000.More than 1.5 million Haitians were made homeless in that disaster, which also destroyed 60% of Haiti’s healthcare system, leaving island authorities and the international humanitarian community with a colossal challenge.The latest quake comes just over a month after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in his home by a team of gunmen, shaking a country already battling poverty, spiralling gang violence and Covid-19.Police say they have arrested 44 people in connection with the killing.


Strong quake has people fleeing homes in Afghanistan, Pakistan

A strong earthquake lasting for at least 30 seconds was felt across much of Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India Tuesday night, with the United States Geological Survey putting the magnitude at 6.5.
"It was a terrifying tremor. I had never felt such a tremor before in my life," Khatera, 50, a resident of Kabul, told AFP after rushing out of her fifth-storey apartment in the capital.
The USGS said the quake was centred near Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan and had a depth of 187km.
The region is frequently hit by earthquakes – especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, which lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
Two people, including a child, were killed in Laghman province, Shafiullah Rahimi, spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Natural Disaster Management, told AFP.
Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said health centres across the country had been put on high alert.
Noor Mohammad Hanifi, a shopkeeper in Kabul, set up tents in a street for his family to spend the night in.
"Nobody dares to go inside their homes," Hanifi told AFP as his family, cloaked in blankets, took shelter.
Hanafi said he felt dizzy when the quake hit as he had just returned from a long trip.
"But when I heard the doors and windows shaking I realised it was an earthquake."
'We all ran out'
In Pakistan, frightened people fled their homes as the tremor hit.
"People ran out of their houses and were reciting the Quran," said an AFP correspondent in Pakistan's city of Rawalpindi.
Ikhlaq Kazmi, a retired professor in the city, said his entire house started shaking.
"The children started shouting that there is an earthquake," he said. "We all ran out."
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority to be ready to deal with any emergency.
At least 180 people who suffered minor injuries were taken to hospitals across the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Shahidullah Khan, a senior government official, told AFP.
In Afghanistan, many families were out of their homes celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when the quake struck.
"I heard people screaming and yelling as they came out in the streets," said Masieh, who was outside with his family when the tremor hit.
"It's possible that there could be another tremor so I'm still waiting outside."
Those indoors also quickly left their houses and apartments.
"They just fled without wearing shoes, just carrying their children in their hands," an AFP correspondent said.
In June of last year more than 1,000 people were killed and tens of thousands made homeless after a 5.9-magnitude quake – the deadliest in Afghanistan in nearly a quarter of a century – struck the impoverished province of Paktika.
Over 55,000 people were killed by an earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and parts of Syria last month.
Afghanistan is in the grips of a humanitarian disaster made worse by the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021.
International development funding on which the South Asian country relied dried up after the takeover and assets held abroad were frozen.


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South Korean court issues warrant for man who opened Asiana plane door mid-air

A South Korean court issued an arrest warrant on Sunday for a passenger who opened an Asiana Airlines plane door minutes before it landed in Daegu, South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The man, in his thirties, was detained on landing on Friday after opening the door when the A321-200 plane was about 700 feet (213 metres) above the ground, causing panic onboard.
The Daegu District Court issued the warrant for him on charges of violating the Aviation Security Act, saying there was a risk he may try to flee before trial. The warrant allows police to keep him in custody longer.
He was not charged at the hearing.
Officials gave the man's surname as Lee but not his full name, as is usual custom.
Lee said he opened the door because he wanted to get off the plane quickly.
"I feel really sorry for the kids," he told reporters as he was escorted to the Daegu court for a hearing on Sunday, apparently referring to students who were on board and taken to hospital with breathing issues.
They were all discharged after about two hours, a fire department official said.
Asiana stopped sales of the seats closest to the exit on the A321-200 airbus model starting on Sunday, Yonhap said.
Asiana could not be immediately reached for comment outside business hours.
A South Korean Transport Ministry official said on Friday that it was possible to open emergency exits at or near ground level because the pressure inside and outside the cabin is similar.


Pardon for Najib not up to govt or Umno, says Ismail

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that the government and Umno are consistent in not interfering in court matters, including on the issue of a royal pardon for former leader Najib Razak as raised by certain parties.
Ismail said a pardon for someone who has been convicted in court is up to the judicial review and the Pardons Board.
"The pardon for Najib is not up to the government or Umno (to decide)... it depends on the judicial review and the decision of the Pardons Board chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
Ismail, an Umno vice-president, was responding to a political analyst’s tweet claiming that Najib would be given a full pardon if Barisan Nasional succeeded in forming the new government after the 15th general election.


Tech giants’ profits soar in pandemic boom but regulation looms

Global tech giants have reported soaring profits as consumers upgraded their devices and sought cloud storage during lockdowns.Major companies have done so well that analysts are warning that the figures may lead to calls for tech company curbs.They point out that Silicon Valley giants are facing increased scrutiny as profits rise and it’s likely that these latest results will lead to further calls for regulatory scrutiny to curb their dominance.Apple’s profits nearly doubled to US$21.7 billion in the three months to June 30 as customers bought pricier 5G iPhones. Apple’s record sales, meanwhile, were boosted by growth in digital subscriptions for its TV and music streaming services.Microsoft saw a US$16.5 billion profit – up 47% year-on-year, due to demand for cloud services and games. The company said on Tuesday that sales in its fourth quarter had also been driven by demand for personal computers which include Windows software. The company recently launched a cloud-based version of its ubiquitous operating system.Google’s parent company, Alphabet, also reported on Tuesday that quarterly sales and profits had surged to record highs due to an increase in spending on online advertising aimed at customers who were stuck at home shopping online due to restrictions.Its video platform YouTube, for example, saw advertising revenue jump to US$7 billion in the three months ending June 30, in comparison with US$3.81 billion the year before.The boss of the search engine giant, Sundar Pichai, said that there was a “rising tide of online activity in many parts of the world, and we’re proud that our services helped so many consumers and businesses”.Chief financial officer Ruth Porat said that revenues, which hit US$61.9 billion, also reflected “elevated consumer online activity” as some economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic.Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook singled out China as its fastest-growing market, where consumers snapped up accessories such as the Apple Watch, as well as the latest iPhone 12 model, which can connect to faster 5G wireless networks.Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said, “Taking into account the global chip shortage affecting many companies including Apple, we would characterise this as a ‘gold medal’ performance.”He added: “China remains a key ingredient in Apple’s recipe for success as we estimate roughly 20% of iPhone upgrades will be coming from this region over the coming year with the launch of the iPhone 13.”As parts of the economy have started to reopen, firms such as Microsoft, Alphabet and Apple have been laying out plans on how to grow even as people spend increasing time away from home – and their devices.In the UK, a new regulator called the Digital Markets Unit has just started work on creating new codes of conduct for tech firms and their relationship with content providers and advertisers. The regime will be “unashamedly pro-competition”, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said.In the US, President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order in a bid to promote further competition.The order suggests that problems have arisen because of large tech firms collecting too much personal information, buying up potential competitors and competing unfairly with small businesses.It included several recommendations such as greater scrutiny of mergers in the tech sector and barring unfair methods of competition.


