No plans to allow GE15 postal voting for Sabah, Sarawak voters in peninsula, Dewan Rakyat told

The Election Commission (EC) has no plans yet to extend the postal voting category to Sabah and Sarawak voters who are residing in the peninsula for the 15th general election (GE15), the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said instead, the EC recommended that voters apply for a change of voting constituency based on their latest place of residence.“Article 119 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that one of the qualifications to be registered as a voter is to be a resident in any constituency.“For that purpose, the EC determines a voter’s constituency based on the voter’s address as stated in the identity card,” she said during the question-and-answer session.She was responding to Rozman Isli (Warisan-Labuan) asked whether the EC was considering allowing postal voting for those who live far from registered polling stations, especially for the people of Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, in its drafting of a more effective Covid-19 SOP for GE15.Mas Ermieyati said only voters in certain categories were allowed to vote by mail, like EC staff, election officials, the military, police, members of the General Operations Force on duty during early voting, media practitioners who are covering elections outside their constituency on polling day and Malaysians who are abroad.She said the facility was also given to the staff of nine agencies including the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, prisons department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, volunteers and staff of the immigration department on duty on polling day, as well as absentee voters, namely civil servants serving abroad and their spouses, as well as full-time university students studying overseas and their spouses.To a supplementary question from Rubiah Wan (GPS-Kota Samarahan) on whether the government planned to change the postal voting method to early voting for Sabah and Sarawak residents living in the peninsula, Mas Ermieyati said there was no need for this.“This matter is not only for Sabah and Sarawak voters, but also voters in the peninsula staying outside their voting constituency, for example Kelantan voters who live in Johor,” she said.


14 more deaths, 238 in ICU

Another 3,631 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 165,371.Selangor recorded 1,199 cases, of which 884 or 73.7% were from clusters and close contact screening.This was followed by Sabah (526), Kuala Lumpur (521), Johor (368), and Sarawak (156).Negeri Sembilan recorded 139 cases, Perak 135, Kelantan 133, Penang 124, Melaka 122, Kedah 114, Terengganu 33, Pahang 31, Putrajaya 26, Perlis three and Labuan one.Active cases stand at 39,464 with 238 in the ICU and 96 in need of respiratory assistance.Nine new clusters were detected, including two involving family gatherings:1. Penjara Jalan Sungai Jelok (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 217 cases)2. Jalan Masjid (Lembah Pantai and Kepong in Kuala Lumpur; 16 cases)3. Jalan Taruka (Johor Bahru in Johor; 38 cases)4. Taman Sayong Pinang (Kota Tinggi in Johor; 18 cases)5. Sri Gading (Batu Pahat in Johor; seven cases)6. Rakut (Miri in Sarawak; 10 cases)7. Kupang (Baling in Kedah; 14 cases)8. Kebor Air (Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Setiu and Dungun in Terengganu; 18 cases)9. Rantau Cempaka (Maran in Pahang and Hulu Langat in Selangor; 14 cases)Three others ended, leaving 305 active clusters acoss the country.Another 2,944 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 125,288.However, 14 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 619.


Down to 3,733 new cases, Selangor still over 1,000

Another 3,733 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 440,677.Selangor recorded 1,278 cases, Sarawak 454, Johor 365, Kuala Lumpur 338, Penang 280, Kelantan 254, Negeri Sembilan 205, Kedah 176 and Pahang 100.Perak recorded 80 cases, Melaka 66, Sabah 61, Terengganu 49, Putrajaya 20, Labuan six and Perlis one.Active cases stand at 37,060 with 416 in the ICU and 216 in need of respiratory assistance.Thirteen new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Satu (Gombak in Selangor; 87 screened, 16 positive)2. Lorong Tiung (Kuala Langat and Klang in Selangor; 150 screened, 25 positive)3. Kawasan Industri Dua (Muar in Johor; 124 screened, 100 positive)4. Tapak Bina Jalan Tun Hussein Onn (Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang; 276 screened, 51 positive)5. Kopitiam Kampung Selamat (Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang; 65 screened, 19 positive)6. Jalan Stadium Negeri (Kuching, Samarahan and Serian in Sarawak; 55 screened, 17 positive)7. Tebedu Mawang (Tebedu in Sarawak; 107 screened, 21 positive)8. Sri Tualang (Pasir Mas in Kelantan; 90 screened, 27 positive)9. Jalan L Sungai Behrang (Muallim in Perak; 28 screend, 17 positive)10. Lak Lok (Besut and Kota Bharu in Terengganu and Kelantan; 115 screened, 26 positive)11. Jalan Haji Mahmud (Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 141 screened, 14 positive)12. Tanah Merah (Port Dickson and Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 151 screened, 41 positive)13. Desa Murni (Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang; 98 screened, 29 positive)There are currently 436 active clusters across the country.Another 3,211 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 401,934.However, 26 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,683.


Taiwan warns of 'repeated provocations' as China tells US not to cross red line

Taiwan will not allow "repeated provocations" from China, the island's defence minister said on Tuesday, as China's foreign minister said Taiwan was the "first red line" that must not be crossed in Sino-US relations.
Tensions over democratically governed Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, have spiked over the past three years as Beijing ramps up diplomatic and military pressure to get Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty.
China staged war games near Taiwan in August to protest the Taipei visit of then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen plans to meet current House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the US in coming weeks, two sources told Reuters.
Speaking to reporters at parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said he was not aware of a planned meeting between Tsai and McCarthy.
"The Chinese communists use any reason to send troops," Chiu said. "But we won't just say 'bring it on'. We will take a peaceful and rational approach."
Although it hopes this does not happen, Taiwan's military is prepared to fight, he added.
"If the Chinese communists move again, the armed forces' job is to fight," Chiu said. "We won't allow repeated provocations against us. We can't accept that."
Taiwan's government has not announced a Tsai visit to the US, which previously she has made as stop-overs on the way to countries which maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Taking lawmakers' questions, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said it was "inappropriate" to talk about foreign travel arrangements for the president "before there are definite plans".
McCarthy has also not confirmed a meeting with Tsai.
'Internal affair'
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said it was "absurd" for US officials to say that Taiwan is not an internal affair of China's.
"The Taiwan question is the core of the core interests of China, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations," he said on the sidelines of China's annual meeting of parliament.
"The US has unshakable responsibility for causing the Taiwan question."
China will keep working for "peaceful reunification", but reserves the right to take all necessary measures, Qin said.
"No one should ever underestimate the firm resolve strong will and great capability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Taiwan's government strongly disputes China's territorial claims though has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing, and says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
One of the sources told Reuters that should the US meeting go forward - likely in April - it did not necessarily rule out McCarthy visiting Taiwan in the future.
Four other sources - including US officials and people with knowledge of the US and Taiwan administrations' thinking - said both sides were deeply uneasy that a future visit by McCarthy would severely increase tensions across the Taiwan Strait at a time when the island is preparing for its own presidential election early next year.


8 out of 9 districts in Selangor identified as flood hotspots

Eight out of nine districts in Selangor have been identified as flood-prone hotspots, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
The agency said the Department of Irrigation and Drainage had identified the eight districts of Klang, Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang, Kuala Langat, Sabak Bernam, and Kuala Selangor.
Hulu Selangor is not listed as a flood-prone district.
In a Facebook post, Nadma said the hotspots were identified based on the frequency of more than three floods between 2019 and 2022.
At the same time, all nine districts across Selangor are at risk of flooding – a determination based on the areas that have experienced floods.
Further information is available at Nadma's Facebook and the National Security Council’s Instagram.


Cops nab man over post on PM aide's bling

Police have arrested a man over a social media post on the prime minister's chief private secretary, who sparked controversy late last year for wearing allegedly expensive clothing and jewellery to the office.
The man, in his late 40s, was arrested at his mother's house at about 10pm last night.
He was held overnight at the police headquarters in Putrajaya and brought for a remand hearing this morning.
The investigation is said to be under Section 500 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.
The chief private secretary, Nazimah Hashim, was criticised by social media users in December last year after a photo of her wearing a blazer which netizens estimated to have cost RM4,000 – nearly RM7,000 before discount – went viral.
She also wore two necklaces allegedly priced at RM73,000 and RM266,000, and what appeared to be a Chanel brooch, said to cost RM2,730.


MACC officer among 4 nabbed in JanaWibawa probe

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) picked up one of its own officers and three other individuals on Thursday for allegedly soliciting and taking bribes amounting to RM400,000 to avoid investigation on the JanaWibawa programme.
According to a source, one of them, a woman, was released on MACC bail while the three other suspects were remanded until March 13. The source also said that MACC was tracking down a man known as "Datuk Roy", believed to be the key planner in the corruption case.
"The man in his 50s had previously been charged in court and was sentenced to jail on a corruption offence," the source told Bernama. MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the matter.
"MACC will not compromise with any of its officers found to be violating the law," he said.


