Trump indictment ends decades of perceived invincibility - CNA

NEW YORK: When Donald Trump steps before a judge next week to be arraigned in a New York courtroom, it will not only mark the first time a former US president has faced criminal charges. It will also represent a reckoning for a man long nicknamed “Teflon Don”, who until now has managed to skirt serious legal jeopardy despite 40 years of legal scrutiny.

Trump, who is the early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, is expected to turn himself in Tuesday (Apr 4). He faces charges including at least one felony offence related to hush money payments to women during his 2016 campaign. Like any other person facing trial, he will be booked, fingerprinted and photographed before being given the chance to enter a plea.

The spectacle that is sure to unfold will mark an unprecedented moment in American history that will demonstrate once again how dramatically Trump - who already held the distinction of being the first president to be impeached twice - has upended democratic norms. But on a personal level, the indictment pierces the cloak of invincibility that seemed to follow Trump through his decades in business and in politics, as he faced allegations of fraud, collusion and sexual misconduct.

“Boy, after all this time it’s a bit of a shock,” Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio said of the indictment. “You know I always thought of him as the Gingerbread Man, shouting, ‘You can’t catch me!’ as he ran away.”

“Given his track record,” he said, “I had trouble imagining he would ever be held accountable.”

“These are not things that Donald Trump ever thought in his entire life, nor I, for that matter, that he would ever be confronted with,” Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime fixer and a key witness in the case who served jail time for the payments, told CNN.

Of course, some of the celebration by Trump's detractors may be premature. The former president could seek to have a judge quickly dismiss the case. And even if it moves forward, there's no guarantee of conviction. Intensifying investigations in Atlanta and Washington are seen as potentially more serious legal threats.

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2023-04-01 04:32:59Z
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Trump 'shocked' by indictment but 'ready to fight' - CNA

WASHINGTON: Following his historic indictment on criminal charges, Donald Trump was preparing on Friday (Mar 31) to go where no former US president has gone before - a prosecutor's office to be booked, fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken.

Trump's pending arrest, expected on Tuesday, throws a political grenade into the 2024 presidential race, in which the 76-year-old real estate tycoon is hoping to return to the White House.

A New York grand jury indicted Trump on Thursday over a US$130,000 hush-money payment made to a porn star to buy her silence during his 2016 campaign.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused the Manhattan district attorney who brought the charges, Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, of waging a "political witch-hunt" to derail his new White House bid.

Trump's lawyers said the former president, who is currently at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, would surrender to New York authorities on Tuesday to face the charges, which remain under seal.

Extra security has been deployed for days around the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump is expected to be booked and arraigned before a judge.

"The president will not be put in handcuffs," said Joe Tacopina, one of Trump's attorneys.

"I'm sure they'll try to make sure they get some joy out of this by parading him."

Trump would plead not guilty and there was "zero" chance he would accept a plea deal, Tacopina told NBC's Today show.

"It's not going to happen. There's no crime," he said.

Trump was initially "shocked" at the indictment, his attorney said, but "he's now in the posture that he's ready to fight this".

In predicting his indictment, Trump called for protests and warned that it could lead to "potential death and destruction" for the country.

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2023-03-31 16:24:00Z
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No big power should dictate Malaysia's future: PM Anwar - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday (Mar 31) that the Southeast Asian nation will not allow any big power to dictate its decisions and future direction. 

“Nobody should dictate us. As a free and independent nation, we will decide what is best for us,” Mr Anwar was quoted as saying by Bernama on the third day of his official visit to China.

“And we decide based on core values and principles, which are to make sure that we have good governance and policies that will benefit the country and the people.”

He added: “We should also maintain this position in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) because ASEAN was set up as a free and neutral zone.” 

Mr Anwar was responding to a question on the rivalry between China and the United States during a public lecture at the renowned Tsinghua University in Beijing, following his attendance at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in Hainan. 

Inaugurated in 2001, BFA aims to promote common development through regional economic integration.

On Malaysia’s relationship with China, Mr Anwar reportedly said that Malaysia does not see China as a competitor nor a threat, even if some disagreements exist between the two countries. 

“Since there is no outright threat from China, we are happy to be a good neighbour, a friend and to benefit from their success,” he said. 

He added that Malaysia wants to build excellent relationships with all countries, including China and the US. 

Malaysia - along with several ASEAN member states like Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam - is a claimant state in the South China Sea together with China. Other countries like the US and its allies have also challenged China’s territorial claims. 

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2023-03-31 09:18:53Z
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Five key takeaways from the Boao Forum in China - CNA

SAFEGUARDING REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Officials and experts called for efforts to safeguard and advance regional economic integration. This, they said, is crucial for regional and global peace, Global Times reported.

At a panel discussion, Mr Zeng Peiyan, the vice-chairman of the BFA’s Council of Advisors reportedly said that there were “certain countries” that were stirring tension and pushing for an economic “decoupling”.

"We should replace self-importance and dominance with communication and openness. We should especially oppose taking sides and forming small groups and cliques," Mr Zeng was quoted as saying by the Global Times.

"We, Asians, remember vividly the wounds of both cold and hot wars. We know how precious peace and stability is and how important development is."

Separately, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn warned against rising major power rivalry that may escalate into war.

"Competition and escalating tensions are major security challenges," Mr Kao reportedly said, stressing that ASEAN must ensure that it does not become "a proxy" of any party or parties in a major power rivalry.

PM Lee also noted that any clash between the US and China will have grievous consequences for themselves and the world.

“Most worrying is the state of relations between the US and China. Big powers have a heavy responsibility to maintain stable and workable relations with one another, because any clash between them will have grievous consequences, for themselves and the world," the Singapore leader said.

"And yet the US and China are at odds over many intractable issues, including trade and investments, supply chains, cybersecurity, emerging and critical technologies, as well as freedom of navigation.

"We hope that China and the United States will succeed in stabilising their relationship, and establish sufficient mutual trust and respect to cooperate in areas where their interests are aligned."

In a bid to foster closer integration, an initiative that called for more partnership between free trade zones (FTZ) across the world was also launched in Boao, China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported.

Proposed by more than 20 FTZs in China, the UAE and South Korea among others, the initiative is aimed at strengthening cooperation in aviation and shipping networks, logistics and cross-border e-commerce.

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2023-03-31 09:13:00Z
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Donald Trump indicted: What it means and what next for the former US president? - CNA

CAN TRUMP STILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2024?

Trump has said he plans to run for president in 2024.

There is nothing in the US Constitution to prevent Trump from running for the presidency, even if he is being charged, on trial or sentenced.

The US Constitution only lists three qualifications for presidency – he or she must be at least 35 years old, be a natural-born citizen and have lived in the US for at least 14 years.