Russian mercenaries return to bases after challenge to Putin's authority

Heavily armed Russian mercenaries withdrew from the southern Russian city of Rostov overnight under a deal that halted their rapid advance on Moscow but left unanswered questions about President Vladimir Putin's grip on power.
Ending their mutiny, fighters of the Wagner group headed back to their bases in return for guarantees for their safety. Their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, will move to Belarus under the deal mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the turmoil in Russia might not be over and could take months to play out, while Italy's foreign minister said it had shattered the "myth" of Russian unity.
Putin has not made public comments since the deal was struck to de-escalate the crisis.
State television released excerpts on Sunday of an interview in which Putin said he was giving top priority to the conflict in Ukraine. However the interview appeared to have been recorded before the mutiny and he made no reference to Saturday's events.
State television also said Putin would attend a meeting of Russia's Security Council this coming week, without elaborating.
Prigozhin, 62, was seen leaving the district military headquarters in Rostov - hundreds of miles south of Moscow - late on Saturday in a sport utility vehicle. His whereabouts on Sunday were not known.
Prigozhin, a former Putin ally and ex-convict whose forces have fought the bloodiest battles of the 16-month war in Ukraine, said his decision to advance on Moscow was intended to remove corrupt and incompetent Russian commanders he blames for botching the war.
'Cracks' in the facade
Western leaders have expressed concern over the turmoil in Russia, which has the world's largest nuclear arsenal.
"We've seen more cracks emerge in the Russian facade. It is too soon to tell exactly where they go, and when they get there. But certainly, we have all sorts of new questions that Putin is going to have to address in the weeks and months ahead," Blinken told NBC's "Meet the Press" program on Sunday.
Blinken also said the US remained focused on "resolutely and relentlessly" helping Ukraine to defend itself and recover territory seized by Russia over the past 16 months.
China, a key ally of Putin, made no initial public reference to the turmoil, eventually saying after talks with a visiting senior Russian diplomat on Sunday that it supported Russia's efforts to maintain its national stability.
After capturing Rostov - the main rear logistical hub for Russia's invasion of Ukraine - the mercenaries raced hundreds of miles north on Saturday, in what Prigozhin called a "march for justice", transporting tanks and armoured trucks and smashing through barricades set up to stop them, before the deal to withdraw was reached.
Videos shared on social media from Rostov overnight purportedly showed the mercenaries withdrawing in a convoy of armoured vehicles, tanks and coaches to the sound of cheers, chants of "Wagner" and celebratory gunfire from residents.
Reuters was able to verify the location of the video but not the date that it was filmed.
"Take care of yourselves," shouted one woman.
The show of support for Wagner's short-lived insurrection was striking in a country that is increasingly intolerant of public criticism of Putin and his rule.
The mood on the streets of Rostov on Sunday was mainly one of relief.
"It was scary... Everyone is glad that nothing bad happened... It did not come to an armed clash," said resident Dmitry, who declined to give his surname. "There are very serious problems in the country, and they need to be solved."
In Moscow, where there was little evidence on Sunday of increased security, some expressed a measure of understanding for Prigozhin's position.
"The opinions of a person who has a certain weight in society should probably be heard by the authorities," said Oleg.
Monday has been declared a non-working day in the Russian capital to allow time for things to settle.
Deal brokered
Under the deal, brokered late on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a criminal case opened against Prigozhin for armed mutiny would be dropped, Prigozhin would move to Belarus, and Wagner fighters who rallied to his cause would face no action, in recognition of their previous service to Russia.
Peskov said Lukashenko had offered to mediate, with Putin's approval, because he had known Prigozhin personally for around 20 years.
In a televised address during Saturday's drama, Putin said the rebellion put Russia's very existence under threat, vowing to punish those behind the revolt and drawing parallels with the chaos of 1917 that had led to the Bolshevik revolution.
Prigozhin has for months accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, of incompetence and of withholding ammunition from his fighters as they battled to take Bakhmut in Ukraine.
Wagner, whose men in Ukraine include thousands of ex-prisoners recruited from Russian jails, has grown into a sprawling international business with mining interests and fighters in Africa and the Middle East.
This month, Prigozhin defied orders to sign a contract placing his troops under Defence Ministry command. He launched the rebellion on Friday after alleging that the military had killed some of his men in an air strike. The Defence Ministry denied this.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero that Putin created the conditions for Saturday's insurrection by allowing Prigozhin to build up such a formidable private army.
"The myth of the unity of Putin's Russia is over... It's the inevitable outcome when you support and finance a legion of mercenaries," Tajani said in the interview, published on Sunday.
"One thing is certain: the Russian front is weaker than yesterday. I hope that peace (in Ukraine) will now be closer".
The revolt came just weeks into the start of Ukraine's strongest counteroffensive drive since Moscow's invasion in February last year.


In Benut, PN faces off against giant BN

For 19 years, Mohd Nor Abdullah has run a small tom yam shop in Parit Betak, Benut, an area far from the bustle of town and surrounded by palm oil plantations.He lives there with his wife and six children who are still of schoolgoing age.During the movement control order two years ago, he was forced to close his shop. With no other source of income, he was grateful to the government, ruled then by Perikatan Nasional (PN), for distributing pandemic assistance.But he was glad when the economic sector reopened, allowing him to once again support his family on his own.Nor Abdullah is one of thousands of voters in Johor who will head to polling centres throughout the state this Saturday.Mohd Nor Abdullah scrubs down a wok at his tom yam shop in Parit Betak in Benut.Personally, he said, he will decide which candidate to support based on PN’s record during its time in Putrajaya.PN’s candidate, Isa Ab Hamid, is one of four candidates contesting the state seat of Benut. His three competitors include the incumbent menteri besar, Hasni Mohammad.Hasni won the seat at the 14th general election (GE14) with a comfortable majority of over 4,000 votes.The other two candidates are Iskandar Noor Ibrahim of Pejuang and Haniff @ Ghazali Hosman, fielded by PKR.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Isa said his focus is on the welfare of fishermen and the Kuala Orang Asli community in Benut.“The fishermen here have no licence,” Isa, popularly known as Cikgu Isa, said.“Some of them don’t have a permit to collect shellfish, either.”Isa Ab Hamid chats with a voter at an eatery in Benut.This, for the community of fishermen in Benut, is a more pressing issue than subsidies. Without a licence or permit, they are open to arrest by the authorities as they go about trying to earn a living.Depending on the season, a good haul of shellfish can bring the fishermen up to RM4,000.Asked about his odds of beating Hasni, Isa said his chances were more or less evenly split with Barisan Nasional (BN).“In Benut, the competition is stiff,” he said.Of Orang Asli descent himself, Isa, a senator from Bersatu, is also determined to ensure the welfare of the community in Benut.“Many of the Orang Asli here work as entrepreneurs,” he said. “They can make progress without grants or government funds.“But they need support. So I intend to prepare a course with the Companies Commission of Malaysia as neither the Orang Asli nor the Malays have a business management system.”Armed with a decade’s worth of experience teaching in the constituency, Isa is a familiar face including among his former students who are expected to return to vote.He has also served with the Johor state education department and the Pahang Orang Asli Development Department.There are just over 28,000 registered voters in the Malay-majority seat. Isa plans to do his best to attract even the young voters who will be casting their ballot papers for the first time on Saturday.His initiatives include “Mobile Legend” activities, futsal matches, and talks on entrepreneurship.“We also explain the importance of political awareness so that they will understand that they have the power to determine the next government,” he said.Isa has asked his election machinery to refrain from attacking other candidates, saying the focus should be on explaining PN’s policies and direction for the state of Johor.For Nor Abdullah, his biggest wish is to see change in his area and throughout the entire state.“It’s not that we don’t like BN, we just want a chance,” he said. “I liked Muhyiddin’s way of doing things.”He also says that Hasni rarely came to visit Parit Betak.“But the people here don’t think very much about change.”