New Covid-19 cases down 5.2%

The number of new Covid-19 infections recorded in the 30th epidemiological week (ME 30/2022) from July 24 to 30 dropped by 5.2% to 28,339 cases from 29,886 cases the week before.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said local infections showed a 5.3% drop from 29,858 cases in ME 29 to 28,286 in ME 30, while the number of imported cases jumped by 89.3% from 28 cases to 53.
“The number of recoveries in ME 30 also increased by 35.4% from 22,757 to 30,823 cases,” he said in a statement today.
The number of deaths in ME 30 meanwhile decreased by 28.6% to 49 cases, compared to 63 cases in ME 29.
From Jan 25, 2020 (ME 4/2020) to July 30, 2022, the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases nationwide stood at 4,677,270. Cumulative deaths stood at 35,960 cases, with 7,038 cumulative clusters, 19 of which are still active.
Noor Hisham said overall, there were no changes in the admission of Covid-19 patients to health facilities per 100,000 population in ME 30 compared with ME 29.
However, there was a 2.8% increase in the number of Covid-19 patient admissions to public hospitals per 100,000 population, with patients in Category One and Two rising by 5.6%. There were no changes for patients in Category Three, Four and Five.
The percentage of Covid-19 bed occupancy in ME 30, for non-critical beds, ICU beds and low-risk treatment and quarantine centres (PKRC), remained at 23%, 14% and 7%, respectively.
Positive Covid-19 cases monitored by the Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) nationwide continued to show an increase, based on a comparison of physical CAC data reported in ME 29 and ME 30.
“The number of patient visits to CAC increased by 3.2%, the number of new Covid-19 cases undergoing home monitoring dropped by 0.5% and the number of Covid-19 cases referred by CAC to PKRCs and hospitals decreased by 19.9%,” Noor Hisham said.
On influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance, he said 107 ILI samples had tested positive for Covid-19 with a positive rate of 14.5%, while the positive rate of SARI samples remained at 0%.


Russia says destroys over 70 military targets in Ukraine

Russia said Thursday that its military had destroyed more than 70 military targets, including 11 airfields in Ukraine.“As a result of strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces, 74 Ukrainian military ground facilities were destroyed,” said Igor Konashenkov, a defence ministry spokesman.Destroyed facilities included 11 airfields, three command posts and 18 radar stations of the S-300 and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems, he said.He added that a Ukrainian military helicopter and four drones had also been shot down.Konashenkov said separatist forces continued an offensive backed by air support of the Russian armed forces.Currently “armed groups of nationalists” are putting up resistance, he said, claiming that Ukrainian troops wanted to leave the area of hostilities.He said that Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had ordered Russian troops to “treat Ukrainian servicemen with respect”.Putin launched an offensive on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday after a national address aired at around 5.40am local time (0240 GMT).


Govt studying need for third booster shot amid concerns over Delta variant

The government says it is studying the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines against the Delta variant and the need for a third booster shot.National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said developed countries were procuring vaccines for next year as they were mulling the need for a third booster shot.“We want to get better data on how long the vaccine protection will last and at what point we should begin the third dose, if needed.“This is for next year’s forecast,” he said at a press conference after a visit to the Mitec vaccination centre in Kuala Lumpur today.He said the data was needed so that Malaysia could decide whether to start vaccine procurement negotiations for next year.Khairy also said that 90% of new infections in the UK are caused by the Delta variant.


It’s not about us, experts say on Citi exit from consumer banking market

Experts have played down concerns that the recent exit of global financial services giant Citigroup from the country is a reflection of Malaysia’s economy, saying the move signals a worldwide trend in which banks are consolidating to focus on the more lucrative wealth management business.Izlin Ismail, from Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Business and Accountancy, said Citi’s move could in fact herald similar consolidation strategies by other foreign banks.“They focus only on the most profitable portion of the banking business,” she told MalaysiaNow.“Retail banking is obviously not as profitable for them.”In an announcement last week, Citi said it would be leaving Malaysia alongside 12 other consumer banking markets as part of its policy shift towards expanding wealth management operations.It said it would do so at “wealth centres” where it would have the best scaling opportunities.The other 12 markets were Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.CEO Jane Fraser assured that Citi would continue to operate its consumer banking franchise in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa from four such centres: Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE and London.Izlin said Citi’s exit reflects more than just the state of Malaysia’s economy.“It would be sad if a bank like Citi closed its doors completely in Malaysia,” she added. “But that’s not happening yet as they will still operate their corporate banking services here.”Economist Yeah Kim Leng agreed that the move was likely part of the corporation’s global business restructuring to allow it to focus on wealth management.“Given that Malaysia is generally considered an overbanked market, Citi’s exit from the consumer market segment will not disrupt the country’s savings-investment intermediation capacity,” Yeah, a lecturer at Sunway University, added.However, he said the departure of a major financial corporation like Citi could also signal a loss of confidence in the country, adding that Malaysia would likely suffer from job losses, reduced consumer choice, and a smaller number of industry players in finance and banking.Izlin said any lay-offs could be a cause for concern as retail banking staff do not possess skills that can be transferred to other banks if they are sacked.“They are trained for specific systems within their own banks which can differ greatly from others,” she said.“If they get laid off, other banks may not be so keen to hire them as they will need to retrain them.”Having said that, efforts could also be made to redeploy staff to other business areas. If this happens, Izlin said, the impact on employment could be smaller.“We would need to see what they offer the staff: redeployment or voluntary separation schemes.”Citi’s exit from the country has also been seen as an inability on the corporation’s part to compete with local banks.But Izlin said it was more likely driven by thinning profit margins for retail banking products like credit cards and mortgages as interest rates have been low for some time.“I don’t think Citi’s customer profile would compete with local banks. They have a better customer profile and are likely to have loyal customers due to branding,” she said, adding that corporate banking and wealth management would be more lucrative for the company as it would charge client fees.


BN expected to maintain hold on Johor as voters head out

The two-week campaign period for the Johor state election ended last night in a frenzy of activity as political parties ramped up their efforts in one final push to secure every vote possible ahead of polling day today.But despite the display of posters and flags along roads and in housing areas throughout the state, the atmosphere in the run-up to the Johor polls – the fourth state-level election since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic – remained for the most part lacklustre.Checks by MalaysiaNow at the programmes of several prominent politicians in rural areas found only a scattering of people in attendance, partly due to Covid fears as daily case numbers remain high, fuelled by the Omicron variant.Of the three main coalitions fighting it out in Johor, Perikatan Nasional (PN) concentrated on national issues such as the 1MDB scandal while Pakatan Harapan (PH) focused on bread-and-butter matters such as the rise in cost of goods.PH was also seen as playing on the bad blood between Barisan Nasional (BN) and PN, which are still in the same federal government.BN meanwhile pushed a narrative of stability while continuing to dwell on PH’s shortcomings in fulfilling its election promises after taking power in the last general election.Analysts had previously said that the situation in Johor would differ from that seen in Melaka.For one, the number of voters and seats in Johor far exceeds that of Melaka. And this time round, some 700,000 new voters need to be factored into the equation.Observers mostly agree that the results will hinge on voter turnout as well as the number of outstation voters.A low voter turnout will likely benefit BN.Fractured oppositionQuestions also arose this time around over the decision of PKR – the lynchpin party of PH, led by opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim – to contest the election using its own logo instead of the coalition’s.Anwar had said that the PH logo had connections with Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose party at the time had been part of the coalition during its 22 months in Putrajaya.Miaw Wah, a Chinese voter in the Sungai Balang state constituency, said PKR’s decision to use a different logo might backfire as voters were used to the PH symbol.“Those who don’t know much about politics have been asking, where is the PH logo?” she said.“I had to explain to them that the PKR logo has replaced PH in this area. And those are the voters who bother to ask. What about those who don’t know and don’t ask? They won’t know.”The cooperation between DAP and Amanah, forged in the wake of PKR’s decision to contest under its own banner, has also been seen as strange.While the Johor election has been enlivened by the participation of other parties such as Pejuang, Parti Bangsa Malaysia, Muda and Warisan, the presence of so many groups will also split the opposition’s vote.A clear example of this is in Larkin, where Muda is clashing with PKR.Within DAP itself, cracks have also appeared between the camp of Johor chairman Liew Chin Tong and that of former Skudai rep Boo Cheng Hau. This is expected to have an impact on the support of the Chinese community.Liew, who is viewed as an outsider, is contesting the seat of Perling against Wanita MCA chief Tan Hiang Kee and Gerakan vice-president Koo Shiaw Lee.The fractures within the opposition are a significant issue as in the Melaka election last year, BN only obtained 38% of the votes but was nonetheless able to form the state government with a two-thirds majority.The opposition vote at the time was split between PH and PN. In Johor, the same effect is expected again.Political analyst Mazlan Ali said a chunk of PH votes had disappeared because of Bersatu and PAS.“This was seen in Melaka, too,” Mazlan, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, saod.“In some places where PH lost, PN gathered a significant number of votes while Umno’s did not increase. This shows that PN managed to win some of the votes that previously went to PH.”Several candidates who switched sides are also expected to experience a repeat of the Melaka election, especially in seats that could easily swing in either direction.“Some of the votes might come from fence sitters,” Mazlan said. “They think that these candidates might jump ship again.”Such candidates in Johor include the likes of Rasman Ithnain (Sedili), Alwiyah Talib (Endau) and Chong Fat Full (Pemanis).Rasman and Alwiyah hopped from Umno to Bersatu while Chong went from PKR to Bersatu.Victory for BN?BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hassan expects the coalition to achieve a simple majority with 29 seats, 10 more than it won at the 2018 general election.He said BN would need 38 seats to administer the state without the need to negotiate with other parties.BN, under the leadership of Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohamad, had sought the dissolution of the state legislative assembly, saying the death of Kempas assemblyman Osman Sapian had left it with too narrow a margin of support.“BN is now the party of choice for victory, but PN looks like it’s putting up a fight in Malay-majority areas too,” Mazlan said.“Muhyiddin has been campaigning in Felda areas and in villages,” he added, referring to PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.To some extent, he said, the outcome would depend on whether PN is able to pull in a large chunk of the Malay vote.If PN is able to win at least 35 to 40% of the Malay vote, Mazlan believes that this will be enough to give Umno trouble in places where its chances are 50-50.Najib Razak has been Muhyiddin’s biggest challenger for the Felda vote as well as the Malay vote in general.The battle of former prime ministers has seen Najib relying on his “Bossku” slogan and Muhyiddin using his influence as the country’s former leader as well as ex-Johor menteri besar.Should BN return to form the state government, the opposition bloc will need to rethink its strategy to face the pact at the next general election.


