US launches retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria - CNA

The US military said in a statement that the strikes hit targets including command and control centres, rockets, missiles and drone storage facilities, as well as logistics and munition supply chain facilities.

The strikes hit more than 85 targets with more than 125 munitions.

Syrian state media said on Friday that an "American aggression" on sites in Syria's desert areas and the Syrian and Iraqi border resulted in several casualties and injuries.

It came just hours after Biden and Pentagon leaders attended the remains of the three American soldiers killed in the Jordan attack returning to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

The Jordan attack was the first deadly strike against US troops since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October.

The United States has assessed that the drone that killed three of its soldiers and also wounded more than 40 other people was made by Iran, US officials have told Reuters.

But the Pentagon had said it did not want war with Iran and did not believe Tehran wanted war either, even as Republican pressure increased on Biden to deal a blow directly against Iran.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvdXMtc3RyaWtlLWlyYXEtc3lyaWEtcmV0YWxpYXRvcnktam9yZGFuLWF0dGFjay11cy1zb2xkaWVycy1pcmFuLTQwOTY0MjHSAQA?oc=5

2024-02-02 21:49:00Z
CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvdXMtc3RyaWtlLWlyYXEtc3lyaWEtcmV0YWxpYXRvcnktam9yZGFuLWF0dGFjay11cy1zb2xkaWVycy1pcmFuLTQwOTY0MjHSAQA

Malaysia's Pardons Board halves Najib's jail term to 6 years: How it happened, and what questions remain - CNA

QUESTIONS REMAIN OVER LARGE DISCOUNT OFF FINE, PAROLE 

The Pardons Board’s official statement on Friday, however, has raised some new questions.

It noted that Najib’s RM210 million fine - like his prison sentence - would be halved, but put the new penalty at RM50 million, which is a discount of over 75 per cent.

The Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) later issued a statement to clarify that the new penalties are accurate, without addressing why the error in the language was made in the first place.

Sunway University political scientist Wong Chin Huat said it could have been a typographical error. 

“My first reading is that it was probably poor writing - that the 50 per cent (reduction) was meant to cover only the jail term. It would be interesting if this reveals fingerprints of negotiations, but I won't speculate,” he told CNA.

The Board’s statement made no mention of parole for good behaviour that would allow Najib to get out even earlier than the new release date.

Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan believes the Board omitted this to avoid overstepping the authority of new king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who would have to appoint members of the parole board.

“I think that's the reason why parole was never mentioned, but there is a possibility for (Najib to be released earlier on) good behaviour,” he said.

Also absent from the statement were the Board’s reasons for its decision.

While it is not legally required to disclose how it arrived at this outcome, politicians, lawyers and civil society have called for the grounds to be made public.

“Transparency is required politically, even though not legally. If the public cannot be convinced that Najib is a new man deserving a second chance, opaqueness will only amplify the public anger,” Dr Wong said.

Speaking to news outlet Al Jazeera after the Pardons Board released its statement, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Najib’s ongoing court cases have to continue through an independent judicial process.

At the same time, Najib has the right to appeal to the new king if he is not satisfied with the outcome of his pardon application, Mr Anwar said.

“The process has to be respected, it’s beyond the prime minister or the government. I respect the decision of the then-king. Now, we have a new king,” he said.

“So whatever one feels - of course it’s very political; some support, some don’t - they cannot ignore the fact that you must respect the right of anyone convicted to appeal to the Pardons Board.”

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1mb3JtZXItcHJpbWUtbWluaXN0ZXItbmFqaWItcmF6YWstcm95YWwtcGFyZG9uLWphaWwtdGVybS1jdXQtNDA5NDI1MdIBAA?oc=5

2024-02-02 12:33:12Z
CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1mb3JtZXItcHJpbWUtbWluaXN0ZXItbmFqaWItcmF6YWstcm95YWwtcGFyZG9uLWphaWwtdGVybS1jdXQtNDA5NDI1MdIBAA

Malaysia's Pardons Board announces decision to cut Najib's jail term from 12 to 6 years - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Pardons Board has announced that former prime minister Najib Razak's jail sentence for corruption has been reduced from 12 to six years.

The official announcement on Friday (Feb 2) comes after the Pardons Board met on Jan 29.