Daily cases tumble to just over 6,100

Another 6,145 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,390,687.Another 9,231 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,270,520.Meanwhile 682 are in the ICU, including 640 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 350 are in need of respiratory assistance including 281 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 6,145 cases reported today, 142 (2.3%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 6,003 (97.7%) are in Category One and Two.


1,054 new cases, record 12 deaths

Another 1,054 Covid-19 cases were reported today, pushing total confirmed infections in the country to 34,393.Of these, 678 or 64.3% were recorded in Sabah. Selangor meanwhile recorded 125 new cases, followed by Labuan (81).Negeri Sembilan reported 71 new cases, followed by Penang (35), Kuala Lumpur (22), Sarawak (21) and Kedah (12).Perak and Putrajaya recorded three new cases each while Johor, Melaka and Terengganu reported one each.Active cases stand at 10,135 with 94 in the ICU and 32 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 875 patients were also discharged, taking total recoveries to 23,995 or 69.8%.However, 12 more deaths were recorded, all in Sabah, bringing the virus toll to 263.


Now, anti-smoking bill goes to PSC

The Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022 has been referred to the parliamentary select committee for recommendations for further improvement, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
The committee comprising 13 government and opposition MPs will be chaired by Khairy.
The government MPs in the committee are Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling), Mohd Nizar Zakaria (BN-Parit), Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang), Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Bersatu-Masjid Tanah), Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) and Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti).
The opposition representatives are Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching), R Sivarasa (PH-Sungai Buloh), Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Selangor), Madius Tangau (Upko-Tuaran), Darell Leiking (Warisan-Penampang) and Mukhriz Mahathir (Pejuang-Jerlun).
Khairy said the proposal was made based on Standing Order 54 (2). When winding up the debate on the bill, he said wanted to fine-tune it to get the support of all parties.
He voiced hope that the bill would be the first agenda in the order of business at the Dewan Rakyat session in October.
"I wouldn't say it's being delayed but it's being referred, and I agree that when we present it later, in good conscience, we can all agree," he said.
The bill, also known as the generational endgame (GEG) bill, was tabled for a first reading on July 27 and a second reading on Aug 1.
If passed, it will criminalise the consumption of any tobacco product or substitute tobacco product by those born in and after 2007.
It will also prohibit the possession and use of smoking devices as tobacco substances.
The maximum fine for such offences was originally set at RM5,000.
However, this was later reduced to RM500 or community service orders.


Health ministry's ambulance service below KPI, audit report says

The ambulance service provided by the health ministry and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) has not reached its target based on audits conducted from 2017 until 2021.
According to the Auditor-General's Report 2021 Series 2, the scope of the audit showed that the ministry did not achieve the set key performance index (KPI), at 31.5% to 41.8% compared to the target of 50%.
"As for APM , it was 86.5% compared to the target of 100%, while the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has reached the set target, which is 65.1%," said the report which was issued today.
The report said that some findings or weaknesses that should be noted include the management’s weakness in activating the response team at the hospitals close to the location of the incident, which was the cause of delay and the non-achievement of the KPI.
Also, the ambulance supply under the emergency provision is 10 months later than the approved supply date, it said.
In order to overcome these weaknesses and ensure that the ambulance service achieves its objectives as a fast transport service for emergency cases and pre-hospital treatment as well as an intermediate medium in patient transport, the audit recommended a number of actions.
One of them was for the health ministry and APM to formulate appropriate and suitable methods for setting KPIs to be achieved based on the distance and capacity of the assets.
"Review the placement of ambulances at hospitals/health clinics and district operation control centres according to the location of the incident to ensure that the set KPI is achieved," it said.
It said the ministry also needs to ensure that the contract renewal process is carried out before the contract expires to avoid the issue of small payment breakdowns.
However, according to the report, the overall ambulance service in Malaysia by the health ministry, APM and JBPM is satisfactory.


UK employers feel the strain of missing skilled workers

Frustrated with England's education system, Simon Biltcliffe spends a lot of time training new hires at his marketing firm in the "soft skills" he and many employers say the country's sluggish economy badly needs.
Finding that new starters often struggle to think on their feet, he sets them workplace challenges to learn to solve problems at pace and in teams. Many don't adapt, leading to high attrition after three- and six-month reviews.
Across Britain, Biltcliffe's frustrations are shared by businesses who say the nation's schools, technical colleges and apprentice schemes are not turning out the workers they need, from software coders and designers to skilled machinists.
"There needs to be a step change," Biltcliffe said, speaking at the offices of Webmart - which advises clients on the carbon footprint of their marketing operations - in an industrial estate in Barnsley, a former coal town in northern England. Neighbouring businesses include an IT security firm and other companies far removed from the region's mining past.
Biltcliffe described the education system as "not fit for purpose" in a changing economy where the growth of automation and artificial intelligence will make creative skills and adaptability all the more important.
While Britain boasts world-leading universities, top scientists and a growing share of young people who continue academic studies after 18, less than a fifth of 25-64 year-olds have a vocational qualification, compared with more than half in Germany, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Finance minister Jeremy Hunt is expected to address this skills shortage in a budget statement on Wednesday that he will frame as a growth plan for Britain's economy - still the only one in the Group of Seven yet to recover its pre-coronavirus pandemic size.
But past attempts to train up more workers have seen the problem get worse by some measures, and any big improvement to the post-16 skills system is likely to take years.
The shortage of qualified workers is not unique to Britain but it has been exacerbated by the country's exit from the European Union, which has created more paperwork and cost for employers hiring workers from the bloc. That has contributed to a surge in unfilled vacancies to record levels last year.
Digital roles are growing four times faster than the workforce as a whole, and there are an average of 173,000 vacancies per month for digital occupations, costing the economy tens of billions of pounds each year, according to the government.
Biltcliffe and other employers argue that changes need to be made not only in post-school training, but in schools themselves, which they and some educational campaigners criticise for increasingly promoting memorisation for tests at the expense of creative thinking and practical learning.
The Edge Foundation, which seeks to improve ties between education and employers, says time for subjects such as computing and practical science work has been squeezed over the past decade, and that 71% fewer pupils studied design and technology courses to exam level in 2022 than in 2010.
Subjects that have seen big increases over the past decade included geography and history.
Despite the focus on exams, around 100,000 people leave school every year without required standards in English and maths and Britain has one of the highest rates of young people not in education, employment or training among the world's leading economies.
"We don't do nearly as well for the 50% of school leavers who do not go to university as we do for those who do," Hunt said in January.
In response to a question from Reuters about the Edge Foundation data, the education ministry said every state-funded school was "required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum."
Training revamp
Without a rapid overhaul of the training system, Britain's pool of highly skilled adults is likely to shrink further relative to other countries, the OECD has warned.
Employers groups are calling on Hunt to tackle a key part of how training is funded in his budget speech.
Since 2017, firms with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million (about RM16 million) have been required to pay an Apprenticeship Levy - a tax placed in a fund the companies can draw on for training.
Employers say they often cannot find suitable training courses, and over £2 billion of unused funds raised have gone to government coffers.
A House of Commons Library report said in January that the government acknowledged the number of apprenticeships had fallen since the levy was introduced, but argued that the quality of apprenticeships had improved.
The Confederation of British Industry, a business lobby group, wants Hunt to allow firms to invest the money in a wider range of training, not just apprenticeships, citing its own research predicting nine out of 10 British workers will need to retrain by 2030 to adapt to changes in the economy.
The Treasury said on Saturday that Hunt will announce training for older people returning to work that would be more flexible and shorter than other programmes, alongside the expansion of a scheme for reskilling in industries such as construction and technology.
Corporate leaders acknowledge employers also need to do more themselves, and prioritize training even in lean times.
"Training is the first thing that goes when the budget is squeezed," Robert West, head of education and skills at the CBI, said.
Bright spots
At Webmart - with 43 staff and annual sales of about £20 million - Biltcliffe says getting new hires up to speed in how to engage with clients or meet deadlines acts as a brake at a time when demands are getting ever more immediate.
"You're slowing down really quite a lot to go at the pace of the education system," he said of his company, which began as a print management firm in 1996.
Olly Newton, executive director of the Edge Foundation, says there are bright spots, including schools trying out new ideas.
"I think there's a real head of steam to do something different," Newton said.
One such school is the publicly funded XP in Doncaster, 20 miles from Barnsley.
Children joining XP at age 11 immediately go on a trip to the mountains of England or Wales to learn to cope with new challenges and the importance of teamwork.
Inspired by project-based learning schools in the US, XP sends students out of classrooms to dig into issues such as migration or the impact of the closure of the local mining industry, requiring them to engage with adults and understand the world around them.
"Our students are more reflective than a lot of adults," Claira Salter, XP's principal, said. "Our students can walk into any interview with confidence and talk about themselves."
By the time they leave XP at 16, all pupils have experience of speaking to groups of 250 people about their work.
Last year, all 50 students who graduated from XP stayed in education or went into employment or training while Doncaster's not in education, employment or training rate for 16-17 year-olds stood at nearly 5% in early 2022.
"We're interested really in things that go on beyond normal school life and equipping kids for their future," Salter said.