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Showdown looms as Canada truckers ordered to clear key bridge

Truckers snarling a key bridge between Canada and the US in protest at Covid rules were ordered by a judge to leave Friday night, setting up a potential showdown two weeks into the snowballing protest movement.The days-long blockade of the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario and the US city of Detroit, has paralysed a key North American trade route, piling pressure on Canadian leader Justin Trudeau to resolve the crisis.A Canadian judge granted an injunction ordering the protesters – estimated to number a few hundred, along with several dozen trucks – to leave the bridge by 7pm (0000 GMT), according to Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens.Authorities are under increasing pressure to crack down on the protests that have paralysed Ottawa, triggering a state of emergency in Ontario province and copycat demonstrations as far away as France and New Zealand.Upping the stakes, President Joe Biden Friday reiterated his “concern” to Trudeau, telling him the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge and two other border crossings was having serious effects on US firms.The vital Windsor-Detroit bridge is used daily by more than 40,000 people, along with trucks carrying US$323 million worth of goods on average – about one-quarter of all Canada-US trade.Addressing reporters in Ottawa, Trudeau said all options were “on the table” for ending the protests, though he stressed that calling in the military was a distant final resort, and “something to avoid having to do at all costs.”“This unlawful activity has to end and it will end,” the prime minister said, adding that it was up to police to “enforce the law and protect public order.”The Canadian capital has been clogged with hundreds of big rigs for two weeks – as the movement has morphed into a broader protest against pandemic health rules and Trudeau’s government.The days-long blockades have already had significant economic impact, with automakers forced to cut back production on both sides of the border, triggering fears it could undermine Canada’s recovery from the pandemic.In his call with Trudeau, Biden said the movement was impacting US companies and workers with “slowdowns in production, shortened work hours, and plant closures.”State of emergencyCanada’s self-styled “Freedom Convoy” began last month in the country’s west – launched in anger at requirements that truckers either be vaccinated, or test and isolate, when crossing the US-Canada border.The premier of Ontario province – the epicenter of the protests – announced a state of emergency on Friday, threatening steep fines of up to C$100,000 (US$80,000) and jail unless protesters end their “illegal occupation.”“To the people of Ottawa under siege, I say we will ensure you’re able to resume life and business as soon as possible,” said Ontario premier Doug Ford, who like Trudeau has been accused of inaction over the protests.The Ontario emergency came as a coalition of protesters – an estimated 1,800 vehicles according to a police source – were closing in on Paris after setting off in convoy from across France.Defying police warnings, the French protesters included opponents of Covid vaccination, but also people angry at fast-rising energy prices – in an echo of the “yellow vest” grievances that sparked widespread protests in 2018 and 2019.Protesters have likewise set up a makeshift camp outside New Zealand’s parliament, scene of violent clashes earlier this week as police sought to clear anti-vaccine demonstrators.‘Intimidation’The Ontario premier acknowledged the “right to peacefully protest” and said he understood “frustrations have reached a boiling point for many Canadians.”But he warned: “This is no longer a protest.”Ford accused the truckers of “targeting our lifeline for food, fuel and goods across our borders” while “trying to force a political agenda through disruption, intimidation, and chaos.”“We’re in a critical situation worldwide economically… the last thing we need is an anchor around our neck,” he said.On Thursday evening, Ford’s government separately obtained a court order barring anyone from tapping the millions of dollars raised by the convoy through the fundraising platform GiveSendGo.The protesters had switched their fundraising efforts to the platform after GoFundMe terminated their original campaign, claiming it violated terms of service that “prohibit user content that reflects or promotes behavior in support of violence.”Trudeau said Friday: “Canadian banks are monitoring financial activity very closely and taking action as necessary.”


Instructions from Jho Low considered a mandate from Najib, witness says in 1MDB trial

A former 1MDB chief financial officer told the High Court today that every instruction given by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low was considered to be a mandate from Najib Razak.Azmi Tahir, 46, said he was once informed by the late Azlin Alias, the former principal private secretary to Najib, that Jho Low was the adviser or the person close to the former prime minister and that Jho Low was also the one giving information or instructions that needed to be followed as they were considered to come from Najib.“I was also made to understand that Jho Low had close ties with Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia and that he was also Najib’s confidant. I only followed the instructions received by Azlin and Najib’s former special officer Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin as I considered those as instructions from the prime minister.“During my tenure as 1MDB CFO, there was a clandestine operation managed and planned by Jho Low through instructions and blessings from Najib and certain individuals were chosen among the 1MDB top management and board of directors to ensure that the instructions were carried out. I can say that the system was working in silos,” he said.The 12th prosecution witness said this when reading his witness statement in the trial of Najib, who is facing corruption and money laundering charges involving RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds.Azmi said he was also told that instructions from Najib were in line with Article 117 of the 1MDB Memorandum and Articles of Association as every important decision must be done on Najib’s instruction and approval.“Najib had the ultimate power in making decisions especially in matters involving investments, finances and national interests. Apart from myself, among those from the top management involved in the 1MDB work-in-silo system were the former chief operating officer Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, former CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former chief investment officer Vincent Koh, former lawyer Jasmine Loo and deputy CFO Terence Geh.“I only received instructions in parallel with those received by other top management officers and at the same time, Jho Low told me that each task was on a need-to-know basis, which meant that we would only be informed about something based on the scope of the task and only as far as we needed to know,” he said.The witness said Jho Low would also send through email and Blackberry Messenger the talking points and action plans to him and others in the silo system.“Once read, the emails must be immediately deleted as Jho Low didn’t want it to leak as the confidential instructions involved the decisions and requests of the prime minister which should be carried out promptly.“Normally, critical decisions would be done through the directors’ circular resolution (DCR) without going through the board of directors as Jho Low would instruct Loo to prepare the DCR.“The board would only have to sign the DCR without objection as it was Jho Low’s instruction,” he said.Azmi said that all DCRs would be followed by Najib’s approval through a shareholder resolution document, which Najib had known of earlier based on his discussion with Jho Low.“This is based on documents signed and in Najib’s knowledge as the then finance minister and prime minister.“Overall, for me, Jho Low’s role was very significant as Najib’s adviser and it can also be said that Jho Low was the right-hand person and most trusted by Najib in 1MDB,” he added.Najib, 68, is facing four corruption charges involving RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 money laundering charges involving the same money.The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.


Russia unleashes missile barrage on Ukraine as ground battle rages in the east

Volleys of Russian missiles struck a series of Ukrainian regions early on Thursday, including the Black Sea port of Odesa and the second city of Kharkiv, knocking out power to several areas, regional officials said.
The governor of Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko, said on Telegram that a mass missile attack had hit an energy facility in the port city, cutting power. Residential areas had also been hit, but no casualties were reported.
Kharkiv region Governor Oleh Synehubov said the city and region had been hit by 15 strikes, with targets including infrastructure. Other strikes were reported in the central city of Dnipro and regions throughout the country.
Late on Wednesday, Ukraine's military said it had managed to push back intense Russian attacks on the city of Bakhmut despite a Russian claim of control over its eastern half.
As one of the bloodiest battles of the year-long war ground on in the small city's ruins, Ukrainian defenders – who last week appeared to be preparing for a tactical retreat – remained defiant.
"The enemy continued its attacks and has shown no sign of a letup in storming the city of Bakhmut," the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said on Facebook. "Our defenders repelled attacks on Bakhmut and on surrounding communities."
Ukrainian military and political leaders now speak of hanging on to positions and inflicting as many casualties as possible on the Russians to grind down their fighting capability.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late Wednesday video address that the battle for Bakhmut and the surrounding Donbas region was "our first priority".
In a separate interview with CNN, he said: "We think that in the Donbas direction Russia has started its offensive. This is the offensive. This is what it looks like: a slow aggression, because they don't have enough strength and forces."
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, said his fighters had captured the eastern part of Bakhmut. If true, Russian forces would control nearly half the city in a costly pursuit of their first big victory in several months.
"Everything east of the Bakhmutka River is completely under the control of Wagner," Prigozhin said on the Telegram messaging app.
The river bisects Bakhmut, on the edge of Ukraine's Donetsk province that is already largely under Russian occupation. The city centre is on the west side of the river.
Prigozhin has issued premature success claims before. Reuters was not able to verify the situation on the ground.
Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said that in addition to the Zabakhmutka district on the eastern outskirts of Bakhmut, the Russians had captured Ilyinivka district on the north side.
"The situation is critical," he said in a video commentary, adding that Russian forces had also made gains near Avdiivka to the south of Bakhmut as well as to the north around Svatovo.