CNA was the first to break the news on Jan 31, citing sources including senior government officials, that Najib would have his jail term halved and fine reduced under a partial royal pardon.

Najib, 70, has served less than two years of his prison term for his role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.

With the reduction in the jail term, Najib has agreed that he will be released on Aug 23, 2028, the statement said. 

The Pardons Board also reduced his RM210 million (US$44.5 million) fine to RM50 million.

But if the fine is not paid, one year will be added to Najib's prison sentence and he will be released on Aug 23, 2029, the Board added.

Speculation about a potential pardon went into overdrive after Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), confirmed on Tuesday that the board had met on Monday.

The meeting was one of Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin’s last official tasks before he stepped down as Malaysia’s king on Jan 31 and handed the role to Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar under the country’s unique rotation system for its nine royal state households.

Najib was Malaysia’s prime minister for nine years until May 2018 and its first PM to be imprisoned. He began serving his jail term in August 2022 after two failed appeals to overturn his conviction at a Malaysian High Court two years earlier.

The charges involved the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB, into his personal bank accounts in 2014 and 2015.

He was found guilty of three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power by the High Court in July 2020, and was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million. The fine remains unsettled.

He is also facing several other charges in relation to the 1MDB scandal, including the laundering of RM27 million involving funds from SRC International.

Najib’s lawyers have applied to dismiss this money laundering case, and the court has said he can apply for an acquittal, or a discharge not amounting to an acquittal if prosecutors are not prepared to proceed with the trial in September, local media reported.

An ex-United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president, he is still believed to wield huge influence in the party, which is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1mb3JtZXItcHJpbWUtbWluaXN0ZXItbmFqaWItcmF6YWstcm95YWwtcGFyZG9uLWphaWwtdGVybS1jdXQtNDA5NDI1MdIBAA?oc=5

2024-02-02 07:52:00Z
CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYS1mb3JtZXItcHJpbWUtbWluaXN0ZXItbmFqaWItcmF6YWstcm95YWwtcGFyZG9uLWphaWwtdGVybS1jdXQtNDA5NDI1MdIBAA

(UPDATED) Op Tutup unleashed: Manhunt underway as 131 illegal immigrants flee detention - New Straits Times

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. (UPDATED) Op Tutup unleashed: Manhunt underway as 131 illegal immigrants flee detention  New Straits Times
2. More than 100 Rohingya refugees flee Malaysia detention centre, one dead  CNA
3. Undocumented migrants flee Perak immigration depot, 1 dies in accident  Malaysiakini
4. Over 100 Myanmar migrants flee Malaysian detention centre, one dead  The Straits Times
5. 131 detainees escape from Bidor Immigration depot, one dies in crash  The Star Online

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5zdC5jb20ubXkvbmV3cy9jcmltZS1jb3VydHMvMjAyNC8wMi8xMDA4Nzg3L3VwZGF0ZWQtb3AtdHV0dXAtdW5sZWFzaGVkLW1hbmh1bnQtdW5kZXJ3YXktMTMxLWlsbGVnYWwtaW1taWdyYW50c9IBf2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5zdC5jb20ubXkvYW1wL25ld3MvY3JpbWUtY291cnRzLzIwMjQvMDIvMTAwODc4Ny91cGRhdGVkLW9wLXR1dHVwLXVubGVhc2hlZC1tYW5odW50LXVuZGVyd2F5LTEzMS1pbGxlZ2FsLWltbWlncmFudHM?oc=5

2024-02-02 00:24:10Z
CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5zdC5jb20ubXkvbmV3cy9jcmltZS1jb3VydHMvMjAyNC8wMi8xMDA4Nzg3L3VwZGF0ZWQtb3AtdHV0dXAtdW5sZWFzaGVkLW1hbmh1bnQtdW5kZXJ3YXktMTMxLWlsbGVnYWwtaW1taWdyYW50c9IBf2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5zdC5jb20ubXkvYW1wL25ld3MvY3JpbWUtY291cnRzLzIwMjQvMDIvMTAwODc4Ny91cGRhdGVkLW9wLXR1dHVwLXVubGVhc2hlZC1tYW5odW50LXVuZGVyd2F5LTEzMS1pbGxlZ2FsLWltbWlncmFudHM

A timeline of Myanmar's 3-year coup - and what could come next - CNA

Feb 1, 2021: Military coup d'etat

Soldiers arrested state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other key leaders like president Win Myint in a morning raid.

The military accused Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and her ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party – which had been reelected in a landslide 2020 win – of electoral fraud.

A state of emergency was declared, and army chief Min Aung Hlaing seized control.

Feb 3, 2021: Civil disobedience movement

Thousands took to the streets nationwide, demanding the release of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi and for the army to recognise the election results.

Civil servants, including teachers and doctors, walked out of their jobs, refusing to work for the military.

The police announced first charges for Ms Aung San Suu Kyi – the possession of walkie-talkies without proper paperwork.

Feb 6, 2021: Large-scale protests

The police were accused of using excessive and lethal force against anti-coup demonstrations growing in strength.

The junta limited internet access and blocked social media platforms, which are major sources of independent news and for organising protests.

Feb 11, 2021: US sanctions

The United States imposed first sanctions targeting coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and other senior officials. Others including the European Union and Britain soon followed. 

Feb 19, 2021: First casualty

Mya Thwate Thwate Khaing, 20, became the first casualty in the violence. 

She was shot in the head as security forces dispersed rallies, and succumbed to injuries after she was taken off life support.

Feb 26, 2021: UN ambassador fired

Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun made an emotional appeal to the General Assembly in New York.

He urged the international community to use “any means necessary” against the junta and help to “restore democracy”.

He was fired a day later by Myanmar's military rulers, but the UN continues to recognise him as the nation’s representative.

March 2021: Violence escalates

Military forces – also known as the Tatmadaw – started using airstrikes, including on villages, a tactic that continues even today.

April 16, 2021: Formation of NUG

On the resistance front, ousted lawmakers and other individuals formed the shadow National Unity Government (NUG).

It commands sizable support from the public and maintains diplomatic relations with foreign governments.

Its armed wing, the People’s Defence Force formed by volunteer civilian fighters, attacks junta targets and says it is capable of manufacturing its own weapons.

April 24, 2021: Political breakthrough … or not

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders and General Min Aung Hlaing agreed on a peace plan, known as the Five-Point Consensus.

It was hoped this would be the first milestone to end the crisis.

However, the junta has since refused to act on the plan, insisting on implementing its own peace roadmap – which involves holding elections. None has been held so far.

August 2021: Death toll rises

Gen Min Aung Hlaing formed a caretaker government and appointed himself prime minister.

The death toll of civilians killed since the coup crossed 1,000, according to human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

October 2021: Junta barred from ASEAN meet

In a rare move, ASEAN leaders agreed to exclude Gen Min Aung Hlaing from the regional bloc’s annual summit.

It was unprecedented as the 10-member grouping traditionally avoids interfering in its members' affairs.

Until today, Myanmar’s ruling generals remain barred from key meetings over their failure to make progress on the agreed peace plan.

December 2022: Aung San Suu Kyi’s trials conclude

Aung San Suu Kyi received a total of 33 years in jail at the end of her trials.

She was charged with numerous offences – including breaching the Official Secrets Act, committing electoral fraud and corruption, as well as those illegal walkie-talkies.

Oct 27, 2023: Operation 1027

The Three Brotherhood Alliance – a trio of ethnic armies – launched a major offensive against the Tatmadaw.

This was the first time ethnic armies conducted coordinated and prolonged attacks against the military.

Observers say Operation 1027, named after the date of the mission, is the biggest threat to the junta so far.

The operation has also inspired other ethnic armed groups and rebels to launch offensives against the Myanmar army.

The NUG has also publicly thrown its support behind Operation 1027.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9teWFubWFyLWNvdXAtMy15ZWFycy1hbm5pdmVyc2FyeS1jbmEtZXhwbGFpbnMtdGltZWxpbmUtanVudGEtNDA5MTg2MdIBAA?oc=5

2024-02-01 11:13:00Z
CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9teWFubWFyLWNvdXAtMy15ZWFycy1hbm5pdmVyc2FyeS1jbmEtZXhwbGFpbnMtdGltZWxpbmUtanVudGEtNDA5MTg2MdIBAA

Is Najib Razak getting a pardon for 1MDB graft? Malaysia waits with bated breath - South China Morning Post

Mystery surrounds the fate of Najib Razak, jailed for 12 years for corruption linked to Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal, as the government on Thursday refused once more to tell an angry and restless public if the disgraced former leader will have his sentence reduced – or even be granted a full pardon.

When Federal Territories Minister Zaliha Mustafa, who sits on the pardons board, was cornered by the media on Thursday morning, she declined to give a clear answer on the most talked about issue in Malaysia, telling reporters to “continue waiting” for an official announcement.

Fevered speculation of an imminent pardon or a significant reduction in the 70-year-old Najib’s sentence was stirred by revelations that the pardons board met with the country’s former king, Sultan Abdullah, on the last day of his reign on Monday to decide on the matter.

Malaysia’s former king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, looks on during an interview at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur last month. Photo: Reuters

Under Malaysian law, the power to pardon lies with the monarch, on the advice of the pardons board appointed by him.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was himself granted a full pardon by a previous king in 2018, allowing him to return to active politics after being released from prison following his incarceration in 2014 on sodomy charges.

When asked if the announcement would be coming sometime this week, Minister Zaliha said: “God willing, we hope so”.

Malaysia to rule on royal pardon for jailed ex-PM Najib over role in 1MDB scandal

Other ministers have played a similarly straight bat over the incendiary issue of Najib’s jail term, with Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail – who is in charge of prisons – saying that it was “discussed” informally in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, but it was not his place to comment.

“We discussed it, but we understand that this is under the jurisdiction of the [pardons board],” he said after the cabinet meeting.

On the same day, communications minister and government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil told the media not to “jump the gun” and wait for an official announcement.

“If not, it may lead to various reactions, and, in my view, it is important to maintain professionalism when issuing statements,” he said at an unrelated press conference.

11:20

The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

The legacy of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

This came after local newspaper Utusan reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources, that Najib had been given a full pardon by the board – triggering a wave of anger among the Malaysian public, many of whom feel betrayed by the prospect of seeing the former leader walk free after serving just over a year in prison for corruption.

The newspaper later retracted the news and apologised.

Singapore’s CNA, meanwhile, reported that Najib’s sentence had been halved from 12 years to six – similarly quoting unnamed sources who are supposedly senior officials in the Malaysian government.

Reacting to a possible pardon, legal activist Lim Wei Jiet said such a move would irreversibly tarnish the country’s criminal justice system and Malaysia’s standing as a nation that upholds the rule of law.

The message is simple: it’s OK to steal, as long as you are from the political elite

Lim Wei Jiet, legal activist

“The message is simple: it’s OK to steal, as long as you are from the political elite,” Lim said.

Najib was convicted in 2020 of seven counts of corruption and abuse of power involving 42 million ringgit (US$8.9 million) funnelled through SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. He was jailed in 2022 after exhausting all legal challenges.

The multibillion-dollar scandal at 1MDB, the state fund founded in 2009 just months after Najib became prime minister, was described by the US Department of Justice as the largest kleptocracy case it had ever dealt with.

It cast an international spotlight on corruption inside Malaysia’s political and business elites, with links to notorious names such as the hard-partying financier-turned-fugitive Jho Low, who funded the Leonardo Di Caprio movie The Wolf of Wall Street.

Jho Low and the Wolf of Wall Street: how Malaysian businessman 'hooked up DiCaprio'

The scandal led to the spectacular downfall of Najib, the British-educated one-time political star, after his Umno party suffered its first-ever electoral loss in Malaysia’s 2018 elections.

Police and anti-corruption officers quickly raided premises linked to the former leader and his family, seizing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of luxury handbags, thousands of pieces of jewellery and watches and cash in 26 different currencies.

Najib, whose wife Rosmah Mansor faces separate corruption charges unrelated to 1MDB, has denied any wrongdoing saying he was a victim of a scheme marshalled by Jho Low and others. He still faces at least three other trials linked to 1MDB.

At least US$4.5 billion is believed to have been funnelled out of the fund, according to the US Department of Justice and Malaysian investigators.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zY21wLmNvbS93ZWVrLWFzaWEvcGVvcGxlL2FydGljbGUvMzI1MDU0MC9uYWppYi1yYXphay1nZXR0aW5nLXBhcmRvbi0xbWRiLWxpbmtlZC1jb3JydXB0aW9uLW1hbGF5c2lhLXdhaXRzLWJhdGVkLWJyZWF0aNIBgwFodHRwczovL2FtcC5zY21wLmNvbS93ZWVrLWFzaWEvcGVvcGxlL2FydGljbGUvMzI1MDU0MC9uYWppYi1yYXphay1nZXR0aW5nLXBhcmRvbi0xbWRiLWxpbmtlZC1jb3JydXB0aW9uLW1hbGF5c2lhLXdhaXRzLWJhdGVkLWJyZWF0aA?oc=5

2024-02-01 05:44:51Z
CBMigwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zY21wLmNvbS93ZWVrLWFzaWEvcGVvcGxlL2FydGljbGUvMzI1MDU0MC9uYWppYi1yYXphay1nZXR0aW5nLXBhcmRvbi0xbWRiLWxpbmtlZC1jb3JydXB0aW9uLW1hbGF5c2lhLXdhaXRzLWJhdGVkLWJyZWF0aNIBgwFodHRwczovL2FtcC5zY21wLmNvbS93ZWVrLWFzaWEvcGVvcGxlL2FydGljbGUvMzI1MDU0MC9uYWppYi1yYXphay1nZXR0aW5nLXBhcmRvbi0xbWRiLWxpbmtlZC1jb3JydXB0aW9uLW1hbGF5c2lhLXdhaXRzLWJhdGVkLWJyZWF0aA

Girl, 5, dies after mother leaves her in parked car for 4 hours at Malaysia hospital - The Straits Times

The child was found unconscious and taken to the emergency department of Hospital Shah Alam in Selangor. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FORM GOOGLE MAPS

A five-year-old girl died after her mother inadvertently left her in a parked car at Hospital Shah Alam in Selangor, The Star reported on Feb 1.

The mother, who is a staff member at the hospital, had picked up her daughter from a daycare centre at about 2pm on Jan 30. She forgot that her child was asleep in the back seat and left the vehicle with the engine off, the report cited a police statement as saying.

It was only when her husband called her at about 6pm that the 34-year-old mother realised her daughter was still in the car.

The child was found unconscious and was taken to the emergency department of Hospital Shah Alam. Despite efforts by the medical staff, she was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem was carried out on Jan 31, with results pending further laboratory tests.

Assistant Commissioner Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim, the Shah Alam district police chief, noted that there were no signs of external or internal injuries on the child’s body. The incident is being investigated under the Child Act.

The authorities have urged the public to be vigilant when transporting children, to prevent such incidents.

This case comes almost three months after a similar incident in Selangor, where a two-year-old child died after her mother, who was preoccupied with her schedule, left her in the car for more than seven hours.

The mother, who was in her 30s, drove two of her children to school before arriving at a daycare centre to drop off her two-year-old daughter on Nov 8, 2023. According to a police statement, she was settling some online business transactions while parked near the daycare centre and forgot to drop off the child.

There were two other similar incidents in Malaysia in October 2023.

On Oct 25, a 16-month-old girl died after her father left her in a car for hours. The incident took place at a public university in the east coast state of Terengganu.

On Oct 5, an eight-month-old girl died after being left in a car for 10 hours in Kuala Lumpur.

The mother, who was a doctor at a hospital, had placed her daughter in the rear seat to take her to a nursery. However, she did not drop off the child and went straight to work, thinking she had already taken her daughter to the nursery.

More On This Topic

16-month-old girl in Malaysia dies after father left her in car for hours

Baby in Malaysia dies after doctor mum leaves her in hospital carpark all day

• Children and youth
• Crimes against children/minors
• Malaysia

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL2dpcmwtNS1kaWVzLWFmdGVyLW1vdGhlci1sZWF2ZXMtaGVyLWluLXBhcmtlZC1jYXItZm9yLTQtaG91cnMtYXQtbWFsYXlzaWEtaG9zcGl0YWzSAQA?oc=5

2024-02-01 03:50:00Z
CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL2dpcmwtNS1kaWVzLWFmdGVyLW1vdGhlci1sZWF2ZXMtaGVyLWluLXBhcmtlZC1jYXItZm9yLTQtaG91cnMtYXQtbWFsYXlzaWEtaG9zcGl0YWzSAQA