North Korean hackers ‘targeting AstraZeneca researchers’ for Covid-19 vaccine secrets

As British drug developer AstraZeneca races to deploy its vaccine for the Covid-19 virus, suspected North Korean hackers have been trying to break into the company’s computer systems, Reuters is reporting.The hackers posed as recruiters on WhatsApp and networking site LinkedIn to approach AstraZeneca staff with fake job offers, sources said. They then sent attachments claiming to be job descriptions that were laced with malicious code designed to gain access to the victim’s computer.The hackers targeted a “broad set of people” including researchers working on the Covid-19 experimental vaccine, said one of the sources, but they are not thought to have been successful.Reuters’ sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the tools and techniques used in the attacks showed they were part of an ongoing hacking campaign that US officials and cybersecurity researchers have attributed to North Korea.The campaign has previously focused on defence and media organisations but turned to Covid-related targets in recent weeks, according to experts who have investigated the attacks.Cyberattacks against health bodies, vaccine scientists and drug makers have soared during the Covid-19 pandemic as state-backed and criminal hacking groups go to any lengths to obtain the latest research and information about the outbreak.Western officials say any stolen information could be sold for profit or used to give foreign governments a valuable strategic advantage as the world fights the killer disease trashing economies around the globe.Microsoft said this month it had seen two North Korean hacking groups target vaccine developers in multiple countries, including by “sending messages with fabricated job descriptions”. Microsoft did not name any of the targeted organisations.Some of the accounts used in the attacks on AstraZeneca were registered to Russian email addresses, one of the sources said, in a possible attempt to mislead investigators.Reuters has previously reported that hackers from Iran, China and Russia have attempted to break into leading pharma developers and even the World Health Organisation this year. Tehran, Beijing and Moscow have all denied the allegations.North Korea has been blamed by US prosecutors for some of the world’s most damaging cyberattacks, including the 2016 theft of US$81 million from the Central Bank of Bangladesh, and unleashing the Wannacry ransomware virus in 2017.Pyongyang has described the allegations as part of attempts by Washington to smear its image.AstraZeneca, which has emerged as one of the top three Covid-19 vaccine developers, declined to comment.


Armed forces downplay ‘do or die’ video after alarm in Singapore

The armed forces have sought to allay concerns expressed by Singapore over a video showing Malaysian military forces participating in various drills released in tandem with the republic’s National Day parade on Aug 21, saying it was just a normal military exercise.The video, which went viral after Singapore’s Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam shared it on his Facebook account on Sunday, had depicted a montage of soldiers as well as an officer briefing them on an operation codenamed Para Predator.“If we successfully secure these two crossing sites, nothing will stop the Third Combined Armed Division to punch through direct into the heart of the enemy centre of gravity,” the officer says.“We will face a tough, stubborn enemy. Speed is essential. Bold action! Fight to the last drop of the blood! By hook or by crook, we seize, we secure and we hold the crossing sites. Do or die mission!”Shanmugam had questioned the timing of the video release, saying it was uploaded “as our NDP was going on”.“It is about a Malaysian army para troops exercise, to secure two crossing sites.”He also noted that the commander was speaking in English, and that the video had featured English subtitles.“The video doesn’t show much by way of tech or platforms or tactics. Instead the focus seems to be on what the commander says the Malaysian army will do to the enemy,” he said.But a source in the armed forces said the timing of the video had been a coincidence.“It is nothing more than an exercise formulated to test the competency of the army’s parachute troop units,” it added.“It is just a normal military exercise, that’s it.”The source said the video was posted in order to show Malaysians the military’s routine.“We had three objectives for this exercise,” it said. “Firstly, to assess the competency of the army. Secondly, to create public awareness about military exercises.“We also released the video because we thought it was good timing for us to share about our military exercises in conjunction with our national independence month.”On the fact that the officer had spoken in English, the source said the armed forces regularly hold military exercises with other countries.“They do not only involve the Malaysian armed forces,” it said.


School reopening based on recovery phases, rotation system to ensure SOPs

The education ministry today said the reopening of schools nationwide would proceed in stages from Oct 3 based on the phases of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), with students in each class divided into two groups and each group taking turns to attend school physically.Senior minister for education Radzi Jidin said the decision was taken as the ministry felt it was important to ensure that students are not kept away from school for too long.“They have been away from school for far too long, so we must return them to school first,” he said today.He also said the move to divide the students would ensure that physical distancing could be effectively implemented, after taking into account the problems faced when school was last in session.However, he said the rotation system will not apply for residential schools.Schools in states under Phase One of the NRP meanwhile will remain closed, with classes to continue online (PdPR).Special needs students in Phase Two states will be allowed to attend school without any rotation while primary school pupils will continue with PdPR.As for secondary school students in Phase Two states, only pupils in the second semester of Form Six and the third semester of sports school pre-university programmes and those taking international examinations will be allowed to attend school.States under Phase Three of the NRP will be allowed to reopen preschools and private kindergartens without rotation.At the secondary school level meanwhile full boarding school students sitting for public examinations will be allowed to attend school without rotation, while daily or private school students sitting for public examinations will be allowed with rotation.For states under Phase Four, students from Standard One to Three will attend school on a rotational basis from Oct 17 onwards while those in Standard Four to Six will do the same on a rotational basis from Oct 31.“Also beginning Oct 17, public examination classes, Form Three and Form Four students in full boarding schools will be allowed to attend classes on a rotational basis, while those in Form One to Three in daily and private schools will attend on a rotational basis. Form One and Form Two students will continue with PdPR,” he said.On vocational schools, Radzi said schooling will first resume in states under Phase Two and onwards on a rotation basis according to the examinations they are sitting for and semesters they are in.He also said that institutes of teacher education and matriculation college students in Phase One and Two will continue with PdPR, while those in Phase Three and Four who have been fully vaccinated will be given the option to attend campus and unvaccinated students will continue with PdPR.Central region private education institutes in Phase One and Two states will operate via PdPR on a rotational basis at 50% capacity while for pupils aged four to six in Phase Three, classes will operate fully.For Phase Four students, class capacity will be increased to 70%, also on rotation, from Oct 17, while full capacity with physical distancing will be allowed from Oct 31.Radzi said the reopening of schools in areas that have been classified as travel bubbles will follow Phase Four operations.