Daily caseload at 340, no new deaths reported

Another 340 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,037,582.
There were 203 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,990,430.
There are now 10,210 active cases, of which 9,823 or 96.2% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 379 (3.7%) have been hospitalised.
A total of eight are in ICU with five in need of respiratory assistance.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 36,942.


Britain to set out plans to scrap Covid self-isolation laws

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends to set out plans next week to remove self-isolation requirements for people infected with Covid-19, his office said on Saturday.Britain would become the first major European country to allow people who know they are infected with Covid-19 to freely use shops, public transport and go to work – a move many of his health advisers think is risky.“Covid will not suddenly disappear, and we need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms,” Johnson said in a statement.Johnson will also give more details on how Britain will guard against future coronavirus variants through ongoing surveillance, amid reports that the government wants to end free testing and scale back public health studies.Currently people in England are legally required to self-isolate for at least five days if instructed to by public health officials, and are advised to isolate even without a specific order if they have Covid-19 symptoms or test positive.Removing the Covid-19 self-isolation legal requirements and replacing them with voluntary guidance would bring the disease in line with how Britain treats most other infections.Some 85% of Britain’s population aged 12 or over have had at least two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, and two thirds of the population – including the vast majority of those most at risk – have had three.Britain’s death toll of more than 160,000 fatalities within 28 days of infection is the second-highest in Europe after Russia’s. Relative to the size of Britain’s population, it is 6% higher than the average for the European Union.Covid-19 restrictions are unpopular with many members of Johnson’s Conservative Party, who view them as disproportionate given widespread take-up of vaccines.“Pharmaceutical interventions, led by the vaccination programme, will continue to be our first line of defence,” the government said. “An awareness of public health guidance should remain, as with all infectious diseases such as flu.”


US adopts rule that could see Chinese firms leave Wall Street

US market regulators on Thursday announced the adoption of a rule allowing them to delist foreign companies from Wall Street exchanges if they fail to provide information to auditors, which is aimed primarily at Chinese firms.The mandate requires companies to disclose whether they are “owned or controlled” by a government, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said.Congress last year passed a law specifically targeting Chinese companies under which the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) must be able to inspect audits of foreign firms listed on US markets.The law also requires companies to name any Chinese Communist Party members on their board of directors.Beijing has refused to allow the PCAOB to inspect audits of companies registered in China and Hong Kong.“We have a basic bargain in our securities regime… If you want to issue public securities in the US, the firms that audit your books have to be subject to inspection by the PCAOB,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement.“The Commission and the PCAOB will continue to work together to ensure that the auditors of foreign companies accessing US capital markets play by our rules,” he said. “We hope foreign governments will… take action to make that possible.”The SEC said there are about 220 firms located in jurisdictions with obstacles to PCAOB inspections.According to a report by Bloomberg, Beijing has asked the “Chinese Uber” Didi to withdraw from Wall Street.On Thursday, Alibaba’s share price hit its lowest level in more than four years on rumors the Chinese e-commerce giant would exit US indices.


Claims of reduced AstraZeneca doses under probe

The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) is looking into claims that AstraZeneca vaccine doses administered were less than required, which is under 0.5mL.CITF said in a statement that the incident supposedly occurred at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur AstraZeneca vaccination centre on May 19.According to the statement, both vaccine recipients in the incident have been identified.“CITF will not hesitate to take action against those who do not meet the standard set or violate any regulations,” the statement read.CITF also stressed its emphasis on the quality of service provided by medical experts involved in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, including private medical experts managed by ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd in association with the programme.


Undi 18, kingmaker or hype?

Three years ago, Malaysia made history when a bill to lower the minimum age of voting from 21 to 18 was passed with unanimous support by politicians from both sides of the political divide.The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019, which also included automatic voter registration and allowed 18-year-olds to run for office, came into effect on Dec 15 last year.Now, as voters in Johor head to the polls this weekend in the fourth state election since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, for the first time, some 700,000 youth will be among them.Youth voters, dubbed Undi 18 after the bill, had not been a factor in the previous elections in Sabah, Melaka and Sarawak.But today, with just one day to go before election day tomorrow, political parties are racing to secure their vote.Youth-based party Muda appears to be ahead in this respect although MalaysiaNow previously reported that it would be difficult to determine with any certainty where the Undi 18 vote would go.How the youth eventually do vote will be closely studied by parties as part of preparations for the 15th general election.Syazliana Hisham, a Form Six student at SMK Tun Perak in Muar, is raring to go. Although tomorrow will be her first time casting a ballot, she has been following political developments in the country for a long time.“I am inclined towards certain political parties because I see that some of them are very committed to fighting for the people, especially the youth,” she said.But her enthusiasm is not shared by everyone.Muhammad Razi, a 28-year-old fisherman based in Muar, said he had never gone to vote as he was not registered.“I don’t know much about politics,” he told MalaysiaNow.“They always start off one way and then after that what happens? They vanish.”Razi who has been working since he was 15 years old also has reservations about Muda, led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.Syazliana meanwhile said that the party was a good initiative. However, she said the irony was that its candidates were too young to take on the responsibilities of being elected representatives.“We’re talking about administering a state, not a school or university,” she said.“If Muda were contending at the university level, maybe I would vote for them.”The youngest candidates contesting the Johor election are Kelly Chye Pei Yee of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Muhammad Airel Zabridin of Pejuang, both of whom are 26 years old.Chye is running in the Mengkibol state seat while Airel is being fielded in Tangkak.At the Melaka election last year, Pakatan Harapan had fielded 21-year-old Farzana Haryani in Sungai Rambai.When it comes to social media, seen as the natural habitat of the youth, Syazliana acknowledged that she follows a number of politicians on the various platforms.However, she said her personal stand remained firm, adding that even her own family could not sway her beliefs.Razi meanwhile said that the realities he faces upon returning from the sea each day are more concrete than the hype on social media which may or may not depict the truth of the matter.And while the youth are often linked to change, liberalism and new life, not all of them are attracted by such rhetoric.Nur Nabila Yuzaini, 24, lives in Pasir Gudang. While she is not very knowledgable about current political affairs, she is aware of the policies of the various coalitions.“The issue that impacted me the most was the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.“At the time, PH was governing the country and they didn’t seem serious about bringing the virus under control.”Nabila would eventually lose her father to the highly contagious virus.Now a student at Universiti Teknologi Mara, she does not believe that age should be used as a benchmark of a candidate.“I’m more interested in their potential and ability,” she said.“If someone can carry out their duties with integrity even though he or she isn’t young, what’s wrong with that?“The older ones are also more experienced and know a lot.”


Health ministry considering breath test to detect Covid-19

The health ministry is considering the use of a breath test which has been identified as the latest tool in order to detect Covid-19 in Malaysia.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said the Medical Device Authority will run a clinical test on the efficacy of the tool before giving approval for its use in the country.“Right now, it is being widely tested in Singapore as a tool to detect Covid-19, and it should be explored for use in our country too,” he told a virtual press conference today.On May 24, Bernama reported that an easy-to-use breath test that can accurately detect Covid-19 within a minute had received provisional authorisation from Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority.The BreFence Go Covid-19 Breath Test System was developed by Breathonix Pte Ltd, a spin-off company from the National University of Singapore.On the detection of Covid-19 through a self-test kit using deep throat saliva sampling, Adham said approval would be issued soon.“Detection of Covid-19 using the deep throat saliva sampling is easy and can be done at home. It also has a high level of sensitivity and specificity,” he said.The minister said once approved, members of the public would be able to purchase the kit at any pharmacy or supplier registered with the health ministry.“If they test positive after using the self-test kit, they need to quarantine themselves and notify the nearest district health office or via the MySejahtera app,” he said.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah previously said the ministry was in the midst of identifying two companies that would supply the test kit.


PAS to decide soon on dissolution of state assemblies

A decision on whether the three PAS-led states will dissolve their legislative assemblies will be announced tomorrow, the party’s vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said today.
He said that a decision on the Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah state assemblies would be made known after the PAS central committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 13.
He added that matters related to the dissolution of the three state assemblies were discussed yesterday, and would continue to be discussed at the central committee meeting tomorrow.
"I believe there will be a decision after tomorrow's meeting," he told reporters in Kuala Terengganu.
On Oct 10, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament to make way for the 15th general election (GE15) after obtaining the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Ismail also suggested that the heads of state governments except for Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor dissolve their state legislative assemblies to allow the elections to be held simultaneously.