Trump told reporters previously that he would “absolutely” stay in the race for the presidency even if he was indicted.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION?

As to how it will affect his third bid for the White House, it remains to be seen. The Republicans are united in denouncing Trump’s indictment as a politically motivated attempt to derail his campaign, AFP reported.

Even Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – seen by some as Trump’s potential rival for the Republican nominated – called the indictment “un-American” and a “weaponisation of the legal system”.

Nicholas Creel, a political analyst at Georgia College and State University, said Trump's base in the "Grand Old Party" (GOP) was "simply too bought-in" to abandon him.

"Even now, we see Trump's Republican competitors, such as former vice president Pence, actively defending him in this scandal instead of using it to attack him for his own gain," he told AFP.

"This indicates that Trump's GOP rivals fully understand how his base has an unshakable cult-like devotion to him, one that isn't letting up any time soon."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also criticised Bragg, the Democrat who pushed the criminal inquiry against Trump.

Detractors are worried that if Trump was cleared, it could make it easier to cast any future indictment as a “witch hunt”, as some have called it.

On the left, figures like former White House strategist David Axelrod have characterised the hush money scandal as the least significant of four criminal probes of Trump.

There are also potential racketeering and conspiracy charges in a much more consequential probe of Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results.

And a quasi-independent federal prosecutor is overseeing historic investigations into Trump's mishandling of classified documents and involvement in the 2021 insurrection by his supporters at the US Capitol.

"Trump getting indicted should absolutely ruin his presidential aspirations. It should. But based on the undying support from his base, I do not believe it will," Amani Wells-Onyioha, a Democratic election strategist, told AFP.

"In fact, I think it will give him a surge in the polls and cause his base to rally around him even more."

Democrats in the House also weighed in.

Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic House Speaker, said: "No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence. Hopefully, the former president will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.”

Ted Lieu, another House Democrat, called the indictment a "horrible precedent" but necessary if Trump committed crimes.

Jamaal Bowman, a fellow House Democrat, said: "It's time we ensure Trump is banned from running for any public office again."

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2023-03-31 07:00:00Z
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Trump faces criminal charges in New York, a first for a former US president - CNA

Bragg's office last year won the criminal conviction of the businessman-turned-politician's real estate company for tax fraud.

Trump also faces two criminal investigations by a special counsel appointed by US Attorney General Merrick Garland and one by a local prosecutor in Georgia.

Trump served as president from 2017 to 2021, governing as a right-wing populist. He was impeached twice by the House of Representatives, once in 2019 over his conduct regarding Ukraine and again in 2021 over the attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. He was acquitted by the Senate both times.

Trump falsely claims that his 2020 re-election loss to Democrat Joe Biden was the result of widespread voting fraud.

He leads his early rivals for his party's nomination, holding the support of 44 per cent of Republicans in a March Reuters/Ipsos poll, compared with 30 per cent support for his nearest rival, Florida Governer Ron DeSantis, who has yet to announce his candidacy. Biden is expected to seek re-election.

Trump in 2018 initially disputed knowing anything about the payment to Daniels. He later acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for the payment, which he called a "simple private transaction."

Cohen testified before the Manhattan grand jury, as did David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer. The tabloid publication bought the rights to McDougal's story about her alleged relationship with Trump for US$150,000 but never published it, a method known as "catch and kill" used to bury damaging information about a third party.

In the case that led to the conviction of the Trump Organization on tax fraud charges, Bragg declined to charge Trump himself with financial crimes related to his business practices, prompting two prosecutors who worked on the probe to resign.

Among Trump's ongoing legal woes are a criminal investigation led by Fani Willis, the Democratic district attorney in Georgia's Fulton County, into whether he unlawfully tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in that state.

Special counsel Jack Smith is separately investigating Trump's handling of classified government documents after leaving office and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

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2023-03-30 22:03:00Z
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US-China ties ‘most worrying’: Singapore leader Lee Hsien Loong tells Boao Forum - South China Morning Post

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1. US-China ties ‘most worrying’: Singapore leader Lee Hsien Loong tells Boao Forum  South China Morning Post
2. Regional groupings will help strengthen Asia in a troubled world: PM Lee  The Straits Times
3. Boao Forum: Chinese Premier Steps Up Charm Offensive At Key Business  Bloomberg
4. China’s premier warns against ‘chaos and conflicts’ in Asia  Al Jazeera English
5. Boao forum sends strong signal that China is back in business  The Straits Times
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2023-03-30 09:21:51Z
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China threatens response if US House Speaker meets Taiwan President - The Straits Times

BEIJING/WASHINGTON – China threatened to retaliate on Wednesday if US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during her planned transit of the United States in May, saying any such move would be a “provocation”.

China, which claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly warned US officials not to meet Ms Tsai, viewing it as support for the island’s desire to be seen as a separate country.

China staged war games around Taiwan in August 2022 when then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and Taiwan’s armed forces have said they are keeping watch for any Chinese moves when Ms Tsai is abroad.

Ms Tsai is going to Guatemala and Belize, transiting through New York and Los Angeles on the way back. While not officially confirmed, she is expected to meet Mr McCarthy while in California.

Speaking in Beijing shortly before Ms Tsai left, Ms Zhu Fenglian, a spokesman of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said that Ms Tsai’s “transits” of the US were not just her waiting at the airport or hotel, but for her to meet US officials and lawmakers.

“If she contacts US House Speaker McCarthy, it will be another provocation that seriously violates the one China principle, harms China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and destroys peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” she said.

“We firmly oppose this and will definitely take measures to resolutely fight back,” Ms Zhu added, without giving details.

Ms Tsai’s transits will come at a time when US relations with China are at what some analysts see as their worst level since Washington normalised ties with Beijing in 1979 and switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei.

Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue and a major bone of contention with Washington, which, like most countries, maintains only unofficial ties with Taipei.

However, the US government is required by US law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

No reason to overreact

The US says such transits by Taiwanese presidents are routine and that China should not use Ms Tsai’s trip to take any aggressive moves against Taiwan.

The US sees no reason for China to overreact to planned transits of the US this week and next month by Taiwan’s president, senior US officials said ahead of Ms Tsai’s departure.

A senior US official said that in her previous transits, Ms Tsai had engaged in a range of activities, including meetings with members of Congress, the Taiwanese diaspora and other groups.

“So, there is absolutely no reason for Beijing to use this upcoming transit as an excuse or a pretext to carry out aggressive or coercive activities aimed at Taiwan,” the official said.

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2023-03-29 11:52:06Z
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Eu Yan Sang ordered to recall Brown Rice Si Shen powder due to excess toxin, chemical presence - CNA

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has directed traditional Chinese medicine maker Eu Yan Sang Singapore to recall two batches of its Brown Rice Si Shen powder, after detecting aflatoxin and arsenic elements beyond permissible levels.