Putrajaya to channel RM75 million in immediate flood aid to Kedah

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced immediate aid of RM75 million for Kedah to repair the damaged infrastructure and public facilities in Yan and Merbok following the Gunung Jerai mudflow last Wednesday.He said the aid included a RM50 million allocation from the environment and water ministry which would be used to upgrade the river and irrigation system covering a distance of 27km at a cost of RM5 million.The allocation will also be used to build two new bridges (RM23 million), to construct water treatment plant intakes in Gurun and Tupah (RM2 million), to implement Phase One of the Shabo Dam construction (RM20 million) as well as to repair rural tourism facilities and restore the water supply.“The government through the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will also channel RM500 to each family affected by the incident.“Immediate aid of RM5,000 will also be given to families who lost their loved ones in the incident,” he told a press conference after visiting the areas affected by the mudflow.Also present were Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor and Nadma director-general Aminuddin Hassim.Ismail said the RM75 million allocation did not include the RM3 million to be channelled through the rural development ministry to help repair the damaged homes of residents in the two districts.“I hope the aid will help the state to solve all of the problems caused by the Gunung Jerai mudflow,” he said, adding that aid was given based on an initial assessment by the state government. He said additional allocations, if any, would be announced by the menteri besar.


New infections fall to 2,700 as death toll up by 6

Another 2,728 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,708,552.
There were 3,856 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,626,756.
There are now 45,770 active cases, of which 44,159 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 30 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,529 (3.3%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 52 are in ICU with 36 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 62.8%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 13.8%.
Six more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 36,026.


Israel says hoped-for direct haj flights to Saudi Arabia won't happen now

Israel said on Monday that hoped-for direct flights to Saudi Arabia for the Muslim haj pilgrimage would not happen this year, and played down any prospects of an imminent US-mediated normalisation of relations with Riyadh.
Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia gave its quiet assent to Gulf neighbours United Arab Emirates and Bahrain forging ties with Israel in 2020. But it has held off on following suit, saying Palestinian statehood goals should be addressed first.
Still, Israeli and US officials had predicted that the kingdom, home to Islam's two holiest sites, might as a goodwill gesture let members of Israel's 18% Muslim minority fly in directly for this year's haj.
Riyadh never formally offered that, however.
With the pilgrimage now imminent – June 25 to July 2 – and Israel's transport ministry reporting no airlines applying to run special flights to Saudi destinations, a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged they would not happen.
"Perhaps for the next haj we will be in a position to help in this matter, and (direct) flights will depart from here," National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told Kan radio. "But it's too early to say."
The Biden administration has described Israeli-Saudi normalisation as a US national security interest.
It is also a major foreign policy goal of Netanyahu, who regained power in December at the head of a hard-right government pledging to close ranks with Arab powers that share Israel's worries about Iran.
But Hanegbi, in a weekend newspaper interview, said normalisation was "a ways off" because, he argued, it would hinge on addressing strains between Riyadh and Washington.
"Since we thought a Saudi-US agreement was the precursor for any (Israeli) peace deal with Riyadh, we assessed that... it would not have a high chance of being realised," Hanegbi told Israel Hayom.
A source familiar with the matter said Riyadh wants US support for its civilian nuclear program in exchange for normalisation with Israel – which, for its part, has voiced misgivings over any such quid-pro-quo.
Visiting Saudi Arabia on June 8, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration would continue working on normalisation "in the days, weeks and months ahead".
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Channel 14 TV he saw a "window of opportunity" through March 2024 for Washington to address Saudi demands for normalisation because after that, "the US will be deep in the (presidential) election".


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Putrajaya obliged to raise minimum age of marriage for Muslim girls, says rights group

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today hit out at the government’s decision to maintain the minimum age of marriage for Muslim girls at 16, saying Putrajaya is obliged under its commitment to various international treaties to do everything necessary to prevent child marriages.LFL coordinator Zaid Malek said the definition of “children” is clearly laid out under Malaysia’s Age of Majority Act 1971 which states that anyone under the age of 18 is a minor.“This is in line with the definition given under Article 1 of the Conventions on the Rights of Child (CRC) which Malaysia ratified in 1995,” he said.Noting that Malaysia had also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) that same year, he said Putrajaya is duty bound to give effect to Article 16(2) on preventing child marriages.Religious affairs minister Idris Ahmad had said in the Dewan Rakyat on Dec 16 that the minimum age of marriage for Muslims girls would be kept at 16.“After considering the views of various states, the Jakim shariah law secretariat decided on Sept 22 that there is no necessity to raise the minimum marriage age for Muslim women,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight.But Zaid said Putrajaya is obliged to implement all international treaties as stated in the Federal List under Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.“The government cannot shirk its obligation under international law by justifying that the issue of marriage of Muslim girls is within the exclusive powers of the state.“By opting to use this excuse, the government is knowingly breaching Malaysia’s international obligation under Cedaw and CRC, which is an internationally wrongful act.”Otherwise, he said, Putrajaya would have to amend the constitution to give itself the power to raise the minimum age of marriage for Muslim girls.


HSR project can continue as long as it's not funded by govt, says Loke

Malaysia is open to proposals to revive the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project as long as it is not funded by the government, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had mentioned before, the government welcomed any proposal from the private sector to continue the mega project.
"We are not stopping it. The prime minister has given me instructions that we can talk about it.
"We are open to any proposals from the private sector as long as it is not funded by the government," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Loke said the government had yet to receive any specific or complete proposals from the private sector and that there was no timeline to complete the project because the agreement had been cancelled by the previous administration led by Muhyiddin Yassin.
"There is no urgency in terms of reaching any milestone so right now, we are open to a complete new funding mechanism and implementation," he said. On Jan 1, 2021, Malaysia and Singapore announced the termination of the HSR project as both countries had failed to reach an agreement on the changes proposed by Malaysia before the project agreement lapsed on Dec 31, 2020.
Asked about the Carey Island port proposal, Loke said the Port Klang Authority had conducted a feasibility study on it and a Cabinet paper would be prepared soon.
There are private sectors that are interested in developing the port but now it is still at the preliminary stage, he said.