World Cup history for Ronaldo, Neymar injury scare after Brazil win

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed a piece of World Cup history on Thursday as Brazil were rocked by an injury scare to captain Neymar after a hardfought 2-0 victory over Serbia.
Ronaldo became the first man to score in five different editions of the World Cup as he slotted home a controversial penalty to help Portugal down Ghana 3-2 in their Group H clash.
The typically ice-cold spot-kick was Ronaldo's eighth career goal at the World Cup and comes after a tumultuous week which saw the star forward make a sensational exit from Manchester United after weeks of tensions with the club.
"It was a beautiful moment, my fifth World Cup, we won, and we started with our good foot," Ronaldo said after the win.
"It's a very important win, we know the first match is crucial, but the world record is also something that makes me very proud."
But there was controversy surrounding the penalty, which was awarded after Ronaldo crashed theatrically to the turf following minimal contact with Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu.
Furious Ghana coach Otto Addo described the penalty decision as a "gift" to Ronaldo.
"I think it was a really wrong decision, we were playing the ball... I don't know why VAR didn't come up, there is no explanation," Addo said.
"If somebody scores a goal then congrats, but it was really a gift... a special gift from the referee."
In Thursday's late game, Brazil were rocked by an injury scare involving captain Neymar after two goals from Richarlison secured a 2-0 win over Serbia in Group G.
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was substituted with 11 minutes remaining and was later seen with a badly swollen right ankle as he left the field.
It was the latest in a series of injury dramas surrounding the Brazilian talisman, whose 2014 World Cup was ended by a back injury.
The Brazilian skipper was also ruled out of the 2019 Copa America due to torn ligaments in the same right ankle. He also missed 10 weeks of the 2021/2022 season with an injured left ankle.
Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said after the win it was too early to give a clear prognosis on his latest knock.
"We need to wait 24 to 48 hours to have a better assessment," Lasmar said.
"We need to wait, we cannot make any premature comments about his evolution."
Brazil coach Tite however said he was confident Neymar would be fit for the remainder of the tournament.
"You can be certain that Neymar is going to play in the World Cup," Tite told reporters.
The injury took the shine off a Brazilian win that came through goals from Tottenham's Richarlison, including a spectacular volleyed second goal.
"It's a childhood dream come true," Richarlison said afterwards.
"We played a good game, especially in the second half, when the opponent got tired, and we managed to take advantage of that."
Cameroon misery
Switzerland and Cameroon, also in Brazil's group, kicked off Thursday's action in Qatar, with the Swiss winning 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Cameroon-born Breel Embolo.
The forward struck three minutes into the second half at Al Janoub Stadium as Switzerland secured a vital three points.
Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler worked the ball out wide on the right to Xherdan Shaqiri, whose low cross into the area was swept home by an unmarked Embolo, who chose not to celebrate against his birth country.
"It's quite special for him because of his links to Cameroon – I'm very happy he's playing for us," said Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer. "He's always right there when you need him."
Defeat condemned Cameroon to their eighth straight loss at World Cups – a miserable run stretching all the way back to 2002.
In Thursday's other game, the return of Tottenham star Son Heung-min was not enough to inspire South Korea to victory with the Asian side grinding out a 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Group H.
The striker wore a mask to protect the injury he suffered while playing in the Champions League for Spurs as South Korea took a point in their opener.
The 30-year-old had surgery for fractures around his left eye just three weeks ago and this was his first time playing competitively since.
"I feel ok, I'm not the only one to wear a mask, some players wear masks. I feel comfortable," he told reporters afterwards.
"I'm just happy to be here, happy with the mask that I could play, it's just so amazing."
Meanwhile, the shockwaves from Germany's monumental upset defeat to Japan on Wednesday continued to reverberate, with coach Hansi Flick warning no member of his team was safe after the 2-1 loss.
The four-time champions, who next face Spain, are facing a nightmare scenario of a second consecutive group-stage exit after their early departure in Russia in 2018.
"You can understand that we are discussing every matter of personnel and every position," Flick said.


On voting for the candidate, not the party

It's a debate as old as democracy itself: should voters choose their leaders based on their party affiliation or on personal merits? In Malaysia, voters have historically voted along party lines since our first election in 1952.
Although this phenomenon is not unique to Malaysia, it is time Malaysian voters become more discerning about the individuals vying for their votes in GE15 rather than blindly supporting the parties that they represent.
An interesting case study on this is the Sungai Buloh parliamentary constituency. Umno is fielding Khairy Jamaluddin to wrest the seat from PKR.
One narrative making the rounds on social media is that Khairy needs to be voted out simply because a vote for him is a vote for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who's facing corruption charges. And purportedly BN's victory there could also secure the release of Najib Razak, who's serving a 12-year jail sentence for corruption and abuse of power.
The argument is founded on the "vote for party, not individuals" principle and is flawed on so many levels. First of all, denying Khairy the opportunity to be elected amounts to denying Malaysians a capable leader.
Since his ministerial debut in the youth and sports ministry where he oversaw the 2017 KL SEA Games, to the rollout of the Covid-19 immunisation plan and the implementation of various major health initiatives, Khairy has proven to be an efficient minister.
When we deny a leader of Khairy's calibre the opportunity to serve us Malaysians on account of political affiliations, we are just cutting off our nose to spite our face. Isn't democracy about selecting leaders who best serve us?
While I am no fan of Zahid nor his Umno which Khairy is part of, denying Khairy the chance to be an MP means allowing Zahid and his ilk to continue riding roughshod over the party, and by extension, the country.
As we know, Khairy is no typical Umno apparatchik. He stood against Zahid in the last Umno election and openly criticised Najib over the 1MDB scandal. If we ever want to see a shake-up in the country's most dominant party, Umno, then people like Khairy need to be given the space. In other words, if we detest leaders like Zahid, then there are more reasons for Khairy to win in Sungai Buloh.
Sungai Buloh is just an example of why voters need to be more perceptive about candidates and not be blinded by party loyalty. The argument applies to every contest in the upcoming GE, not just in Sungai Buloh.
In every party, there are good leaders as well as rotten apples. As voters, our job is to – independent of party affiliations – pick out the good ones, so that they can serve us better, and reject the rotten ones as they could bring us harm.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


US detects first case of virus variant

The US state of Colorado has recorded what is reportedly America’s first case of the particularly infectious coronavirus variant that emerged recently in Britain, the governor said Tuesday.“Today we discovered Colorado’s first case of the Covid-19 variant B.1.1.7, the same variant discovered in the UK,” state governor Jared Polis tweeted.He attached an official statement from his office and state health officials that said the individual is a “male in his 20s who is currently in isolation in Elbert County and has no travel history”.The individual had no close contacts, the statement said, but the situation will continue to be monitored “very closely” and authorities are working to identify other potential cases through contact tracing.The Washington Post reported that the Colorado case is the first known infection of the variant virus to be recorded in the US. The first two variant cases on the North American continent were discovered in Canada over the weekend.Fears have been raised by the new strain of Covid-19, which experts say is potentially more transmissible.More than 3,000 cases of the variant have already been reported in the UK and dozens of countries in Europe and around the world, according to the EU health agency ECDC.


Syed Saddiq launches second bid to impeach key prosecution witness

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is facing charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering, is again seeking to impeach the credibility of a key witness following discrepancies between the statement recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and his oral testimony in court.
This is the second bid by the defence to obtain leave to commence impeachment proceedings against Rafiq Hakim Razali, who is the former Bersatu Youth wing assistant treasurer, after the High Court rejected the first application on July 18.
Syed Saddiq's counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, submitted that the contradictions were over Rafiq Hakim's oral testimony in court and his statement recorded by the MACC pursuant to Section 30 of the MACC Act 2009.
"The contradictions related to the time and place of the instructions allegedly given by Syed Saddiq to Rafiq Hakim and Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi, who was the Armada assistant secretary, for withdrawing RM1 million and the purpose of the fundraising event in Muar and the monies raised therefrom," the lawyer said.
He said the witness, in his oral testimony in court, had said that Syed Saddiq's order to withdraw the RM1 million was made after the Sheraton Move in a meeting at the accused's house.
"However, the witness in a statement to the MACC said the instruction for the withdrawal of RM1 million was made through a phone call in early March 2020," he added.
Gobind also submitted that there was a contradiction in Rafiq Hakim's oral testimony in court when he disagreed that the money in the Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise (ABBE) account was public funds raised by Syed Saddiq for his campaign in Muar.
He said that in his statement to the MACC, Rafiq Hakim confirmed that ABBE's financial resources were entirely from public contributions raised at a dinner in Muar and another dinner at the De Palma Hotel.
"The purpose of the dinner was held to get funds for Syed Saddiq to campaign in Muar," he said and requested to be given the witness statement recorded by the MACC.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin submitted that the defence's application was an abuse of the court process. He said the defence wanted to get the MACC statement not to challenge the credibility of the witness, but to see the entire contents of the statement.
"Now, the defence is making a second attempt through the back door to start proceedings to challenge the credibility of the witness," he said.
After hearing submissions from both parties, judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid fixed July 25 for a decision.
Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then Bersatu youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.
He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.