The affected batches have the numbers 120 and 121, with respective expiry dates of May 13, 2024 and May 17, 2024, according to an SFA release on Wednesday (Mar 29).

The agency said it detected the aflatoxin B1 carcinogen and arsenic chemical in samples of the powder product, at levels exceeding the maximum limit stated in Singapore's food regulations.

Long-term intake of aflatoxins can cause cancer and liver damage, while long-term intake of arsenic can cause cancer and skin changes.

“Exposure through food, especially those meant for young children, should be kept as low as possible,” SFA said.

Consumers who bought the implicated products are advised not to feed it to their children, it added.

Those whose children have consumed the products, and who have concerns about their children’s health, should seek medical advice.

Consumers may also contact their point of purchase for enquiries, said SFA.

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2023-03-29 11:01:13Z
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Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen defiant after China threatens retaliation for US trip - CNA

TAOYUAN: External pressure will not stop Taiwan engaging with the world, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday (Mar 29) as she left for the United States, hitting a defiant note after China threatened retaliation if she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

China on Wednesday threatened to retaliate if McCarthy meets Tsai, saying that any such move would be a "provocation".

China, which claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, has repeatedly warned US officials not to meet Tsai, viewing it as support for the island's desire to be seen as a separate country.

China staged war games around Taiwan last August when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and Taiwan's armed forces have said that they are keeping watch for any Chinese moves when Tsai is abroad.

Tsai is going to Guatemala and Belize, transiting through New York first and Los Angeles on the way back.

While not officially confirmed, she is expected to meet McCarthy while in California, at the end of her trip.

That would be the first meeting on US soil between a House Speaker and a Taiwanese leader, and the prospect has angered Beijing.

"External pressure will not hinder our determination to go to the world," Tsai said at Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan.

"We are calm and confident, will neither yield nor provoke. Taiwan will firmly walk on the road of freedom and democracy and go into the world. Although this road is rough, Taiwan is not alone."

Speaking in Beijing shortly before Tsai left, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that Tsai's "transits" of the United States were not just her waiting at the airport or hotel, but for her to meet US officials and lawmakers.

"If she has contact with US House Speaker McCarthy, it will be another provocation that seriously violates the 'One China' principle, harms China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and destroys peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," she said.

"We firmly oppose this and will definitely take measures to resolutely fight back," Zhu added, without giving details.

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2023-03-29 04:05:00Z
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Mahathir gives PM Anwar 7 days to retract 'slanderous' claims or face legal action - The Straits Times

Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has demanded that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim retract “slanderous” claims that he had enriched himself and his family while in power.

If Datuk Seri Anwar fails to respond within seven days to the letter of demand dated March 27, Tun Dr Mahathir said he will proceed with legal action.

“These are terrible accusations and give a very bad impression of me. It is slander, unless he can show proof that I have billions of ringgit, I channelled money overseas and I don’t pay taxes,” he told the Malaysian media on Tuesday.

In a speech at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s congress on March 18, Mr Anwar had alluded to someone “who had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months” using his position to enrich his family and himself.

While Mr Anwar did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, he also said the person was complaining about Malays losing their dominance only after he was no longer in power.

Dr Mahathir demanded on Monday that the Prime Minister back his claim.

On Tuesday, he said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because “I was in power for 22 years and 22 months”.

Dr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice – from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 – and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 General Election.

“Although I have heard similar remarks which he made in the past, but at that time he was not prime minister. Now he is prime minister, and prime ministers have the responsibility to not simply make such accusations without any clear proof,” Dr Mahathir added.

He also said he will continue to be politically active as he believes the people still need his experience, adding that he could not say no if people sought him out for advice.

“For the love of the country... if someone comes and asks me for help, I could not say ‘I am sorry I cannot help because I want to rest’. I still have ideas and (if asked) I’m ready to share,” he said.

Dr Mahathir and Mr Anwar used to have a close relationship, with the former calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege.

He anointed Mr Anwar his successor, but later, amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead “because of his character”.

Between his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption – charges that he said were politically motivated.

After decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional coalition – only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.

The last election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.

Mr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, raced against each other to become premier.

The situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional to form a unity government.

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2023-03-28 12:30:53Z
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Senior citizen in Johor dies after eating pufferfish - The Straits Times

KLUANG, Johor - A senior citizen from Johor has died after eating pufferfish, while her husband is now hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU).

According to Johor health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon, the 83-year-old woman and her husband, 84, from the village of Chamek, ordered the fish, known in Malay as ikan buntal, through social media.

The couple received the fish on Saturday morning, Mr Ling said.

Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily reported that the couple ordered the fish from a fishmonger through Facebook.

“They cleaned and cooked the fish for lunch and around 3pm, the woman started shivering and having breathing difficulties,” Mr Ling told The Star on Tuesday. “About an hour later, her husband began displaying similar symptoms.”

Mr Ling said the couple’s son rushed his parents to Hospital Enche’ Hajjah Kalsom’s emergency unit for treatment.

“The woman was pronounced dead at around 7pm while her husband is still in the ICU,” he added.

It is understood that this was the couple’s first time eating pufferfish.

Mr Ling added that the fish they ordered came from a fisherman from the coastal Johor town of Mersing and was processed by a distributor in Batu Pahat.

He said that the seller is also from Batu Pahat and had sold the fish online, adding that 15kg of the fish was sold to four customers in Chamek and the nearby district of Paloh. Another fish was sold to a customer in the town of Yong Peng on the same day.

“Besides the couple, the other customers have yet to consume the fish but the Health Department has obtained samples of the fish from the seller for analysis.

“The public are advised to be careful about what they consume, especially when it comes to food with known risks,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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2023-03-28 09:44:17Z
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Russian plan for nukes in Belarus raises questions - CNA

HOW AND WHERE

As often with nuclear policy, few details of the Russian plans have been made public, leaving many unanswered questions.

For instance, it is unclear how the weapons would be delivered if the order to use them in anger ever came.

Putin said that "10 (Belarusian) planes are ready for this type of weapon to be used" and that Russia has also sent a nuclear-capable Iskander missile system.

Moscow will start training crews on Apr 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by Jul 1.

"So far there is no sign of this construction work. It seems relatively unlikely that it can be completed in three months," said Marc Finaud, deputy president of the France-based Initiatives for Nuclear Disarmament (IDN).

"We can be confident that all the world's spy satellites are scanning Belarus" to see how far Putin's announcements are reflected in reality, he added.

Independent Russian expert Pavel Podvig said: "It is very unlikely - in my view impossible - that actual nuclear weapons will be moved to Belarus."