Japan PM warns of closed-door Olympics as virus cases rise

Japan’s prime minister warned that the Tokyo Olympics could be held behind closed doors, as virus cases rise in the city just three weeks before the Games begin.Organisers decided last month to set a limit of 10,000 fans or half of each venue’s capacity for events at the pandemic-postponed Games.But Yoshihide Suga repeated cautions that spectators could be locked out of competitions if the situation worsens, with the government expected to extend anti-virus measures covering Tokyo as new cases climb.“There is a possibility of there being no spectators” at the Games, Suga said Thursday. “We will act with the safety and security of the Japanese people as our top priority.”The Yomiuri Shimbun daily said Friday that spectators could be barred from events held in the evening or in large venues, citing unnamed sources.The Yomiuri and other media said organisers are also likely to delay a ticket lottery for oversubscribed events, which was set to take place next Tuesday.“Infections are rebounding in Tokyo and other places, and people are calling for prevention measures to be strengthened,” the Yomiuri report said.Covid-19 cases have been rising in Japan since a state of emergency was lifted last month and replaced with softer restrictions that are set to expire on July 11.But the government is likely to extend them as early as next week, meaning they could still be in place when the Games open on July 23.Up to 5,000 spectators are allowed at sporting events under the current measures, which also require restaurants and bars to close early.Organisers were set to hold a lottery next Tuesday to allocate tickets for events that are oversubscribed under current attendance limits.They need to reclaim around 900,000 of the 3.6 million tickets that are already spoken for, with reductions required in eight sports and the opening and closing ceremonies.But uncertainty over attendance limits now means the lottery is likely to be postponed – leaving some fans sweating on their places less than three weeks before the Games begin.No more tickets will be sold and spectators from overseas have already been barred from attending.Japan’s virus outbreak has been less severe than in many countries, with around 14,800 deaths overall, but experts warn that another wave of cases could stretch medical services around the time of the Games.Around 11% of the population is fully vaccinated so far.


Saudi Arabia ups pressure on anti-vaxxers as it eyes economic recovery

Saudi Arabia is tightening the screws on vaccine sceptics, barring them from pilgrimages and overseas travel and blocking access to universities, malls and offices in a contentious effort to boost inoculations.So-called anti-vaxxers threaten to jeopardise global efforts to beat the coronavirus pandemic, health experts say, but Gulf autocracies, including Saudi Arabia, are cranking up the pressure on those refusing to get vaccinated.Riyadh is accelerating a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors that are a bedrock of the “Vision 2030” programme to diversify the oil-reliant economy.Sparking rumblings of discontent, the kingdom has allowed only vaccinated pilgrims or those who have recovered from Covid-19 within the previous six months to perform the year-round umrah pilgrimage.A similar move is expected for the upcoming annual haj, a key rite of passage for Muslims, sources close to the government say.This month, only vaccinated or immunised citizens were allowed to travel abroad, after the kingdom lifted a ban on overseas trips introduced last year at the start of the pandemic.Further riling public sentiment, the kingdom has said that from Aug 1, vaccinations will be mandatory to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.The sweeping announcement came just days after authorities said only vaccinated public and private sector workers would be allowed to return to the workplace.The decisions have sparked pushback on social media from vaccine sceptics, with hashtags such as “No to compulsory vaccination” and “My body, my choice” gaining traction.“You won’t be able to do any of the following,” wrote one Twitter user.“Can’t travel! Can’t work! Can’t go to public places! Can’t even buy food! Can’t study!”‘Coercive’The measures in the absolute monarchy stand in contrast to incentives offered by liberal democracies like the US, where cash prizes, baseball tickets and even free beer are being offered to boost vaccinations.“A monarchy like Saudi Arabia can enforce such principles and this is likely to be effective in urging some who did not want to get vaccinated,” Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, told AFP.“However, it can be perceived as coercive.”Other Gulf governments are taking similar steps.The neighbouring emirate of Dubai, one of seven that make up the United Arab Emirates, said this month that only vaccinated people would be allowed to attend sports events and concerts.Bahrain has announced plans to temporarily restrict entry to malls, restaurants, cinemas and salons to those who have been immunised.In Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, which has reported the highest number of infections in the Gulf, citizens have launched social media campaigns against mandatory vaccinations.But Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy, appears bent on pressing ahead in tandem with efforts to reintroduce high-profile events that help soften its ultra-conservative image.Little room for ‘personal choices’ Saudi Arabia could offer a record fee of over US$150 million to stage a boxing clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua this year, ESPN reported in April.The kingdom is also set to host a Davos-style investment summit in October and its first-ever Formula One Grand Prix in December.“Vaccinations are crucial for getting the Saudi economic engine running at full speed again,” Robert Mogielnicki, a resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told AFP.“Higher vaccination rates will support key non-oil industries, such as tourism. Saudi officials want to ensure the show will go on with more concerts, cultural events and entertainment opportunities.”But the kingdom still has a long way to go, and it remains unclear how it will inoculate a bulk of its population before August.Saudi Arabia’s health ministry says it has administered more than 12 million coronavirus vaccine doses, in a country with a population of over 34 million.Amid apparent supply shortages, the kingdom has delayed the second dose for many residents despite an uptick in infections.The country has reported over 440,000 coronavirus cases and more than 7,200 deaths.Still, it is unlikely to tolerate vaccine hesitancy, which like other parts of the world is driven by misinformation as well as concerns over long-term side effects of vaccines developed in record time.“Regarding anti-vaxxers in the kingdom, there is not much room for personal choices that clash with Saudi Vision 2030,” said Mogielnicki.


WhatsApp’s new terms: keep it personal and you won’t see change

The recent well-publicised update from WhatsApp which requires users to accept new terms in order to continue using the platform is raising major privacy concerns for Malaysians.Government authorities and data privacy experts say that Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) cannot be applied to companies located outside Malaysia.The update sparked consternation and confusion as WhatsApp’s parent Facebook announced users must accept their new terms of service or see their access to WhatsApp cut off from February 8.A clarifying statement from WhatsApp states the policy update does not affect the privacy of messages sent between friends or family.Instead, the update encompasses changes associated with how WhatsApp collects and uses data when users message companies to conduct a business transaction, such as buying something, through the app.Experts say users can rest assured that the new terms will not affect their personal messages with friends, family, and co-workers, with WhatsApp itself saying it would postpone its data-sharing change and use the pause to clear up misinformation around privacy and security.However, the Department of Personal Data Protection Malaysia (JPDP) advises Malaysians to think carefully before sharing personal information via WhatsApp especially when interacting with business accounts.Experts say users can rest assured that the new terms will not affect their personal messages with friends, family, and co-workers.“WhatsApp users are strongly advised to always be prudent in sharing their personal data via the platform,” a spokesman for JPDP told MalaysiaNow, adding that commercial entities within Malaysia are bound by PDPA standards and rules.Regarding the app’s imminent changes on privacy policy, JPDP said that the social media platform will continue to operate as usual in the country: “This department has no plans to restrict the usage of WhatsApp in Malaysia in light of the forthcoming changes in terms of service and privacy policy.”JPDP commented that Malaysia’s privacy laws do not have extraterritorial jurisdiction over companies located outside Malaysia such as US-based WhatsApp.Deepak Pillai, a lawyer of over 20 years’ experience specialising in technology, media and telecommunications, explained that WhatsApp is a free service made available for public use and users are subject to its terms of service.“It is up to individuals to accept or decline those terms. Should they not be acceptable, then unfortunately a user’s only option is not to use the service,” he told MalaysiaNow.He said that if WhatsApp has no company equipment in Malaysia to process personal data, then it is very likely that it does not need to comply with the PDPA.“Though there is non-compliance with local PDPA, WhatsApp still complies with major data protection laws around the world that are largely similar,” he said.His opinion is that for the time being, users need not worry about the new policy update as all messages, voice and video calls will remain encrypted and will not be shared with anyone else.“Though there is non-compliance with local PDPA, WhatsApp still complies with major data protection laws around the world that are largely similar.”He added however, that when using new functionality which allows users to message businesses and make payment transactions through WhatsApp, users need to be aware that WhatsApp can share their data related to that transaction with Facebook and third-party merchants in order “to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our services”.The conclusion seems to be that little will change for users WhatsApping their friends to update them on the latest gossip.It’s only when buying something through the app that users should definitely bear in mind a 21st century twist to the Latin advice: caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.And as more people turn to e-commerce in the pandemic: caveat venditor, the seller should be careful too.