US behind on inoculation numbers with just 1 million vaccinated so far

Just over one million Americans have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of Wednesday morning, a far cry from the federal government’s goal of inoculating 20 million by the end of the year.Now that two Covid-19 vaccines have been approved for emergency use, the biggest hurdle is getting the doses to the roughly 331 million Americans across the country.Earlier on Wednesday, National Institutes of Health director Dr Francis Collins, who received his first Covid vaccine shot on Tuesday alongside White House medical counsel Dr Anthony Fauci, said that if the government doesn’t meet its vaccine goal by the end of this month he hopes Americans “will understand this is a logistical challenge of enormous proportions”.Collins told CNN, “Frankly, I think it’s pretty amazing it has gone as fast as it has, recognising it has only been 10 days since the FDA gave its first approval for emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine and then a week later for Moderna.”Later in the day, federal health officials admitted the distribution of the vaccines had been slower than they had hoped.The US suffered its first hiccup last week when roughly 3,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine travelling to California and Alabama had to be quarantined and returned to the company after the vials somehow got too cold. It’s unclear what caused the temperature to fall, but Pfizer said in a statement that it was able to intercept the shipments and “seamlessly trigger resupply to be delivered to those customers affected”.Soumi Saha, vice-president of Premier, a consulting firm that works with thousands of hospitals and nursing homes, told CNBC last month that distributing the vaccine would be “completely new territory” for health systems.“This is a brand-new logistical challenge distributing this vaccine to the right places and doing so while maintaining the integrity of the product,” she said.Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the University of Toronto, called the rapid scale-up of the vaccinations to pharmacies, hospitals and primary care networks “extremely impressive”.He told CNBC on Wednesday, “It looks like one of the bigger hurdles to vaccine efforts in the US will be hesitancy, whereas the hurdles elsewhere in the world will be access to vaccine.”


Anwar says it again, he has the numbers, but Umno leaders in the dark

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has again claimed to have the numbers to form the federal government.At a press conference today, he said he had the support of the majority of MPs and was prepared to have an audience with the Agong.“With this, the government led by Muhyiddin Yassin has collapsed,” he added.Several senior Umno leaders however told MalaysiaNow that they were not aware of any move to back Anwar as prime minister.“Wallahu a’lam,” said Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan when contacted, using an Arabic expression meaning “God knows best”.Another Umno leader, Khairy Jamaluddin, said he had just attended a Cabinet meeting. “Nothing fell or collapsed,” the science, technology and innovation minister posted on Twitter.Anwar, whose party lost power with the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February, said his margin of support was not fragile.“It is a strong, formidable, convincing majority,” he said.Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is currently undergoing what is thought to be a routine check-up at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur.Anwar said he had earlier made a request for an audience with the Agong to inform him of the numbers.“I promise to form a government with integrity and commitment to address the crisis that has befallen the country, and to put an end to corruption and fight for the well-being of the people,” he added in a prepared statement.This is not the first time Anwar has claimed to have the majority support to form the government.In 2008, he famously declared that MPs from Barisan Nasional had switched loyalties to back him as prime minister.Anwar said then that he had the documents to prove his support. The change of government on Sept 16, 2008, however, did not take place.


Beijing's biggest district urges residents to stay home as Covid cases rise

Beijing's most populous district urged residents to stay at home on Monday, extending a request from the weekend as the city's Covid-19 case numbers rose, with many businesses shut and schools in the area shifting classes online.
Nationally, new case numbers held steady on Sunday near April peaks as China battles outbreaks in cities across the country, from Zhengzhou in central Henan province to Guangzhou in the south and Chongqing in the southwest.
Still, China is trying to ease the impact of containment measures that drag on the economy and frustrate residents fed up with lockdowns, quarantine and other disruptions, even as it reiterates its commitment to its zero-Covid approach.
On Sunday, Beijing city officials urged residents of the sprawling Chaoyang district - home to nearly 3.5 million people as well as embassies and office towers - to remain at home on Monday.
"The number of cases discovered outside quarantine is increasing rapidly at present, and there are hidden transmission risks from multiple places," Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told a media briefing.
"The pressure on Beijing has further increased," he said.
The Chinese capital reported 621 new infections for Saturday, up from 515 a day earlier. As of 3pm on Sunday, it added a further 516 new infections.
Authorities also said an 87-year-old Beijing man became the nation's first official Covid-19 fatality since May 26, raising China's coronavirus death toll to 5,227.
Many Beijing residents stocked up on food during the weekend, with some delivery services experiencing delays.
Parents at international schools in Chaoyang district were told that classes would be online for the coming week. "As Covid-19 has spread in multiple places and with complex transmission chains, schools in Chaoyang district will be moving to online learning," one such notice said.
Hairdressers in neighbouring Dongcheng district were also told to shut.
'Severe' situation
On Sunday, China reported 24,435 new Covid-19 infections for Nov 19, down slightly from 24,473 a day earlier but near highs clocked in April when Shanghai, China's largest city, was in the midst of an outbreak and grinding two-month lockdown.
While official infection tallies are low by global standards, China tries to stamp out every infection chain, making it an outlier nearly three years into the pandemic.
Guangzhou, a hard-hit southern city of nearly 19 million people, reported 8,434 new locally transmitted infections, down from 8,713 a day earlier.
Officials said that the Panyu district will resume in-person school for primary and middle school students on Monday, while online teaching continues in seven of the city's 11 districts.
Under a series of measures unveiled this month, Chinese health authorities have sought more targeted Covid-19 curbs, sparking investor hopes of a more significant easing even as China faces its first winter battling the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Many analysts expect such a shift to begin only in March or April, however, with the government arguing that President Xi Jinping's signature zero-Covid policy saves lives.
Experts warn that full reopening requires a massive vaccination booster effort and a change in messaging in a country where the disease remains widely feared.
The People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's official newspaper, warned on Sunday that the pandemic may expand due to mutations and seasonal factors.
"The situation of pandemic control is severe. We must maintain confidence that we will win, resolutely overcome issues such as insufficient understanding and insufficient preparation," it said in an editorial.


Mental health experts urge sensitivity after Sarawak suicide

Mental health experts in Sarawak have urged the public to stop sharing a clip showing the suicide of a man in the state, warning that it could raise the risk of “suicide contagion” or emulation of the act.In a statement, the Sarawak Mental Health Association also called on people to avoid viewing the video, saying such material should be reported instead of reposted.“Suicide contagion is a real danger because such videos are also incredibly traumatising for the person’s loved ones and have a profound negative impact on others who are struggling too,” it said.The police said the man in the video, a lawyer, was believed to have been suffering from severe depression following a divorce last month.Dr Ravivarma Rao Panirselvam, a clinical psychiatrist at Hospital Miri, said addressing the issue of suicide is a complex task.He said it was important for people to educate themselves on the matter before they could offer their support.“Suicide is complex,” he told MalaysiaNow. “There is no single cause for suicide. To talk about this issue, we must use a well-moderated forum to offer a safe space.”He said the public could offer support by engaging with health experts, for example.“We must be aware of each platform’s community guidelines,” he added.He also urged the media to play a role through the ethical reporting of such issues in order to raise awareness.


Muhyiddin tells why PN backed an Umno PM

Perikatan Nasional (PN) supported Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister to prevent “someone else whom most people do not like” from occupying the top position in the country, Muhyiddin Yassin says.Muhyiddin, who resigned as prime minister in August last year after a string of defections involving Umno MPs, said the situation he faced while administering the government was unusual and had forced him to think of the country’s interests above all else.“It was an extraordinary decision – his party toppled me and I raised him to become the prime minister.“Why? Because of the greater good of the country,” he said in an interview with Sinar Harian today.“My fear was that if I did not do so, someone else whom most people do not like would become prime minister due to our mistake,” he added. “I do not need to say who this is.”Although he did not mention any names, he is believed to have been referring to PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim, who worked with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak to oust him.MalaysiaNow reported in October last year that the latter two had written to the Agong expressing support for Anwar.Adding that he did not wish to allow circumstances to be determined by such a situation, Muhyiddin said he had called together the PN government leaders and finally put forward Ismail’s name, stating support for him as the prime minister.He also said that Ismail had gained PN’s support for the top post as he was not seen to be colluding with the Umno court cluster.Muhyiddin was appointed as prime minister in March 2020 with the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, after receiving the support of the majority of MPs after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan administration led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.The PN government, comprising Bersatu, Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS with the support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak, fell in turn after a group of Umno MPs led by Najib and Zahid withdrew their support for Muhyiddin in August 2021.Muhyiddin said the move to support Ismail was also calculated to maintain the policies put in place by the PN government.“It was a question of the country as well, to maintain at least 95% of the Cabinet which I led in the form a new government even though it was led by BN,” he said.“PN was willing to help.”


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Over 10,000 daily UK Covid cases for first time in 4 months

Britain on Thursday recorded 11,007 new daily coronavirus cases, with the emergence of the Delta variant pushing the figure above 10,000 for the first time since late February.The government on Monday announced it was delaying steps to lift restrictions due to concern over the spread of the new strain, first detected in India.The government said a four-week delay would give it time to fully vaccinate millions more.The death rate remains low, with 19 fatalities recorded on Thursday.The vaccines are believed to be highly effective against preventing serious illness from the variant.But there is concern whether rising case numbers will turn into death tolls similar to previous waves, which combined have seen 127,945 people lose their lives.A government report published on Thursday found that cases are “rising exponentially” across England, driven by mostly unvaccinated age groups.The data suggested cases were doubling every 11 days.


Liverpool stripped of cherished World Heritage status after 17 years

Unesco has stripped Liverpool of its World Heritage Status over “irreversible loss of attributes” caused by the redevelopment of the city’s docklands and the construction of a waterfront football stadium.At a meeting of its heritage body in China on Wednesday, the UN body concluded that Liverpool’s historic waterfront has been damaged by a US$7.48 billion redevelopment and the building of a US$680 million football stadium on the site of derelict docks.They voted in a secret ballot to end Liverpool’s prized heritage status.Despite Liverpool’s protestations, Unesco claims it warned the city in 2012 that its status was at risk of removal if it proceeded with planned waterfront developments. However, the River Mersey city chose to go ahead with its building projects regardless of the risk to its World-Heritage-site title.Liverpool was granted the coveted status in 2004 in recognition of its history as a trading hub during the British empire, and for its architectural landmarks. When awarding the city its title, Unesco specifically referenced the docklands, which had played a significant role throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.The decision to delist Liverpool makes it the third city to lose its status, alongside the Elbe Valley in Dresden, following the construction of a four-lane bridge across the landscape, and the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman, after it reduced the size of its protected area by 90%.Responding to the decision today, the Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said: “I’m hugely disappointed and concerned by this decision to delete Liverpool’s World Heritage status, which comes a decade after Unesco last visited our city to see it with their own eyes.“Our World Heritage site has never been in better condition having benefitted from hundreds of millions of pounds of investment.“Liverpool will always be a World Heritage city. We have a stunning waterfront and incredible heritage that is the envy of other cities.”


FBI hacks hackers’ bitcoin wallet, steals back most of pipeline ransom

The US has recovered most of the US$4.4 million ransom paid to a cyber-criminal gang responsible for taking down the Colonial Pipeline, which carries 45% of the East Coast’s supply of diesel, petrol and jet fuel, last month.The cyber gang DarkSide – which US authorities said operates from eastern Europe and possibly Russia – infiltrated the pipeline and disrupted supplies for several days causing fuel shortages across the eastern US.On Monday, Deputy Attorney-General Lisa Monaco said investigators had “found and recaptured” 63.7 bitcoin worth US$2.3 million, amounting to “the majority” of the ransom paid.In a statement Joseph Blount, chief executive of the Colonial Pipeline Company, said his firm was grateful for the “swift work and professionalism” of the FBI, which helped to recover the ransom.Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo said on Sunday that President Joe Biden would raise the issue of such attacks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a meeting planned for this month.Stealing back a ransom shows how far the US is willing to go to deter cyber-criminals, says the BBC. It sends a powerful message to the gangs who have been operating with impunity for years in states like Russia.The authorities are being vague about exactly how they did it. All they are saying is that the “private key” to the criminal’s bitcoin wallet is in the “possession of the FBI”.With this key, which is effectively a password, agents were able to simply log in and send the digital coins to another wallet they control.After the attack in May, Colonial made a cryptocurrency payment, and in return the company received a decryption tool so it could unlock the systems compromised by the hackers, although that was not enough to restart systems immediately, according to the Wall Street Journal.A Colonial spokesman said that it would take months before some business systems were recovered and estimated that the attack would ultimately cost the company tens of millions of dollars.At the time of the hack, the DarkSide criminal gang acknowledged the incident in a public statement.“Our goal is to make money and not creating problems for society,” DarkSide wrote on its website. “We do not participate in geopolitics, do not need to tie us with a defined government and look for our motives.”


Prospective B40, M40 haj pilgrims identified through Rahmah cash aid list, says religious affairs minister

Prospective pilgrims in the B40 and M40 categories are identified through the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) recipient list while the T20 group is based on individual income of above RM15,000 per month.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the pilgrims fund board (TH) has been working with the government to cross-check information related to the income of prospective haj pilgrims based on the existing database.
"For the 1444H/2023M haj season, 45.7% of those selected are from the B40 group, 52.3% from the M40 group and 2% from the T20 group," he said during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in reply to a question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) who wanted to know the criteria used to classify the B40, M40 and T20 groups in selecting individuals to perform haj for the 1444 Hijrah season.
On the higher haj quota, Mohd Na'im said Malaysia has submitted an application to the Saudi Arabian government and is now awaiting the outcome of the appeal.


Lumpy skin disease detected in Perak cattle

The Perak Department of Veterinary Services (JPV) has detected the lumpy skin disease in cows and buffaloes on a farm in the state.State Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Razman Zakaria said the discovery was made at a farm in Simpang Pulai.He said JPV has been monitoring other farms in the state to ensure that infected cattle are not traded.“The lumpy skin disease has been detected in several areas in Asia and recently here, too. It is being closely monitored by JPV and is under control,” he said at a press conference today.He added that while the disease is spread through close contact with infected animals, it does not affect humans.“The public shouldn’t panic because cattle for slaughter must be approved by JPV to ensure it is disease-free,” he said, adding that a penalty of RM25,000 awaits breeders under Section 31 (4)(a) of the Animals Act 1953 for selling the meat of a diseased animal.Lumpy skin disease cases have been reported since 2019 in Bangladesh (July), India (August) and China (August), while in 2020 it was detected in Nepal (July) and Hong Kong (November), and this year in Sri Lanka (January) and Thailand (April).Caused by a virus, its symptoms include fever, lymph node swelling and nodules on the skin and mucous membranes.


Ukraine hits bridge linking Crimea to mainland in blow to Russian supply route

Ukrainian missiles struck one of the few bridges linking the Crimea Peninsula with the Ukrainian mainland early on Thursday, cutting one of the main supply routes for Russian occupation forces in southern Ukraine as Kyiv pushes to drive them out.
Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Russian-installed administration in occupied parts of Ukraine's Kherson province, released video of himself on the Chonhar road bridge, where craters had been blasted through the asphalt.
"Another meaningless act perpetrated by the Kyiv regime on orders from London. It solves nothing as far as the special military operation is concerned," he said, vowing to repair the bridge and restore traffic.
He threatened to retaliate by targeting a bridge linking neighbouring Moldova to Nato-member Romania: "A very serious response is coming very soon."
The Chonhar bridge hit overnight is one of just a handful of access roads to Crimea, which is linked to the Ukrainian mainland by a narrow isthmus.
Alternative routes require hours-long detours over roads in poor condition. Russia's RIA new agency quoted Russian-installed transport officials in Crimea as saying repairing it could take weeks.
The bridge is beyond range of the battlefield rockets Ukraine has used for a year, but within reach of newly deployed weapons such as British and French air-launched cruise missiles, allowing Kyiv to hit logistics routes Russia had deemed safe just weeks ago.
'Psychological impact'
The strike was "a blow to the military logistics of the occupiers," said Yuriy Sobolevsky, a Ukrainian official on the governing body for the Kherson region.
"The psychological impact on the occupiers and the occupying power is even more important. There is no place on the territory of Kherson region where they can feel safe," he said.
Russian investigators said four missiles had been fired by Ukrainian forces at the bridge, the RIA news agency reported. It quoted a spokesman for military investigators as saying that markings found on the remains of one of the missiles suggested it had been made in France.
Ukraine is attacking Russian supply lines to disrupt Moscow's defence of occupied territory in the south, where Kyiv is in the early stages of its most ambitious counteroffensive of the war.
Kyiv says it has recaptured eight villages so far, but it has yet to commit the bulk of its forces to the fight and its advancing troops have yet to reach the main Russian defensive lines.
In its latest update on the fighting, Ukraine's military reported "partial success" in the southeast and east.
Troops were reinforcing positions they reached after attacking towards the villages of Rivnopil and Staromayorske, said General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovaliov, referring to settlements in a Russian-held area where Ukrainian forces pushing south have so far captured four villages.
He also described fierce fighting in the east, where Ukraine says it has been holding off Russian attacks.
Russia says it has fended off the Ukrainian counterattack and inflicted heavy casualties, which Ukraine denies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that progress has been slow so far, but says his troops are advancing cautiously into heavily mined and well-defended areas to minimise losses.
Zelensky on Thursday accused Russia of planning a terrorist attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, which is in Russian-held territory near the front line. Moscow denied any such plan.


Credit Suisse regulatory compliance head leaving as part of wider overhaul, sources say

Credit Suisse's head of regulatory compliance, Julian Gooding, is leaving Switzerland's second-biggest bank as part of a sweeping overhaul involving thousands of job cuts, people with knowledge of the departure told Reuters.
Gooding was one of the most senior managers in compliance, overseeing anti-fraud measures as well as matters relating to market conduct and investors protection, said the two people, who asked to remain anonymous.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Gooding had been in the role since January 2022 and previously held senior positions as general counsel in various parts of the bank.
Gooding declined to comment when reached on LinkedIn.
The sources said Gooding's departure is not related to Thursday's postponement by Credit Suisse of the publication of its annual report.
Gooding, who has spent about 18 years at Credit Suisse, reported to Nita Patel, the group chief compliance officer, and his responsibilities will be reassigned, the sources added.
Credit Suisse is cutting 9,000 jobs as part of a restructuring plan announced in October to restore profitability after a series of scandals and losses that have drawn regulatory scrutiny and undermined investors confidence.
Last year, the Swiss bank posted its biggest loss since the global financial crisis of 2008 and warned of more pain to come after customers pulled an unprecedented US$117 billion (about RM529 billion).
Gooding's tasks will be assigned to Roger Senteler, chief compliance officer for the wealth management unit, and Alain Bieger, chief compliance officer for the Swiss bank division, the people said.
Patel plans to hold a global town hall meeting with compliance staff later this month, they added.
Separately, Credit Suisse said on Thursday it was delaying its annual report after a last-minute call from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which raised questions about its earlier financial statements and related controls.


Factory linked to water pollution operating illegally since 2014

The factory believed to be involved in the Sungai Gong water pollution has apparently been operating without a licence since activity began in 2014, the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) says.MPS corporate department director Mohamad Zin Masoad said data also showed that the factory never applied for a licence.“We issued the latest notice to them in March, but they ignored it.“Besides operating without a licence, we also found that the factory was built without MPS’ permission,” he said at the factory in Rawang yesterday.Zin said the factory, which repairs heavy machinery, was one of 308 found to be operating illegally in areas under MPS jurisdiction.All 308 were placed on the legalisation process list and given until Dec 31, 2020 to submit the documentation needed for permits.“According to the state government’s directive, we cannot demolish the plants under the legalisation process (introduced in 2012 and extended until Dec 31, 2020).“They were on the list for us to assist them to get operation permits and licences.“We issued the building construction notice in 2014, and the factory operators should have come to MPS to claim or obtain approval for business and building licences. Since they are on the legalisation process list, we give them a chance to come to us,” Zin added.MPS earlier put up a notice at the entrance of the factory stating that it was erected without written permission from the council under Section 70(1) of the Road, Drainage and Building Act 1974.According to the act, the factory operator has three days to submit a plan for approval, failing which it could be demolished by MPS.About five million people in the Klang Valley and Selangor were hit with an unscheduled water disruption last Thursday following oil pollution from the factory which forced the closure of the Sungai Selangor Phase 1, 2, 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants.


Khairy to hold further talks with health minister amid anxiety over AstraZeneca jab

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says he will hold further discussions with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the country.He said the discussion was deemed necessary after taking into consideration public anxiety about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine to be used in the immunisation programme.“I will hold further discussions with Adham on this matter later today after taking into consideration the concerns of the people who discussed it openly on social media yesterday with some even beginning to feel afraid of getting vaccinated.“I will announce (the outcome) tomorrow,” he told reporters after vising the vaccination centre at Dewan Wawasan 2020 in Kangar, Perlis, today.He said despite having scientific data that proves the AstraZeneca is safe, public fear and anxiety should not be ignored.“I have to take into account the opinion of the people who are disturbed by this. We don’t want the vaccine to jeopardise the immunisation programme,” he said.Yesterday, Adham said the AstraZeneca vaccine was safe and would be given to those aged 60 and above in the second phase of the immunisation programme.


53.3% of adults given booster shot as total vaccine jabs top 64 million

A total of 12,473,139 individuals or 53.3% of the adult population had received a Covid-19 booster dose as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow portal, a total of 22,930,943 individuals or 98% of adults have completed their vaccination while 23,206,202 or 99.2% have received at least one dose.In terms of adolescents, a total of 2,792,265 individuals or 88.7% have completed their vaccination while 2,869,845 or 91.2% have received at least one dose.Yesterday, a total of 119,543 vaccine doses were dispensed, 9,321 as first shots, 2,188 as second doses and 108,034 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 64,108,866.Based on the health ministry’s Github portal, nine deaths due to Covid-19 were reported yesterday, with four in Perak and one each in Kedah, Melaka, Pahang, Penang and Selangor.


Germany to send warship to Indo-Pacific with eye on China

The German government plans to send a naval frigate to Japan, South Korea and Australia as part of its new focus on the Indo-Pacific, Nikkei Asia reports.Sailing through the disputed South China Sea to visit other Asian democracies is also in the plan.It is a rare move for Berlin, which has no Indo-Pacific territories of its own, unlike the UK and France.Last autumn, the German cabinet approved new Indo-Pacific guidelines that stress the importance of the rule of law and promoting open markets in the region. The frigate deployment will be a first step in realising the new strategy.Thomas Silberhorn, of the German defence ministry, told Nikkei: “We hope to sail this summer. We want to deepen our ties with our partners in the democratic camp.”He stressed that the plan is “not aimed at anyone” but Berlin clearly seems to have Chinese expansionism in mind.This new Indo-Pacific focus is in line with similar policy shifts in the UK, France and the Netherlands, which have been stepping up their involvement in this geopolitically crucial part of the world.Germany’s increased attention signals that its long-held stance on China to deepen economic ties while avoiding political and human rights issues, is coming to an end as the human-rights-focused Greens look likely to join the next German government.The UK, meanwhile, is preparing to deploy the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and its strike group to Asia between April and June, and France has 8,000 troops in the Indo-Pacific as Paris becomes increasingly aware of Chinese expansionism.Silberhorn said Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own security and not be overly dependent on US military might.The voyage will be a symbolic move in Europe’s policy toward Asia as the region rapidly becomes increasingly wary of China.European countries “have a lot of experience with Russia, but we lack this with Asia,” an EU diplomat told Nikkei. “We need more experience in this region and learn to adjust as we go.”


Mother and sisters arrested in suspected terror plot in southern France

Police in southern France have arrested four women and a girl in an anti-terror swoop after an investigation had revealed a suspected plot to attack a church in the city of Montpellier.A police official in the Herault region confirmed the Saturday arrests in the city of Beziers.Several French news outlets reported earlier that authorities had learned a woman – who has not been publicly identified – was planning a terrorist attack on a church in Montpellier during the Easter holidays.She was said to have been radicalised by watching videos from the Islamic State (IS).The woman was apprehended in a housing project in Beziers, and taken into custody along with her mother and three sisters, one of whom is a minor.During a search of the women’s home, police reportedly found a sword and chemicals that could be used for explosives. At the same time, Le Point magazine cited a source which said the chemicals may have been bought for household use.Beziers Mayor Robert Menard told Le Figaro newspaper that the 18-year-old had “boasted” to neighbours about watching IS videos.He told The Associated Press he spoke with neighbours at the scene, saying, “They’re horrified. They fear it gives a bad image of this neighbourhood, and the Muslim community here.”French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed the operation in a tweet, thanking counter-terrorism agents for their work.A probe has been launched into whether the woman had ties to terrorist groups.Menard told reporters that the detained family were “Islamists”. He added that the city neighbourhood the family live in is “a difficult district affected by massive immigration”.


French president’s party abandons candidate over hijab poster

Laboratory technician Sara Zemmahi was running to be a local councillor backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling party until last month when it withdrew its support.Her misbehaviour: wearing her hijab in a campaign poster, Reuters reports.The 26-year-old and the three other candidates on the same poster are now running as independents in the southern city of Montpellier under the slogan: “Different but united for you.”The row erupted after opposition parties cited the poster as proof Macron was weak on protecting France’s strong secular values.The discussion catapulted Zemmahi into a national ruckus over identity.“We’re not giving up,” she said, still wearing her hijab as she distributed campaign fliers in La Mosson, a low-income Montpellier district that is home to generations of Muslim immigrants from France’s former north African colonies.She said she wanted to focus on promoting equal opportunities and fighting discrimination.“This is my neighbourhood; I was born here. The headscarf wasn’t an issue for the four of us candidates.”However, across France the hijab is becoming a divisive issue.Zemmahi’s campaign photo split Macron’s LaRem party, reflecting deep divisions over how secular laws should be applied, notably after Islam emerged as the country’s second-biggest religion behind Catholicism.For supporters of laïcité, the constitutional foundation of secularism in France, which discourages religious involvement in government affairs, Islamic headwear has become a symbol of the politicisation of Islam, and Muslim resistance to the Republic’s vision of French identity.Laïcité and identity will be central to the campaign battle ahead of the 2022 presidential vote.Current opinion polls show far-right leader Marine Le Pen will be Macron’s biggest challenger.Mahfoud Benali, who heads Zemmahi’s ticket, said France is changing. “I’m in favour of elected officials who reflect society,” he told Reuters.Zemmahi is not dogmatic about her headscarf; she often removes it at her laboratory for hygiene reasons. Her fellow candidates said the campaign photo was meant to illustrate how the four reflected the local demographic.Le Pen’s Rassemblement National party spokesman Roland Lescure told Reuters, “The moment you wear a religious symbol on a campaign poster, it becomes a political act. I prefer that our candidates and our elected officials speak to all citizens.”In the local marketplace, housepainter of North African descent Karim el Ameraouy wished Zemmahi luck, saying, “A veil doesn’t stop you being French.”