WHICH PUTIN TO BELIEVE?

While Putin has been dangling the threat of nuclear war, Russia's doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons has not changed.

And the post-invasion rhetoric goes against previous promises by Moscow.

In January 2022 Russia signed a declaration alongside the other permanent members of the UN Security Council that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought".

Although global politics has since undergone an epochal shift, Putin struck a similar note last week during the visit to Moscow by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has refrained from publically supporting the invasion.

"There can be no winners in a nuclear war, and it must never be unleashed," the two said in the joint declaration.

Former diplomat Finaud noted that the Chinese and Russian leaders also pledged that "no nuclear weapon should be stationed on foreign soil".

Putin is "violating Russia's own constantly stated position", he added.

PROLIFERATION

As often when Putin raises the rhetorical temperature, Western governments sought to project calm.

"We have not seen any indication that he (Putin) has made good on this pledge or moved any nuclear weapons around," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Sunday.

"For now it's just an announcement. There's no immediate danger of nuclear use," Finaud agreed - while warning that any movement of warheads risks falling foul of human error, hijacking or accidents.

There is also a clear downside for Putin in making nuclear threats too often.

"All of the huffing and puffing about nuclear weapons drives up demand for deterrence in NATO countries, too," Lewis said.

"That's largely why you see Sweden and Finland seeking security through NATO membership".

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on Monday recalled that so-called "tactical" weapons can reach an explosive force of up to 100 kilotonnes - compared with just 16 for the bomb that "destroyed Hiroshima and killed 140,000 people" in August 1945.

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2023-03-27 14:12:00Z
1870983156

Mahathir says Malays 'lost everything' after he resigned as PM - CNA

Dr Mahathir on Monday demanded that Mr Anwar furnish the proof of his allegations.

“Making accusations is easy. But accusations that are not clearly proven, cannot be accepted as true. It is slander,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also accused the current government under Mr Anwar of rejecting the country’s Constitution after a pro-Malay gathering was called off. 

A Malay rights event had been set to take place on Mar 19 in Kuala Lumpur, with Dr Mahathir in attendance as the guest of honour. It was cancelled after two venues withdrew their permission for the event.  

Dr Mahathir on Monday said that he had participated in the event - organised by a group called Sekretariat Tanah Air - to make the Malays in the country aware of their problems by launching the “Malay Proclamation”. 

He also claimed that the content of the planned event complied with the provisions of the constitutions of the country and that of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). 

He added that obstruction of the launch meant that the government rejected both the country and UMNO’s constitutions.

“UMNO did not object. UMNO no longer adheres to the goals of its establishment. That is why other factions need to be held to protect the rights of Malays and other Bumiputeras.

“When the Government prevents other parties from launching this proclamation, it betrays the promise in the National Constitution. That is why the Malays should be concerned about the government led by Anwar Ibrahim,” said Dr Mahathir.

He had previously criticised the government when the event was first called off, claiming that the current administration was a “dictatorship” that does not “allow the people to voice their opinions or criticise it”. 

Free Malaysia Today reported then that Dr Mahathir said that he had no proof but was convinced that Mr Anwar was behind the cancellation as “nothing like this can be done without his consent or directive”. 

Before the cancellation of the event, Mr Anwar had ordered security forces to be on alert against those fanning racial and religious flames in the country. 

“Any effort by anyone who tries to … heat up the racial or religious temperature in this country will not be allowed,” Mr Anwar told a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Mar 17. 

In the 15th General Elections last year, Dr Mahathir failed to defend his Langkawi seat, losing his deposit after finishing fourth in a five-cornered fight. 

It was his first electoral defeat in 53 years.

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2023-03-27 07:55:00Z
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Gap grows between TikTok users, lawmakers on potential ban - CNA

NEW YORK: On the one side are dozens of lawmakers on Capitol Hill issuing dire warnings about security breaches and possible Chinese surveillance.

On the other are about 150 million TikTok users in the US who just want to be able to keep making and watching short, fun videos offering makeup tutorials and cooking lessons, among other things.

The disconnect illustrates the uphill battle that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle face in trying to convince the public that China could use TikTok as a weapon against the American people. But many users on the platform are more concerned about the possibility of the government taking away their favourite app.

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi said during a nearly six-hour congressional hearing Thursday (Mar 23) that the platform has never turned over user data to the Chinese government, and wouldn’t do so if asked.

Nevertheless, lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies continue to raise alarms that Chinese law compels Chinese companies like TikTok's parent company ByteDance to fork over data to the government for whatever purposes it deems to involve national security. There is also concern Beijing might try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation through the platform.

“I want to say this to all the teenagers out there, and TikTok influencers who think we’re just old and out of touch and don’t know what we’re talking about, trying to take your favourite app,” said Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw during the hearing. “You may not care that your data is being accessed now, but you will be one day.”

Many TikTok users reacted to the hearing by posting videos critical of lawmakers who grilled Chew and frequently cut him off from speaking. Some called a potential TikTok ban, as some lawmakers and the Biden administration have reportedly threatened, the “biggest scam” of the year. And others blamed the surge of scrutiny on the platform on another tech rival, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

But few expressed fear of possible Chinese surveillance or security breaches that lawmakers continue to amplify as they look to rein in TikTok.

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2023-03-26 15:28:00Z
1845346457

Kyiv calls for UN Security Council session over Putin's nuclear plans - CNA

It demanded a Security Council session and also called on the Group of Seven countries and the European Union to warn Belarus of "far-reaching consequences" if it decides to accept the Russian weapons.

Putin said in his remarks on Saturday that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had requested the stationing of the weapons. Minsk has not yet commented publicly on Putin's announcement.

The Belarusian army has not formally fought in Ukraine but Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops into Ukraine last year. The two countries share a close military relationship.

"Ukraine calls on all members of the international community to convey to the criminal (P)utin regime the categorical unacceptability of its next nuclear provocations and to take decisive measures to effectively deter and prevent any possibility of the aggressor state's use of nuclear weapons," the Ukrainian statement said.

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2023-03-26 14:20:13Z
1870983156

US House speaker says lawmakers to move forward with TikTok Bill - CNA

WASHINGTON: US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday (Mar 26) lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China's government had access to the short video app's user data.

In the United States, there are growing calls to ban TikTok, owned by China-based company ByteDance, or to pass bipartisan legislation to give President Joe Biden's administration legal authority to seek a ban. Devices owned by the US government were recently banned from having the app installed.

"The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said on Twitter.

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi appeared before a US House Committee for about five hours on Thursday, and lawmakers from both parties grilled him about national security and other concerns involving the app, which has 150 million American users.

In Thursday's hearing, the TikTok CEO was asked if of the app, has spied on Americans at Beijing's request. Chew answered, "No".

Republican Representative Neal Dunn then referenced the company's disclosure in December that some China-based employees at ByteDance improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company. He repeated his question about whether ByteDance was spying.

"I don't think that spying is the right way to describe it," Chew said. He went on to describe the reports as involving an "internal investigation" before being cut off.

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2023-03-26 14:46:00Z
1845346457

Ukraine says Russia took Belarus 'hostage' with tactical nukes plan - CNA

Strongman Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus for almost 30 years, is a key Putin ally.

Back in February 2022, Minsk allowed the Kremlin to launch its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Fears have since risen that Belarus may join its ally's offensive, but Lukashenko said he would do so "only if attacked".

"NOTHING UNUSUAL"

In an interview broadcasted Saturday, Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was "nothing unusual".

"The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said.

Putin said he spoke to Lukashenko and said "we agreed to do the same."

Russia will start training crews on Apr 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by Jul 1.

Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were "rising" globally but that Moscow would not deploy first.

The Russian leader said renewed discussions with Lukashenko on the issue were spurred by a British official's suggestion to send depleted uranium weapons to Ukraine.

Russia will respond if the West supplied Ukraine with such ammunition, he added.

"Russia of course has what it needs to answer. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet."

He said the weapons "can be classified as the most harmful and hazardous for humans ... and also for the environment".

Depleted uranium munitions are highly effective at piercing armour plate, but their use is controversial.

The metal is toxic for the soldiers who use the weapons and for civilians in areas where they are fired.

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2023-03-26 12:28:41Z
1870983156

Founder of Din Tai Fung chain, globally known for its xiao long bao, dies aged 96 - CNA

SINGAPORE: The founder of global restaurant chain Din Tai Fung has died at the age of 96. The eatery, known for its steamed dumplings or xiao long bao, was founded in Taiwan in 1958.

According to Taiwan media, a statement by the company on Saturday (Mar 25) said Mr Yang Bing-yi died peacefully and that his family has asked for privacy as they arrange his funeral.

Mr Yang was born in 1927 in China's Shanxi province, according to Din Tai Fung's website. In 1948, while China was engulfed in civil war, the 21-year-old left for Taiwan.

Mr Yang and his wife started their own cooking oil business 10 years later, and called it Din Tai Fung. But in the early 1970s, sales took a big hit after tinned cooking oil became widely available.

It was then that the couple dedicated half their shopfront to selling xiao long bao instead of cooking oil.

With the ensuing success, Din Tai Fung closed its oil business and officially became a restaurant specialising in xiao long bao and other Chinese dishes.

Today, Din Tai Fung has more than 170 locations in 13 countries and territories.

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2023-03-26 07:47:00Z
1872772614

Honduras ends decades-long diplomatic ties with Taiwan - CNA

TAIPEI: Taiwan on Sunday (Mar 26) confirmed it had ended its decades-long diplomatic relations with Honduras after the Central American country said it was seeking to open relations with Beijing as the "only legitimate government" representing China.

Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu confirmed the severing of ties at a news conference in Taipei and said it would close its embassy in Honduras and withdraw its ambassador there.

Earlier, the Honduran foreign ministry said in a post on Twitter: "The government of Honduras recognises the existence of just one China."

"The government of China is the only legitimate government that represents all of China ... Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory."

The flag of Honduras was removed from inside Taiwan's foreign ministry, according to a Reuters witness.

The Honduran foreign minister travelled to China this week to open relations after President Xiomara Castro said her government would start ties with Beijing, Honduras being one of only 14 countries to formally recognise Taiwan.

China views Taiwan as one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties, a view the democratically elected government in Taipei strongly disputes.

The decision by Honduras to cut ties prompted warnings from the de facto US embassy in Taipei on Saturday that China often makes promises in exchange for recognition that remain unfulfilled.

After a recent meeting with US officials, the Honduran foreign minister said the US "respects" Honduras' decision to move towards establishing formal diplomatic ties with China.

Taiwan disputed the foreign minister's comments.

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2023-03-26 01:28:00Z
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'We want accountability', say Batang Kali landslide survivors as they urge release of investigation report - CNA

Ms Wong, whose close friend died in the landslide, said she still grapples with traumatic memories of the incident. Her friend, Mr Eric Wong Chai Chong, was found dead while hugging one of his three dogs. 

Ms Wong told CNA that Mr Wong, who was in his 60s, was with his dogs in a tent next to hers. She was in her tent with her own three dogs as well as another friend. 

When the landslide occurred, Ms Wong said she was awoken to a “very loud sound” and found herself trapped when soil and trees covered the tent she was sleeping in. 

“The soil had covered me and my friend couldn’t pull me out. The neighbours (at the camping ground) cut open the tent, lifted the trees and managed to pull me out,” she said, adding that all three of her dogs survived the landslide.

Two of them, however, had gone missing for a few days before being found close to the site.

“Since the incident, I have not taken the initiative to go hiking. I never expected to be affected in this way,” she told CNA. 

She said that she is reminded of the landslide each time she sees a hill or a mountainside that has been cleared.

“It brings back a lot of (memories of) what happened that night,” said Ms Wong, who is in her 40s. 

She added: “There have been a lot of ‘what if’ questions. What if it had happened in the afternoon, and not in the night when everyone was sleeping?” 

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2023-03-25 22:00:00Z
CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1iYXRhbmcta2FsaS1sYW5kc2xpZGUtaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbi1yZXBvcnQtZmF0aGVycy1vcmdhbmljLWZhcm0tMzM3MTM2MdIBAA

India's Gandhi vows to keep fighting after removal from parliament - CNA

NEW DELHI: Top Indian opposition figure Rahul Gandhi said Saturday (Mar 25) he would keep fighting for democracy after blaming his expulsion from parliament on his demands for a probe into a key business ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi, 52, was stripped of his parliamentary seat on Friday, a day after he was convicted of defamation in Modi's home state of Gujarat for a 2019 campaign-trail remark seen as an insult to the premier.

Modi's government has been widely accused by political opponents and rights groups of using the law to target and silence critics, but Gandhi said he would not bow to intimidation.

"I will do whatever I have to do to defend the democratic nature of this country," he told reporters.

"They are used to everybody being scared of them," he said, in reference to the ruling party. "I am not scared of them."

The removal from parliament of Modi's chief opponent comes at a time when the prime minister's relationship with Gautam Adani, one of India's most powerful industrialists, has been under scrutiny.

Modi has been a close associate of Adani for decades but the latter's business empire has been subject of renewed attention this year after a US investment firm accused it of "brazen" corporate fraud.

Gandhi's opposition Congress party has for weeks demanded a proper investigation by parliament of the allegations.

"I have been disqualified because the prime minister ... is scared of the next speech that is going to come on Adani," Gandhi told reporters.

"I will continue to ask the question - what is the prime minister's relationship with Mr. Adani?"

Congress supporters held small protests in several cities around the country on Saturday to protest against Gandhi's removal as a lawmaker.

"DUE JUDICIAL PROCESS"

Gandhi is the leading face of Congress, once the dominant force of Indian politics but now a shadow of its former self.

He is the scion of India's most famous political dynasty and the son, grandson and great-grandson of former prime ministers, beginning with independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

But he has struggled to challenge the electoral juggernaut of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its nationalist appeals to the country's Hindu majority.

The lower house of parliament ruled him ineligible to continue sitting as an MP on Friday, a day after his conviction in the defamation case.

The prosecution stemmed from a remark made during the 2019 election campaign in which Gandhi had asked why "all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname".

His comments were seen as a slur against the prime minister, who went on to win the election in a landslide.

Members of the government also said the remark was a smear against all those sharing the Modi surname, which is associated with the lower rungs of India's traditional caste hierarchy.

Gandhi was sentenced to two years imprisonment on Thursday but walked free on bail after his lawyers vowed to appeal.

A BJP spokesman said Thursday that the court acted with "due judicial process" in arriving at its judgement.

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2023-03-25 12:24:56Z
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Concerns grow in Malaysia over freedom of expression under Anwar government - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR – Concerns have been growing among civil society groups in Malaysia over freedom of expression since Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister four months ago. 

Despite spending decades campaigning on a reform platform, which included promises of greater civil liberties, he and the Pakatan Harapan coalition he leads have done little to change perceived oppressive laws that were long used by previous governments against their critics.

Members of Mr Anwar’s own coalition have previously been arrested or imprisoned under national security and sedition laws when they were in the opposition.

Incidents of public rallies being probed by the police, investigations over online criticism and calls by government politicians to use the colonial-era sedition laws have all continued under Mr Anwar’s administration since he came into power in November 2022. 

At the centre of these moves is his own pursuit of his political critics from the opposition Perikatan Nasional. Defamation lawsuits and criminal defamation reports have been filed against them, including opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin.

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), a collective of lawyers pushing for civil liberties, said recently that using the police to protect Mr Anwar from criticism is “unlawful and despotic”.

“Has Anwar Ibrahim forgotten that during the Najib era, the then opposition Pakatan Harapan was at the receiving end of similar police investigations for criticism of then Prime Minister Najib (Razak)? Have Anwar and his political coalition learnt nothing from the persecution they were then subjected to?” LFL director Zaid Malek said in a statement.

The authorities have also pursued individuals who are behind online criticism directed at the government, as they mooted strengthening a controversial provision under the Communications and Multimedia Act to further regulate social media.

Individuals participating in a Women’s March rally earlier in March and a rally supporting Muhyiddin after he was briefly detained for corruption were also investigated by the authorities.

Government leaders have reiterated their commitment to civil liberties but have opted to prioritise economic challenges and political stability as their main agenda.

This is partly due to Mr Anwar leading a mixed coalition unity government, whose members include former rival Barisan Nasional (BN), which is led by Umno. It was BN that introduced and used many of the provisions limiting civil liberties.

Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, a vice-president in Mr Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said the Premier – who was jailed twice on sodomy and corruption charges that he maintains were politically motivated – remains committed to the cause, but reforms are a “staggered” process and will not be achieved overnight. 

“We have to go for institutional reforms first. We have to do things slowly and in a staggered manner, before we can go for certain symbols of freedom,” he told The Straits Times on Wednesday.

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2023-03-25 06:40:55Z
CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL2NvbmNlcm5zLWdyb3ctaW4tbWFsYXlzaWEtb3Zlci1mcmVlZG9tLW9mLWV4cHJlc3Npb24tdW5kZXItYW53YXItZ292ZXJubWVudNIBAA

New Zealand raises concerns with China on South China Sea, Taiwan - CNA

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Saturday (Mar 25) she had expressed concerns over the South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait during talks with her Chinese counterpart at the end of a visit to Beijing.

Mahuta also said in a statement she "noted New Zealand’s deep concerns regarding the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong", during her meeting with Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang.

"Nanaia Mahuta expressed concerns over developments in the South China Sea and increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait," the foreign minister's statement said.

Mahuta said she reiterated New Zealand’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. China is a key ally of Russia and both have criticised the US and NATO for undermining global stability.

Mahuta arrived in China on Wednesday for the four-day trip, the first by a New Zealand minister since 2019, and also met China's top diplomat Wang Yi as well as business and women leaders.

Wang told Mahuta that China and New Zealand had always respected and trusted each other, according to a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry.

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2023-03-25 02:19:00Z
1857930725

Rahul Gandhi, the 'prince' of Indian politics who lost his parliament seat - CNA

At the heart of his central role in opposition politics is the fact that his party has ruled India for 54 of its 75 years since independence from Britain, and his father, grandmother and great-grandfather were prime ministers for more than 37 of those 54 years.

Congress was the largest national political party with a footprint across the country of 1.4 billion people until it was overtaken by the BJP in 2014.

Although now a shadow of its former self, the Gandhi family - which includes Rahul's Italian-born mother and former party chief Sonia, and his sister Priyanka - still dominates Congress and commands fierce loyalty.

It is this potent lineage and legacy that Modi and his party seek to attack when they say dynastic politics has no role in a democracy, analysts say.

Even though Congress withered in 2019, winning less than 10 per cent of the 545 seats in the lower house, it commanded nearly 20 per cent of the vote - the largest for any opposition group - against the BJP's 38 per cent.

Congress is the ruling party, or the main opposition in about half a dozen important states.

NON-SERIOUS POLITICIAN?

Gandhi entered politics and was first elected to parliament in 2004 from his family borough of Amethi in the northern heartland state of Uttar Pradesh.

He repeated that victory in 2009 and 2014 but suffered a shock setback in 2019 when he lost the seat. However, he had also contested a seat in the Kerala state and won there to return to parliament.

Gandhi's attendance in parliament has been far below the average. His frequent absences from the chamber, and the country, have been the focus of the media and drawn BJP accusations that he is a "non-serious" politician.

Outside parliament, he has often reminded his supporters of his family's commitment and sacrifices, talking about the assassinations of his grandmother, then prime minister Indira Gandhi, and his former prime minister father, Rajiv Gandhi.

Of late, he has been stirring controversy with criticism of the BJP.

In Britain last month he said in a speech that democracy was in danger under Modi, angering the BJP whose members demanded an apology or said he should face exclusion from the chamber.

On Thursday, after his conviction, he simply posted on Twitter some words in Hindi from freedom movement leader, Mahatma Gandhi, who is not a relation.

"My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it. - Mahatma Gandhi".

Single at 52, Gandhi is known to be a fitness and martial arts enthusiast and has been seen cycling in New Delhi accompanied by security men.

His conviction and disqualification from parliament is now "make or break" for him, said Neelanjan Sircar, a senior visiting fellow at New Delhi's Centre for Policy Research.

"Will he be able to make the argument that 'I am being targeted by a government that does not necessarily represent the interest of all Indians', or is he going to be seen as somebody who is not a capable politician and therefore has been outplayed by the BJP," Sircar told Reuters.

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2023-03-24 13:50:46Z
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TikTok ban will make US-China tensions 'even worse', analysts say - CNA

In December last year, TikTok and its parent company ByteDance admitted that ByteDance employees had inappropriately accessed the IP addresses of American users, including journalists writing critical stories about the company.

The Justice Department is investigating whether that amounted to improper surveillance of Americans.

China’s data security laws also state that it can demand data from its corporations, said Assoc Prof Chong. 

“Unless ByteDance and TikTok have some legal carve-out in the PRC, which is unlikely, they remain subject to those laws as well as those of any jurisdiction in which they operate,” he told CNA. 

“Left unresolved, this point is likely to be a major obstacle to the resolution of differences TikTok has with the US government.” 

Washington also has concerns about disinformation, propaganda and child safety on social media platforms, said Assoc Prof Chong, noting TikTok's claims of enhancing content moderation.

For its part, China has also removed access to the Twitter platform and ejected Google services and Facebook from its borders. 

What's happening with TikTok has some precedent and is “just the current round of contention over technology”, said Assoc Prof Chong. 

“In some respects, this tit-for-tat behaviour is common to contested relationships.”

Dr Lim Tai Wei, an adjunct senior research fellow with NUS’ East Asian Institute, said the spectre of a TikTok ban has been around since Donald Trump was US president.

“It will add on to the coterie of issues that are part of the decoupling, Cold War-like relations between the two superpowers,” he said. 

A TikTok ban will likely further advance the tech decoupling between the two countries, and could move the competition from semiconductor chips to the digital realm, Dr Lim added. 

Amid the decoupling, any move to ban TikTok also sends a signal of “you are either with China or the US”, said Asst Prof Ho.

Dr Chen said the US has accepted "asymmetrical" use of Chinese tech companies for many years now.

The present-day frostiness between US and China is what is facilitating the push for a TikTok ban, he added. 

“If the relationship is friendly, beneficial to both sides like what it was before, I do not think this kind of thing would happen."

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2023-03-24 11:40:23Z
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China says does not ask firms for foreign data as TikTok row grows - CNA

PROJECT TEXAS

A ban would be an unprecedented act on a media company by the US government, cutting off the country's 150 million monthly users from an app that has become a cultural powerhouse - especially for young people.

"TikTok has repeatedly chosen the path for more control, more surveillance and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned," committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said.

Supporters of TikTok and free speech activists criticised the hearing as political theatre and urged against an outright ban.

"Taking a bludgeon to TikTok, and by extension to Americans' First Amendment protections, is not the right solution to the risks that TikTok poses to the privacy of Americans and to the national security of the United States," said Nadine Farid Johnson of PEN America, which defends free speech.

And Beijing noted on Friday that "some in the US congress stated that seeking a ban of TikTok is a xenophobic political persecution".

TikTok still hopes to appease the authorities.

Chew's testimony promoted the company's elaborate plan - known as Project Texas - to satisfy national security concerns, under which the handling of US data will be ring-fenced into a US-run division.

But lawmakers poured doubts on the project, saying it would do nothing to remove their concerns that TikTok was vulnerable to China.
 

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2023-03-24 08:49:00Z
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Certis officer hit by car at Tuas Checkpoint, suffers severe head injury - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – An auxiliary police officer suffered severe head injury after he was hit by a car at Tuas Checkpoint in the early hours of Friday morning.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday that it was alerted to the accident involving a Singapore-registered car at 12.55am.

“Preliminary investigations reveal the car driver was driving at a high speed before hitting the auxiliary police officer stationed outside the observation post at the entry of the departure car zone at Tuas Checkpoint,” it added.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force and Traffic Police were called to the scene immediately. The officer, who is employed by Certis, and the driver were taken to the National University Hospital.

ICA and Certis are in contact with the officer’s family to provide the necessary support. Police investigations are ongoing.

ICA said in a Facebook post at 3am that the accident had blocked all three lanes leading towards the departure car and motorbike zone at Tuas Checkpoint. It urged motorists to use the departure cargo lanes instead and to expect delays.

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2023-03-23 22:34:33Z
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Xi's Moscow visit risks further emboldening Putin: Analysts - CNA

China's peace plan was "obviously very strongly in Russia's favour", she said, adding that Beijing was ready to give Moscow "time to end the war in its favour", albeit with implicit backing rather than pro-active support.

"Certainly, Putin would have wished for more - especially on a gas deal with China - but the optics of the visit were so important to him that he accepts Russia's increasing dependence on China," she said.

"GIFT TO PUTIN"

The visit was "perceived by the non-Western world as a counterweight to the decision" of the ICC, said Alexander Baunov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

It's "as if the Chinese leader had broken the curse on Putin" after the warrant was issued, he said.

Sam Greene, director of democratic resilience at the CEPA think tank in Washington, described the visit as a "gift" to Putin - unless there is a new twist like telephone talks between Xi and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though none have been announced.

It is "essentially permission from Beijing to keep fighting. It is, though, Xi's only gift to Putin", Greene wrote on Twitter.

China has not applied Western sanctions against Moscow, instead increasing its imports of hydrocarbons from Russia and maintaining economic interests in Russia during the invasion.

Xi's recent peace proposals have largely garnered scepticism on the West, in particular the United States.

For Antoine Bondaz, a specialist in Chinese foreign policy at the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), "what is at stake today for China in the war in Ukraine is not the future of Ukraine... It's the Sino-American rivalry and the desire to discredit Western countries".

Xi's trip to Moscow represents "anything but distancing" by China from Russia, he added.

"MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE"

While Xi and Putin sought to emphasise their friendship and respect in their meetings - addressing each other constantly as "dear" - China is very much the senior partner.

Its population and economy dwarf those of its neighbour, where thinly populated regions in the Russian far east keep a wary eye on booming Chinese megacities on the other side of the Amur river that forms part of their border.

Xi's support is crucial for Putin as he insists that it is only the West that opposes his invasion of Ukraine, and not the international community as a whole.

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2023-03-23 13:52:42Z
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Singaporean TikTok CEO testifies before US Congress over company's China ties - The Straits Times

In his opening remarks, Mr Chew distanced himself and the company from the Chinese government by telling Congress lawmakers he was born in Singapore and attended college in Britain and the US, where he met his wife.

He added that TikTok’s headquarters are in Los Angeles.

In defending the social media platform, Mr Chew pointed out TikTok’s benefits to children and young people.

He said educational videos, such as those on mathematics and science, have been watched more than 116 billion times on the platform.

On the issue of collecting data, Mr Chew said TikTok does not collect more data than other tech companies, saying the app neither collects precise GPS location information nor health data.

Tiktok is committed to being very transparent, he added.

“We do not promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government”, he said, adding that “it is our commitment to this committee and all our users that we will keep (TikTok) free from any manipulation by any government.”

But the top Democrat on the panel, Representative Frank Pallone, argued with that statement.

He said: “My problem here is, you’re trying to give the impression that you’re going to move away from Beijing and the Communist Party ... but the commitments that we would seek to achieve those goals are not being made today.”

“You’re gonna continue to gather data, you’re gonna continue to sell data ... and continue to be under the aegis of the Communist Party,” Mr Pallone added.

Mr Chew’s testimony before Congress will also cap a week of actions by the Chinese company aimed at convincing Americans and their lawmakers that the app creates economic value and supports free speech.

TikTok has more than 150 million Americans users.

It has faced sharp accusations that its US user data would be shared with the Chinese government and that it fails to adequately protect children from harm.

TikTok has said it has spent more than US$1.5 billion (S$2 billion) on what it calls rigorous data security efforts under the name Project Texas.

TikTok would remain owned by ByteDance, but would put all of the data generated by American users on domestic servers operated and run by Oracle, the software giant in Austin, Texas.

Only Oracle and US-based TikTok employees would have access to the accounts and data of American users, TikTok said.

It also says it rigorously screens content that could harm children.

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2023-03-23 13:27:49Z
1845346457

How TikTok became a US-China national security issue - CNA

Depending on whom you ask, the short-form video app TikTok is where you watch goofy dances and makeup tutorials, or it’s a gravely sophisticated threat to US national security.

Because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance - and because China is known to be interested in having its technology companies share the data they collect - its ubiquitous popularity among Americans carries geopolitical implications far beyond the mobile-phone screen.  

WHAT MAKES TIKTOK DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA SITES?

Like US-owned social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, TikTok collects all sorts of data about each user and through an algorithm, uses that information to deliver more of what the person seems to want.

But TikTok is viewed as potentially the most advanced, and uncannily effective, at learning about your interests - based on how long you stay with a video and whether you like, forward or comment on it - and, through its algorithm, delivering more of that to your “For You” feed. Some people joke that TikTok’s “For You” knows you better than you know yourself.

That makes Chinese ownership of TikTok - the most salient difference between it and other social media, in the eyes of US critics - particularly worrisome. So does this: American adult users of TikTok will spend an average of 56 minutes a day on the app this year, far more than on either Facebook or Instagram, according to researcher Insider Intelligence. 

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST WORRIES ABOUT TIKTOK?

The national security concerns involve hypothetical, though not implausible, scenarios in which China’s government employs its influence over ByteDance to turn TikTok into an instrument of harm against American interests, through such channels as:

• Data collection: Along with what you seem to be interested in, TikTok learns your computer’s unique internet protocol (IP) address as well as - if you choose to let it - your precise location data and who is on your contact list. All that could be used to “develop profiles on millions of Americans” that could be used to blackmail them, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, both Republicans, wrote in November.
• Espionage: A 2020 executive order by then-president Donald Trump broached the possibility that China could use TikTok’s data to “track the locations of federal employees and contractors” and to “conduct corporate espionage”.
• Influence operations: US national security officials are concerned that TikTok could try to shape US public opinion by strategically suppressing or promoting certain videos.

IS THERE EVIDENCE TO BACK UP THOSE CONCERNS?

In December, the chief executives of ByteDance and TikTok admitted that ByteDance employees had inappropriately accessed the IP address of American users, including journalists writing critical stories about the company.

The Justice Department is investigating whether that amounted to improper surveillance of Americans. While not involving TikTok specifically, there have been numerous reports in recent years about China attempting through various means to influence US politics, including elections. These types of concerted campaigns continue to proliferate across all social media apps.

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2023-03-23 07:25:00Z
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Ties with federal government improved under PM Anwar, says Johor Sultan - CNA

Separately, Sultan Ibrahim also stressed that the country’s reputation has been damaged by corruption. He urged Mr Anwar and the relevant agencies to take action, adding that the “whole system” needs to be cleaned up. 

“Change. Clean up the whole system and clear the corrupt, no matter who they are,” said Sultan Ibrahim, according to The Star. 

As part of his clampdown on corruption, Mr Anwar told the country’s civil servants in November last year that approvals for government procurement can no longer be given without a tender process. 

He said then that the government under his leadership will not allow for financial leakages and corruption to continue, adding that the image of the civil service must be restored. 

Earlier in January, it was reported that Malaysia scored lower again in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perception Index 2022 (CPI 2022). 

The index ranks 180 countries and territories around the world by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

According to the anti-graft group’s latest report, Malaysia had a CPI score of 47 for 2022. This a six-point drop over the preceding three years.

FMT reported that, in 2019, Malaysia had a CPI score of 53, but this reduced to 51 in 2020, and 48 in 2021.

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2023-03-23 07:52:00Z
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'Cleanfluencers' sweep TikTok, drawing millions - CNA

She can relate to people living in miserable conditions because she went through a period of depression herself, she said.

"I know how overwhelming it is," she said.

But her experience has shown her that no situation is hopeless.

The comments sections of her videos are filled with people saying how her videos have helped them cope with their difficulties, praising her non-judgemental manner.

"I love how she is understanding the person in this situation and helping them instead of blaming them," one commenter wrote.

TIKTOK TIDIERS

With the global rise of TikTok, cleaning videos have become hugely popular on social media, inspiring a growing number to start posting content.

"I was watching videos and I thought, that's what I do at home, I can just film myself doing it," recalled 27-year-old Abbi, known as cleanwithabbi to her 2 million followers.

The English single mum films herself cleaning, doing the dishes and hoovering in her red brick home in Huyton near Liverpool.

Cleaning has always been an important part of her life as her youngest son Billy lives with sensory processing disorder.

"He really loves his routine and he does like things to be clean," she said.

Now Abbi, who does not wish to reveal her full name, posts TikTok videos for a living. Brands sponsor her to use their products, and she earns between US$720 and US$1,200 a video.

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2023-03-23 04:27:51Z
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