New cases tumble to 6,600 as 12 more deaths reported

Another 6,623 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,389,025.There were 11,233 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,249,704.There are now 103,900 active cases, of which 101,294 or 97.5% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 356 (0.3%) are at quarantine centres while 2,124 (2.0%) have been hospitalised.A total of 126 are in ICU with 76 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 53.8%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 16.6%.Another 12 deaths were reported, including eight who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,421.


US agrees to send advanced rockets to Ukraine

Russian troops fought to take complete control of the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday as the US said it will provide Ukraine with advanced rockets to help it force Moscow to negotiate an end to the war.President Joe Biden said the US would provide Ukraine with more advanced rocket systems and munitions so it can “more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield”.“We have moved quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” Biden wrote in an opinion piece in the New York Times.A senior Biden administration official said weaponry provided would include the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which Ukraine’s armed forces chief said a month ago was “crucial” to counter Russian missile attacks.Addressing concerns that such weapons could draw the US into a direct conflict with Russia, senior administration officials said Ukraine gave assurances the missiles would not be used to strike inside Russia.“These systems will be used by the Ukrainians to repel Russian advances on Ukrainian territory, but they will not be used on targets in Russian territory,” the US official told reporters.Shortly after the US decision was announced, the Russian defence ministry said Russia’s nuclear forces were holding drills in the Ivanovo province, northeast of Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported.Some 1,000 servicemen were exercising in intense manoeuvres using more than 100 vehicles including Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, it cited the ministry as saying.There was no mention of the US decision to supply new weapons in the Interfax report.The latest US pledge of weapons for Ukraine – on top of billions of dollars worth of equipment already provided including anti-aircraft missiles and drones – came as Russia pressed its assault to seize the eastern Donbas region, having abandoned its earlier thrust toward Kyiv from the north.Russian troops have now taken control of most of the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk in Luhansk, one of two provinces in the Donbas, regional Governor Serhiy Gaidai on Tuesday.Nearly all critical infrastructure in Sievierodonetsk had been destroyed and 60% of residential property damaged beyond repair, he said. Russian shelling had made it impossible to deliver aid or evacuate people.A Russian victory in Sievierodonetsk and its twin city of Lysychansk across the Siverskyi Donets river would bring full control of Luhansk, one of two eastern provinces Moscow claims on behalf of separatists.A pro-Moscow separatist leader said Russian proxies had advanced slower than expected to “maintain the city’s infrastructure” and exercise caution around its chemical factories.“We can say already that a third of Sievierodonetsk is already under our control,” Russia’s Tass state news agency quoted Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the pro-Moscow Luhansk People’s Republic, as saying.Gaidai warned Sievierodonetsk residents not to leave bomb shelters due to what he said was a Russian air strike on a nitric acid tank.The Luhansk People’s Republic’s police force said Ukraine’s forces had damaged it. Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists traded accusations over a similar incident in April.Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council aid agency which had long operated out of Sievierodonetsk, said he was “horrified” by its destruction.Up to 12,000 civilians remain caught in crossfire, without sufficient access to water, food, medicine or electricity, Egeland said.“The near-constant bombardment is forcing civilians to seek refuge in bomb shelters and basements, with only few precious opportunities for those trying to escape,” he said.Weapons packageUkraine says weapons sent by the US and other countries since the beginning of the invasion have helped fend off Russian gains.The high mobility artillery rocket systems are part of a US$700 million weapons package expected to be unveiled by the US on Wednesday.The package includes ammunition, counter fire radars, a number of air surveillance radars, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, as well as anti-armour weapons, officials said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more weapons while lambasting the European Union, which agreed on Monday to cut imports of Russian oil, for not sanctioning energy from Russia sooner.The EU said it would ban imports of Russian oil by sea. Officials said that would halt two-thirds of Russia’s oil exports to Europe at first, and 90% by the end of this year.Responding to the EU oil embargo, Russia widened its gas cuts to Europe, pushing up prices and ratcheted up its economic battle with Brussels.Putin launched his “special operation” in February to disarm and “denazify” Ukraine. Ukraine and its Western allies call this a baseless pretext for a war to seize territory.Ukraine accuses Russia of war crimes on a huge scale, flattening cities and killing and raping civilians. Russia denies the accusations.


3 years’ jail for man who robbed senior citizen to cover wife’s maternity costs

A container lorry driver who robbed a senior citizen for money to cover the expenses of his wife who was due to give birth to their second child was sentenced to three years in jail and one stroke of the cane by the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today.Judge Emilia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid handed down the sentence on Yap Chin Boon, 30, after he pleaded guilty to the charge, and ordered him to be jailed from the date of his arrest on Sept 6.She also asked him why he had robbed the senior citizen.“Just imagine if the person who was robbed was your father,” she said.To this, Yap said he did it as his wife was about to give birth.“I did not do it on purpose,” he added. “I have repented. I want to meet my newborn baby. Please give me a chance because I want to set a good example to my children.”Yap, armed with a knife, had robbed a 68-year-old e-hailing driver named S Marathamuthu of his car, wallet and ATM cards, among others, by the roadside of Jalan Besar Kepong, Sentul at 7.30pm on Sept 5.His charge, under Section 392/397 of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 14 years and a fine or caning.Yap was represented by counsel Nicholas Cheoh while deputy public prosecutor Noor Dayana Mohamad appeared for the prosecution.Meanwhile, in a separate Sessions Court, a former technician was sentenced to three years’ jail and two strokes of the cane for attempted robbery and intentionally causing injury to the cashier of a convenience store.Judge Izralizam Sanusi imposed the sentence on Tamilselvam, 24, after he pleaded guilty to the charge, and ordered for him to be jailed from the date of his arrest on March 27.Tamilselvam admitted to committing the offence at a convenience store in Taman Jinjang Baru, Sentul at 6.41am on March 27.


Bersatu's Faizal wants probe into Mahathir's claim of Anwar-Zahid pact

Bersatu leader Ahmad Faizal Azumu today urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate claims of a pact between PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ahead of the Nov 19 polls.
Referring to remarks by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Nov 6, he said it was a serious allegation and that the public was entitled to the truth.
"This involves national interest, public confidence in the justice system and investor confidence in Malaysia," he added.
"This involves the future of our country, on whether we adhere to the rule of law or the rule of political expediency."
Mahathir had said that Anwar would help dismiss the charges against Zahid if he received the support needed to become prime minister.
The Pejuang chairman also claimed that former prime minister Najib Razak would be freed from jail, saying he had learnt that Anwar and Zahid had already held talks about working together.
In a statement, Faizal said Mahathir's disclosure should be seen in the context of the events that had taken place since September 2020, when Anwar said he had a "strong, formidable and convincing" majority to form a new government.
"Despite being pressed at the time, Anwar refused to say from where he would get the number of MPs to form a government. At that time, it was also clear to everyone that the numbers could only be obtained with the support of Zahid and Umno. It was a matter of simple arithmetic," he said.
Nearly two years later in April 2022, he said, Anwar had claimed that he was unable to form a government as he refused to agree to "guarantees" to release those embroiled in corruption charges.
"If this belated explanation is true, why did it take Anwar almost two years to say so? Why did he not say this in 2020? His 2022 explanation is thus unconvincing," the Bersatu deputy president said.
Mahathir's comments had echoed those of Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who earlier warned Umno members of a possible cooperation between their party president and Anwar if BN lacked the votes to form the government on its own after the polls.
Political analysts have not ruled out such a possibility, pointing to the two leaders' close ties dating back to their Umno days.


Nothing wrong with Muda members drinking, says Syed Saddiq

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has said there is nothing wrong with party members drinking alcohol, in the wake of pictures circulated online showing people in Muda T-shirts sitting around a table drinking beer.In a Facebook post, the Muar MP said Muda was formed on the basis of tolerance.“As long as things are done according to the law, it is all right,” he said.“This is a multiracial party. There’s nothing wrong with them drinking unless they will be driving. We respect their rights, and they respect ours. This is their personal right.”He also refuted claims that the alcohol had been bought with funds meant for flood relief efforts, describing them as illogical.“Muda is an open book,” he said. “All of our donations, 100%, are channelled to flood victims.”Adding that he had shown all the transaction receipts for Muda’s Mari Bantu initiative at a press conference last week, he said everything had been recorded and would also be audited.“There is no need to make claims saying that Muda has misused funds to buy alcohol,” he said, calling such accusations “cheap and outdated tactics” by desperate people.“If you want to make something viral, let it be the issue of misconduct and the theft of the people’s money.“Talk about corruption and the use of public funds for personal interests. These are issues that should be raised, not what people eat or drink.”


Muslim prayer time app denies selling user data to US military

The Muslim Pro app, whose main function is to remind worshippers of the five daily prayer times and indicate the direction of Mecca from their current position, is said to have sold the location data of its users to the US military although it strongly denies such reports.According to a Vice Media report, the app has been downloaded nearly 100 million times and is used on a daily basis around the world.Data streams embedded within this and hundreds of other apps, one of which is a Muslim dating app, obtain the location of devices around the world.The apps contain embedded code that transmits the location of users to data firms who are in turn paid for sharing that information.One of the buyers of this data is the US Special Operations Command which deals with counterinsurgency, counterterrorism and various covert activities around the world.The Vice report comments, “That’s especially notable considering that the US has waged a decades-long war on predominantly Muslim terror groups in the Middle East, and because the US military has used location data sourced elsewhere to map drone strikes.”“Our access to the software is used to meet the requirements of special operations forces missions overseas,” said US Navy Commander Tim Hawkins in a statement. “We strictly adhere to established policies and procedures to protect the privacy, civil liberties, constitutional and legal rights of American citizens.”Muslim Pro hit out at the reports, calling them incorrect and untrue.“Muslim Pro is committed to protecting and securing our users’ privacy. This is a matter we take very seriously,” it said in a statement.Adding that it applies “industry-standard security arrangements and protective measures” to keep its data secure, it said it had also been open and transparent about the personal information it collects.Acknowledging that it shares “anonymised data” with “selected technology partners who are required to comply with global laws and regulations around data privacy protection”, it said it had launched an internal investigation and is reviewing its governance policy to confirm that all data was handled in line with existing requirements.“We are committed to helping the Muslim community practise their faith,” it added, apologising for the concern that these reports might have caused.“We can confirm that your data is safe with us.”


ICC prosecutor suspends probe into Philippines drugs war

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has suspended a probe at Manila’s request into suspected rights abuses during Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on drugs.ICC judges approved a probe in September into the campaign in which thousands of suspected drug peddlers have died. Activists say many have been executed by law enforcement agencies with the tacit backing of the president.Philippine authorities say the killings were in self-defence and that the ICC has no right to meddle.Court documents released by the ICC and confirmed by Philippine officials on Saturday showed that Manila filed the deferral request on Nov 10, citing the country’s own investigations into drug war killings.“The prosecution has temporarily suspended its investigative activities while it assesses the scope and effect of the deferral request,” ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan wrote, adding that it would seek additional information from the Philippines.Governments can ask the ICC to defer a case if they are implementing their own investigations and prosecutions for the same acts.Duterte, 76, pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2018 and has said the international court has no jurisdiction to indict him. The ICC maintains it has jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed while Manila was a member and up until 2019.The Manila request for the deferral follows repeated statements by the Duterte government that it would not cooperate with the ICC.“We welcome the judiciousness of the new ICC prosecutor who has deemed it fit to give the matter a fresh look, and we trust that the matter will be resolved in favor of the exoneration of our government and the recognition of the vibrancy of our justice system,” Karlo Nograles, acting spokesman for Duterte, said in a statement on Saturday.A Philippine lawyers group called on the ICC not to remove the glimmer of hope for families of drug-war victims.“We ask the ICC not to allow itself to be swayed by the claims now being made by the Duterte administration,” the National Union of People’s Lawyers, which represents some victims’ families, said in a statement.The Philippine justice system is “extremely slow and unavailing to the majority of poor and unrepresented victims”, it said.Human Rights Watch said the government’s claim that existing domestic mechanisms afford citizens justice was absurd. “Let’s hope the ICC sees through the ruse that it is,” Brad Adam, its Asia director, said in a statement.The ICC decision is a boost for Duterte, who this week launched a run for the Senate in elections next year. He is barred by the constitution from seeking re-election as president.“It will of course provide some relief in the raucous elections,” political analyst Ramon Casiple, vice-president of consulting and research firm Novo Trends PH, told Reuters. “However, it may not enable (him) to do more after the elections, particularly if the incoming government chooses to cooperate with the ICC process.”In its nearly two-decade existence, the ICC has convicted five men for war crimes and crimes against humanity, all African militia leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Uganda.


Najib is RM114 million richer but questions remain if money was returned to Umno

Some RM114 million in cash confiscated in 2018 from a luxury condominium in Kuala Lumpur has been returned to former prime minister Najib Razak, MalaysiaNow can confirm.It is learnt that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) returned the money on June 17, about a month after the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed the government’s forfeiture suit for RM114 million in cash said to have been misappropriated from state investment fund 1MDB.Najib had said that he had kept the RM114 million on behalf of Umno.In May, the High Court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove that the money was obtained from illegal activities or that it had originated from 1MDB.Among others, the prosecution claimed that the RM114 million was part of a total of US$971 million (about RM2.9 billion) which Najib was said to have received from 1MDB between 2011 and 2013.Police load suitcases of items confiscated during a raid into a truck in Kuala Lumpur on May 18, 2018. Police seized hundreds of designer handbags and dozens of suitcases containing cash, jewellery and other valuables as part of a corruption and money-laundering investigation into former prime minister Najib Razak. Photo: APFollowing the court decision in May, the prosecution applied for the court to decide to whom the money should be returned.Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah however said that it was up to his client how to divide the money between him and Umno.A source in Umno told MalaysiaNow it was possible that Najib had returned the money to his party, but could not confirm if this was done.The money was returned to Najib just days before he failed in his attempt to delay the settlement of RM1.69 billion in tax owed to the Inland Revenue Board. That case will be heard in the Court of Appeal this month.Najib has also filed an application to strike out a bankruptcy notice against him over his failure to settle the tax, saying among others that it was part of a conspiracy to destroy his political career.In the raids that followed Najib’s fall from power in 2018, authorities also confiscated a stash of luxury items including jewellery, watches and handbags valued in the hundreds of millions of ringgit, which investigators believe are linked to the 1MDB scandal.On July 28 last year, the High Court sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty of seven counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42 million in funds from former 1MDB unit SRC International.Najib is appealing against his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal.