PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that the threat posed by Russia's shadow operations was growing across Europe, and he had ordered measures to protect France's critical infrastructure from increasing Russian "hybrid attacks".

"The Russian hybrid threat against Europeans and against France has intensified," he said after a meeting with French political leaders, before he heads to the UN General Assembly next week.

France's interior minister had met regional prefects to step up "vigilance in response to the Russian hybrid attacks", Macron said after the meeting with presidential hopefuls and party leaders ahead of next year's election.

He said he had ordered "the government to prepare a plan to protect our critical infrastructure" and the "most sensitive" defence industry and technology sites against drone and cyber-attacks.

The French president said that despite the Russian threats, France would continue to support Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion of the pro-Western country in February 2022.

He also vowed that France would respond to Russia's shadow attacks.

"This will not go unanswered," Macron said, without elaborating.

"The intention behind it is to intimidate us and to derail the effort to support the Ukrainians. The consequence will be the opposite," he added.

"We are not intimidated, because we know that what is at stake today in Ukraine is our security," he said.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) menegaskan kembali komitmennya dalam memerangi rasuah, menyatakan sokongan teguh terhadap pendirian Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim serta nasihat yang dikemukakan Peguam Negara Dusuki Mokhtar dan Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan Hannah Yeoh kepada Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan berhubung kes Najib Razak.

Majlis Presiden PH, yang dianggotai presiden parti-parti komponen, menegaskan tiada sesiapa pun yang mengatasi undang-undang, dan mana-mana individu yang disabitkan kesalahan mesti menjalani hukuman mengikut lunas undang-undang serta Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Terdahulu hari ini, Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) mengumumkan bahawa Najib telah diberikan pengampunan bersyarat dan dibenarkan menjalani baki hukuman penjara enam tahun di kediamannya, dengan syarat beliau membayar denda RM50 juta secara penuh.

Menerusi satu kenyataan susulan mesyuarat Majlis Presiden PH hari ini, kepimpinan gabungan itu menyatakan bahawa majlis berkenaan 'berazam akan meneruskan usaha membanteras rasuah, mengangkat agenda reformasi dan membersihkan negara dari unsur-unsur rasuah dan penyelewangan'.

Dalam kenyataan berasingan, Barisan Nasional (BN) menyambut baik keputusan Lembaga Pengampunan itu serta menzahirkan rasa syukur dan penghargaan kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim, yang mempengerusikan mesyuarat lembaga itu.

"BN menyambut berita ini dengan penuh kesyukuran, ketenangan dan adab, serta menghormati segala syarat dan proses yang telah ditetapkan,” kata Setiausaha Agung Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Beliau berkata, proses permohonan tersebut dilaksanakan secara teratur menerusi saluran yang sewajarnya, berlandaskan rasa hormat terhadap institusi Agong, Raja-raja Melayu, Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan keluhuran undang-undang.

Zambry menambah, BN akan terus mendukung prinsip Raja Berperlembagaan, demokrasi berparlimen dan kedaulatan undang-undang.

Pengampunan bersyarat yang diberikan kepada Najib itu diumumkan oleh Bahagian Hal Ehwal Undang-Undang (BHEUU) JPM.

Najib yang juga bekas presiden Umno akan dibenarkan menjalani baki hukumannya bagi kes SRC International di bawah tahanan di rumah sehingga 23 Ogos 2028.

BHEUU memaklumkan, Agong telah mengurniakan pengampunan bersyarat kepada Najib susulan mesyuarat Lembaga Pengampunan, yang turut dianggotai peguam negara, menteri wilayah persekutuan dan tiga ahli yang dilantik oleh Agong.

Najib, 73, sedang menjalani hukuman penjara enam tahun di Penjara Kajang selepas hukuman asalnya selama 12 tahun dikurangkan separuh pada Februari 2024. Denda asal sebanyak RM210 juta turut dikurangkan kepada RM50 juta.

Beliau mula dipenjarakan pada Ogos 2022 selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan menolak rayuan akhirnya dalam kes itu.

Pada Disember 2025, Najib disabitkan atas kesalahan salah guna kuasa dan pengubahan wang haram membabitkan lebih RM2 bilion berkaitan 1MDB.

Beliau dijatuhi hukuman penjara 15 tahun dan denda RM11.38 bilion, dan kini sedang merayu sabitan tersebut.

PETALING JAYA: Property developer Eco World Development Group Bhd (EcoWorld) has won a Singapore tender for a 4,283 sq m plot of land on which it plans to build its first residential project in the island republic.

Eco World bid S$208.09 million (RM667.6 million) for the 99-year leasehold land at Lorong Puntong-Sin Ming Avenue through its Singapore subsidiary in a tender by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The land sits within the established Thomson enclave of predominantly private residential developments and will be developed into condominium apartments or flats with a maximum permissible gross floor area of 11,994 sq m,” EcoWorld said in a filing with the stock exchange today, Bernama reported.

EcoWorld president and CEO Chang Khim Wah said the group plans to launch the project in 2028. The tender is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.

MINICH: Gianni Infantino must leave the Fifa presidency "no ifs or buts", according to Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of the vice-presidents of the German Football Association (DFB), as he spoke at a festival dedicated to artificial intelligence in Berlin on Thursday evening.

The DFB was one of the few federations not to sign a letter of support for Infantino's re-election as Fifa president in six months' time.

"He has to go, no ifs or buts," declared Hans-Joachim Watzke, who said that three points in particular counted against the Swiss.

The first was the Fifa Peace Prize, launched by Infantino and awarded in December 2025 to US president Donald Trump, to whom Infantino is close, during the draw for the 2026 World Cup.

Infantino "created this prize himself, and he decided on it himself," said Watzke.

"You can't just invent something on your own and then announce it, it's madness," said Watzke.

Watzke also condemned the controversial handling of the Folarin Balogun red card during this year's World Cup which was hosted in US, Canada and Mexico.

The American forward was sent off in the last 32 but his automatic one-match suspension was lifted after a phone call from Trump to Infantino.

"It can't be that when someone gets sent off, the head of state calls the Fifa president, and, remarkably, the whole thing is immediately overturned. That's madness," said Watzke.

The third issue was the project, unveiled on July 28 and dropped four days later, to create a commercial company that would have been open to private investors and became a focal point of the rebellion against Infantino.

"It's completely insane," said Watzke. "Nobody knew about it, his vice- presidents in Fifa knew nothing, the Council knew nothing," he added.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said earlier in the week in an interview with RTL/ntv television that it was also time for Infantino to depart.

"The relationship of trust with Gianni Infantino, under this Fifa leadership, has of course been completely shattered," he said.

"It's important that this Infantino system comes to an end," he added.

For now, Infantino is the only candidate for the Fifa presidency in the election scheduled for March 18, 2027, with candidacies open until Nov 18.

KANGAR: A 42-year-old civil servant and his brother have been arrested for allegedly staging the disappearance of a Toyota Vellfire in an insurance scam. Police said they planned to break up the car for its parts.

Padang Besar police chief Shokri Abdullah said the civil servant and three others, aged between 32 and 45, were arrested in raids at three locations in Padang Besar and Arau yesterday.

He said the main suspect was the civil servant, who used his wife's black Toyota Vellfire to travel to Kuala Lumpur on July 16 to attend a course. "At about 8am on July 17, he lodged a police report claiming that the vehicle had gone missing in Sungai Besi," Shokri said in a statement today.

Investigations found that the reported loss was believed to have been staged by the main suspect and his 45-year-old brother to facilitate an insurance claim. Two other men, both aged 32, were believed to have assisted in the plan, in which the vehicle was to be taken to a workshop in Kaki Bukit, Padang Besar to be dismantled, with valuable components collected for sale, he said.

The price of a used Vellfire ranges from RM140,000 to RM200,000 while the official on the road price of a new Vellfire starts at RM448,000.

He said all four suspects had been taken to the Cheras police station in Selangor for remand proceedings.

Shokri said police viewed seriously any attempt to misuse reports for personal gain or profit, as such actions compromised investigations and wasted enforcement resources.

GUTA: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday opened the first Carpathian Summit in western Ukraine, bringing together leaders and officials from neighbouring EU countries with which Kyiv seeks to deepen economic ties.

The gathering "brings together all the countries of our Carpathian region, our neighbours, and all Europeans in this part of the continent who respect the independence of nations," Zelensky said.

Representatives of Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and the EU attended, according to the Ukrainian leader.

"The Carpathian macro-region has become one of the most reliable foundations of our defence. This is about strength that exists and will continue to exist," Zelensky added.

He said the summit would bring together political leaders, as well as business representatives, to discuss economic cooperation, security and logistics, as Russia targets Ukraine's transport routes.

Now in the fifth year of Russia's invasion, Ukraine is seeking to secure continued financial and military backing to sustain its war effort.

"Difficult weeks and months lie ahead for all of us, not just Ukraine. And it's worth showing solidarity at a time like this," Polish prime minister Donald Tusk told journalists ahead of the summit.

With around two-thirds of state spending devoted to defence, Kyiv said it would require an additional US$53 billion in foreign aid next year, including support from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Ukraine is also seeking additional missile defence systems to counter the rising Russian ballistic attacks, while developing interceptors to counter Russia's jet-powered drones.

JOHOR BAHRU: Isu-isu alam sekitar, terutamanya jerebu yang melanda kini, menyerlahkan betapa pentingnya usaha-usaha kelestarian dilaksanakan secara jangka panjang, titah Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah.

Menurut hantaran di laman Facebook rasmi Sultan Ibrahim hari ini, Raja Zarith Sofiah bertitah, usaha itu perlu dicerminkan dalam dasar-dasar pembangunan kerajaan serta pendidikan untuk kesedaran segenap lapisan rakyat.

Hantaran itu memaklumkan titah berkenaan dibuat selepas Raja Permaisuri Agong berkenan menerima menghadap Pengerusi Johor Sustainability Centre (JSC) Hasni Mohammad di Istana Bukit Serene hari ini.

Pada pertemuan berkenaan, baginda dipersembah maklum akan perkembangan dan perancangan terkini usaha-usaha kelestarian yang didukung JSC melalui kerjasama dengan pelbagai pihak sektor awam dan swasta.

Turut hadir pada sesi menghadap itu, Pengerusi Puspanita Johor Siti Azizah Omar, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif JSC Syed Norul Shahril dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor Hishamuddin Abd Rahim.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan has reaffirmed its commitment to combating corruption and said it firmly stood by the position of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and the advice given by Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar and federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh to the Federal Territories Pardons Board in the Najib Razak case.

The PH presidential council, comprising presidents of member parties, said no one was above the law, and those convicted of offences must serve their sentences in accordance with the law and the Federal Constitution.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister's Department announced that Najib had been granted a conditional pardon and would be allowed to serve the remainder of a six-year jail sentence at his home provided he pays in full a RM50 million fine.

In a statement after a meeting of the PH presidential council today, the coalition's leaders said the council was "determined to continue its efforts to combat corruption, advance the Reformasi agenda and rid the country of corruption and abuse of power".

In a separate statement, Barisan Nasional said it welcomed the pardons board decision and expressed its gratitude to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, who presided over the board's meeting.

“BN welcomes the news with gratitude, composure and decorum, while respecting all conditions and processes that have been set,” said BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the application process was carried out in an orderly manner through the proper channels, with respect for the institution of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Malay rulers, the Federal Constitution and the rule of law.

Zambry said BN would continue to uphold the principles of constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.

The conditional pardon granted to Najib was announced by the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister's Department.

Najib, a former Umno president, will be allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028.

The legal affairs division said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had granted Najib a conditional pardon following a meeting of the pardons board. The king presides over meetings of the board, which comprises the attorney-general, the federal territories minister, and three members appointed by the Agong.

Najib, 73, has been serving a six-year sentence at Kajang prison after the board halved his original 12-year sentence in February 2024. The original RM210 million fine was also reduced to RM50 million.

He was imprisoned in August 2022 after the Federal Court dismissed his final appeal in the case.

In December 2025, Najib was convicted of abuse of power and money laundering involving more than RM2 billion linked to 1MDB. He was sentenced to 15 years’ jail and fined RM11.38 billion. He is appealing this conviction.

PARIS: French soccer star Kylian Mbappe has ended his two-decade-long partnership with Nike and signed with Swiss sportswear brand On, the latest blow for the American brand as newer rivals gain ground in the athletic footwear market.

On plans to launch its first football boots in 2027, and also named former French player Thierry Henry as its director of football. On's US-listed shares were up 5% in premarket trading.

The Roger Federer-backed company is looking for growth in the Americas, which account for more than half of its revenue.

On has focused on full-price sales, but has struggled in the region this year amid choppy economic spending.

Mbappé's move to On ends a relationship between the French national team captain and Nike that dates back to 2006, and comes at the heels of Nike's loss of recent World Cup winner Spain's Lamine Yamal to Adidas.

"We are proud of what we achieved together on and off the pitch. As he moves into the next phase of his career, we wish him continued success for what comes next," Nike said in a separate statement.

Nike had increasingly leaned on Mbappé as one of the sport's leading global ambassadors following the latter stages of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo's career.

The World Cup winner remained a centrepiece of Nike's football marketing at this year's Fifa World Cup, most recently receiving signature editions of its Mercurial boots.

"Once again it (football) has led me to one of the biggest changes in my life. Now, I find myself surrounded by innovators who dream of the same things I do," Mbappé said on his social media accounts.

LISBON: Cristiano Ronaldo was called up for the start of Portugal's Nations League campaign on Friday as Jorge Jesus named his first squad since taking over as coach.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo said last month this would "probably" be his final season in football, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable career during which he has scored more than 950 goals for club and country.

Jesus, 72, coached five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo at Al-Nassr before leaving in May after guiding the club to the Saudi Pro League title.

He replaced Roberto Martinez after Portugal's last-16 exit at the World Cup.

Ronaldo is the leading scorer in the history of men's international football with 146 goals in 233 appearances.

He became the first player to score at six World Cups last summer, but his performances at the tournament drew criticism, while Martinez also faced scrutiny for continuing to back his ageing captain.

Borussia Dortmund forward Fabio Silva has been recalled, earning his first call-up since making his sole international appearance in November 2024, while Benfica midfielder Joao Palhinha returns for the first time in nearly a year.

Portugal have won the Nations League twice in four editions. They are the reigning champions after beating Spain on penalties in the 2025 final.

The Portuguese begin their 2026-2027 campaign against Wales in Lisbon on Sept 24 before facing Norway in Oslo three days later and Denmark away on Oct 1, ahead of a return meeting with Norway in Porto on Oct 4.

PETALING JAYA: Johor police are investigating a contract worker believed to have made a lewd gesture at a woman during an argument while a dog-catching operation was being held yesterday.

District police chief Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the 29-year-old woman lodged a report today over the incident, which is believed to have occurred as she was passing through a residential area.

“Several contract workers appointed by the local authorities were conducting a stray dog-catching operation at about 11.30am.

“A misunderstanding arose between the workers and the woman, during which one of the workers made an obscene hand gesture at her,” he was quoted by Sinar Harian as saying today.

A viral video shows the workers being scolded by the person filming, who accused them of mistreating stray dogs, before one of them flashes two middle fingers at the camera.

Berita Harian reported Johor exco Ling Tian Soon as saying the worker has been suspended from duty pending investigation.

It also quoted the Batu Pahat Municipal Council as saying that the worker would be called in to provide an explanation, and that the contractor had been directed to take stern disciplinary action if wrongdoing was proven.

NEW YORK: US futures tracking the Nasdaq 100 led Wall Street higher on Friday, putting the tech-heavy index on course for weekly gains as a drop in oil prices tempered inflation concerns.

It has been a busy week for investors, with an interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve and chair Kevin Warsh's commentary on the future trajectory of borrowing costs.

They also reassessed the outlook for AI demand this week after top industry executives urged a slowdown in the development of the technology.

There is little clarity yet on what such a slowdown would look like.

With the earnings season still a month away, commentary from top industry executives at a string of conferences this week gave markets an early read on corporate health and helped shape sentiment.

"The recent strength of S&P 500 earnings growth has raised investor concerns that the market is in an 'earnings bubble'," wrote Goldman Sachs' chief US equity strategist Ben Snider.

"While there are indeed factors contributing to 'over-earning' today, our base case is for S&P 500 earnings growth to decelerate, not collapse, in coming years."

At 6:43am, Dow E-minis were up 62 points, or 0.12%, and S&P 500 E-minis were up 17.5 points, or 0.23%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 148.75 points, or 0.5%.

Oil price drop eases pressure

Crude prices fell for a third straight day on Friday, as markets shrugged off supply concerns even as Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border.

Brent crude futures and US West Texas Intermediate futures slipped nearly 2% each.

The declines have helped ease concerns surrounding price pressures, as the Middle East supply shock remains one of the biggest worries on the inflation front.

Friday also marks the once-in-a-quarter simultaneous expiry of derivatives contracts tied to stocks, index options and futures, also known as "triple witching," which can boost trading volume and exacerbate volatility.

Meanwhile, Xenon Pharmaceuticals tumbled nearly 27% premarket after it temporarily paused ​enrolment in tests for its experimental drug for ‌major and bipolar depression following reports of side effects.

Berkshire Hathaway said Warren Buffett, its former CEO and one of the world's most revered investors, will step down as chairman and become chairman emeritus, effective immediately. Shares of the company were flat in premarket trading.

Big Tech shares gained, with Alphabet and Nvidia up about 2.5% and 0.7%, respectively, while Apple was up marginally.

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia owner Capital A Bhd is to undertake a court-supervised divestment of its 99.56% stake in its financial technology arm BigPay Pte Ltd, an orderly distribution of its 13.6% stake in Tune Protect Group Bhd and recovery of RM32 million in receivables.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Capital A said the exercise would be undertaken through its subsidiary, Move Digital Sdn Bhd under a court-supervised framework following an application to the High Court.

Capital A said proceeds from its proposed capital structure optimisation exercise would be distributed to creditors, who are primarily Capital A, or Capital A-related companies.

The company said Move Digital is an intermediate holding company for legacy investments and does not operate any business of its own and is separate and distinct from AirAsia Move Sdn Bhd, the group’s digital travel platform, which is directly owned by Capital A and remains completely unaffected by this exercise, and continues to operate without disruption.

"The group is taking decisive steps to eliminate funding for loss-making units like BigPay, reallocating capital towards higher-return core operations to maximise long-term shareholder value," Capital A said.

Removing BigPay's legacy losses would immediately strengthen Capital A's balance sheet, elevate earnings quality and enhance overall financial flexibility, the company said.

Group CEO Tony Fernandes said: "We are cleaning up our legacy assets and focussing 100% of our energy and capital on our high-growth businesses. This move makes our financial position stronger and allows us to double down on what we do best.”

KOHAT: An explosion at a historic police headquarters in northern Pakistan on Friday killed at least eight people and wounded 35 more, officials said, with the country's president swiftly blaming a militant group.

A search-and-rescue operation was underway following the blast in Kohat in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to Bilal Ahmed Faizi from the 1122 rescue services.

Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed told AFP that eight people were killed and 35 wounded, without giving more details about police and civilian casualties.

"The investigation into the nature of the blast is underway," Hameed said.

Faizi said more than 45 rescue personnel had been deployed to the site at the Old Police Lines in Kohat, a town of around 220,000 people.

"Rescue 1122 teams are actively engaged in the search-and-rescue operation at the site, and relief activities will continue until the operation concludes," he said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the area has been gripped by a violent campaign by the Islamist militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.

Pakistan's president Asif Ali Zardari expressed "regret" over the casualties, sending his "best wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured in the blast".

"The complete elimination of Fitna-al-Khawarij and terrorists operating with foreign backing is essential for national security," he said, using another term for the TTP group.

Pakistan has blamed the increase in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southern border province of Balochistan on militancy emanating from Afghanistan, where the Taliban government denies Afghan involvement.

The accusations have sparked a bitter rift and armed conflict between the neighbouring countries, and Pakistan has carried out deadly airstrikes it says target militants on Afghan soil.

The Taliban government in Kabul and the UN said dozens of civilians were killed in the latest Pakistani strikes on eastern Afghanistan in June.

PETALING JAYA: Polis dan Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia diminta menjalankan siasatan berhubung suatu pementasan teater yang didakwa mengandungi unsur penghinaan terhadap institusi raja, negara serta Rukun Negara.

Menteri Perpaduan Negara, Aaron Ago Dagang, mahu pihak berkuasa menjalankan siasatan menyeluruh serta mengambil tindakan sewajarnya sekiranya terdapat pelanggaran undang-undang.

"Siasatan hendaklah mempertimbangkan segala peruntukan undang-undang yang berkuat kuasa dan berkaitan, termasuk Kanun Keseksaan, Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia, Akta Hasutan serta mana-mana undang-undang lain," menurut kenyataan.

Menteri mengulas video pementasan yang dimuat naik di media sosial baru-baru ini.

Aaron menyeru penggiat seni, pencipta kandungan supaya dan pengguna media sosial supaya menggunakan ruang kebebasan secara bertanggungjawab.

"Tidak ada ruang untuk mana-mana pihak mempermainkan perkara yang menyentuh institusi raja, kedaulatan negara serta asas-asas yang membentuk kehidupan dalam negara kita," katanya.

Terdahulu, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia menggesa pihak penganjur dan mereka yang terlibat dalam sebuah pementasan teater yang tular kerana didakwa memperlekehkan Rukun Negara supaya memberikan penjelasan dan memohon maaf secara terbuka.

NEW YORK: Berkshire Hathaway said on Friday that Warren Buffett will step down as the conglomerate's chairman and will become its chairman emeritus, effective immediately.

Earlier this year, Buffett had stepped down as CEO, handing the reins to longtime lieutenant Greg Abel.

"Father Time always wins. He has, however, been generous with me," Buffett, 96, wrote in a letter to shareholders.

The conglomerate named his son, Howard Buffett, a Berkshire director since 1993, as chairman.

"As Chairman Emeritus, Mr Buffett will remain a member of the board of directors and will continue to offer his valued judgment and perspective," Berkshire said in a statement.

Buffett built Berkshire into an approximately US$1.03 trillion conglomerate with dozens of businesses, including Geico car insurance, the BNSF railroad, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Dairy Queen ice cream, Fruit of the Loom underwear and Squishmallows plush toys.

"The culture Warren built and the values he championed will remain at the heart of Berkshire, and Howard will be their guardian," Abel said in a statement on Friday.

Buffett's influence has extended far beyond Berkshire, shaping generations of corporate leaders and investors with his emphasis on long-term thinking, disciplined capital allocation and straightforward management.

CEOs across Corporate America have looked to him as a sounding board on everything from acquisitions and succession to navigating periods of market turmoil, while his annual shareholder meetings became a gathering point for investors seeking insight into the broader business landscape.

Buffett first announced plans to step away from the conglomerate in May 2025, surprising shareholders and analysts despite his age.

After decades at the helm, he had become synonymous with the company, making his succession one of the most closely watched in corporate America.

In August, Berkshire said it began reducing its enormous stockpile of cash in the second quarter, investing billions ​of dollars in stocks such as Alphabet and repurchasing billions of its own, as it reported higher-than-expected profit.

Its quarterly operating profit rose 16% to US$12.98 ​billion, topping analyst forecasts, while net income more than doubled to US$25.67 billion, including unrealized gains and losses on stocks that Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire still owns.

PETALING JAYA: Dua pertubuhan masyarakat sivil menyuarakan kebimbangan berhubung akauntabiliti, layanan saksama serta keyakinan orang ramai terhadap usaha memerangi rasuah di Malaysia, susulan pengampunan bersyarat yang membenarkan bekas perdana menteri Najib Razak menjalani baki hukuman penjara sebagai tahanan di rumah.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) berkata, walaupun pihaknya menghormati kuasa perlembagaan berkaitan pengampunan di bawah Perkara 42 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, 'layanan luar biasa' boleh mengukuhkan persepsi bahawa individu berpengaruh dalam politik berdepan akibat yang berbeza berbanding pesalah biasa.

"Ia juga mungkin mencetuskan jangkaan layanan serupa bagi kes-kes masa akan datang yang melibatkan rasuah berskala besar dan jenayah kewangan, sekali gus berisiko melemahkan kesan pencegahan dalam kerangka antirasuah Malaysia," kata presidennya, Raymon Ram.

Raymon berkata, walaupun tiada satu keputusan khusus yang menentukan skor sesebuah negara dalam Indeks Persepsi Rasuah terbitan Transparency International, kes-kes berprofil tinggi mampu mempengaruhi persepsi lebih meluas yang menjadi asas kepada indeks berkenaan.

"Negara telah melaburkan usaha yang besar dalam memperkukuh tadbir urus dan membina semula keyakinan terhadap institusi," katanya dalam kenyataan.

"Kemajuan itu tidak wajar terjejas akibat tanggapan wujudnya layanan istimewa dalam kes-kes yang selama ini menjadi simbol kepada perjuangan Malaysia membanteras rasuah berskala besar."

Dalam pada itu, badan pemantau pilihan raya, Bersih menyifatkan keputusan hari ini menyampaikan 'mesej yang sangat mengelirukan' kepada rakyat, apabila diambil kira komitmen kerajaan dalam memerangi rasuah yang sering dilaungkan.

"Di satu sisi, kita melawan rasuah dan salah guna kuasa, di sisi yang lain mereka yang terpalit dan dijatuhkan hukuman akibat rasuah dan salah guna kuasa pula boleh dibebaskan," kata Jawatankuasa Pemandu Bersih dalam kenyataan berasingan.

Bersih menegaskan bahawa bantahan terhadap keputusan tersebut tidak wajar ditafsirkan sebagai rasa tidak hormat kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong, namun meluahkan kebimbangan sekiranya keputusan itu mencetuskan duluan bagi pengampunan pada masa akan datang membabitkan bekas pemimpin lain yang disabitkan kesalahan.

Kumpulan itu memaklumkan akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan masyarakat sivil, gerakan belia, dan mahasiswa bagi menentukan tindakan seterusnya.

Najib hari ini diberikan pengampunan bersyarat oleh Sultan Ibrahim, membolehkan bekas perdana menteri itu menjalani baki hukuman penjara bagi kes SRC International sebagai tahanan di rumah sehingga 23 Ogos 2028, tertakluk kepada pembayaran denda RM50 juta dan syarat-syarat lain.

Menurut Bahagian Hal Ehwal Undang-Undang (BHEUU) Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Najib mesti mematuhi segala syarat yang dikenakan, atau berdepan pembatalan pengampunan bersyarat berkenaan. Bagaimanapun, BHEUU tidak memperincikan syarat-syarat yang dimaksudkan.

Najib dipenjarakan pada Ogos 2022 selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan mengekalkan sabitan ke atasnya berhubung kesalahan menyalahgunakan kuasa dan menyeleweng dana RM42 juta milik SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Dia sebelum ini menjalani hukuman penjara yang telah dikurangkan kepada enam tahun di Penjara Kajang, susulan keputusan Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan memendekkannya daripada tempoh asal 12 tahun pada Februari 2024. Denda asal sebanyak RM210 juta turut dikurangkan kepada RM50 juta.

MADRID: Police on Friday were moving hundreds of migrants from the beaches of Ceuta to a temporary camp in the Spanish enclave's port area, weeks after a record influx overwhelmed the tiny territory.

During the transfer, the police struggled to contain crowds of people jostling to secure one of the 1,700 places at the new tented site after weeks of living on the beaches.

More than 70,000 migrants streamed into Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented, chaotic surge that left scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the sensitive topic of immigration.

Most returned in the following hours, but thousands remained in precarious conditions in the small, overwhelmed city, sleeping in the streets or in makeshift tents.

Deteriorating conditions have fueled tensions with local residents, with near-daily protests calling for a return to normality and some drawing support from far-right groups.

Many accuse the government of abandoning the overwhelmed city amid a humanitarian crisis.

Police on Friday started rounding up the migrants at 6:30am (0430 GMT), according to a Spanish government source in Ceuta. Hours later, long queues still snaked outside as migrants waited to be identified and registered before gaining entry.

Ceuta authorities estimate that 13,000 migrants have remained in the 18.5 square kilometre (7.2 square mile) territory. The central government says the figure is lower.

The Spanish government went ahead with the transfer despite opposition from the conservative local authority.

"This is a key step," digital transformation minister Oscar Lopez said Friday, arguing that moving migrants off beaches would help authorities process cases more quickly and ease pressure on public spaces.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has faced strong criticism over the handling of the crisis. He is also in dispute with Italy which temporarily reimposed border controls.

The government has had to identify the thousands of migrants who have remained for weeks to check if they are entitled to asylum, while unaccompanied children cannot be summarily deported.

Last week, Madrid said more than 5,300 of the migrants who remained in Ceuta after July's influx had returned to Morocco within a month.

The migrant surge has also generated a constant churn of negative headlines and dominated the political debate for weeks.

But with no end to the crisis in sight, worry and anger are growing among Ceuta's 84,000 residents who say the government has abandoned them.

Migrants live in informal camps and roam the streets while the leftist government works to expand emergency accommodation for them.

Isolated episodes of violence have broken out, including fights between migrants, the stoning of a military patrol and reports of sexual assault.

The row has become entwined with Spain's broader political debate over migration ahead of next year's election, with conservative and far-right opposition accusing Sanchez's government of failing to protect Spanish sovereignty in Ceuta.

Doubts about what the government knew beforehand and the possible role of Morocco, with which Madrid has spent years trying to improve relations, have also increased the political fallout for Sanchez.

Conservative Populist Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo seized on Friday's scenes, saying images of migrants running to secure places in the camp showed "the loss of control in Ceuta -- now an invaded city -- is absolute".

"That is how they should leave. Running. And the sooner, the better," said far-right Vox party leader Santiago Abascal on X.

PETALING JAYA: Construction group Binastra Corp Bhd hit a new all-time high today after a record-breaking performance in its second quarter saw its net profit surging by nearly 80%.

The stock hit a new high of RM2.52 after its shares rose three sen or 1.2% before closing at RM2.50, valuing the group at RM2.74 billion. A total of 1.8 million shares were traded.

The counter has risen 16% year to date after bagging a sizable number of property and data centre (DC) construction jobs this year. The group has also ventured into renewable energy projects.

This has bumped up its outstanding order book to RM6.7 billion, guaranteeing earnings visibility for at least the next three to four years.

Binastra’s net profit jumped nearly 80% in the second quarter ended July 31 (Q2 FY2027) to RM50.6 million from RM28.4 million a year ago while revenue rose 66% to RM658.4 million from RM396.8 million.

For the six months ended July 31, net profit rose by more than 60% to RM85.9 million from RM53.6 million a year earlier, while revenue nearly doubled to RM1.26 billion from RM653.7 million.

The profit surge was attributed to stronger construction activity, contributions from newly acquired thermal energy firm LF Lansen Sdn Bhd and its diversification into solar projects.

The group reaped the benefits of its acquisition of a 51% stake in LF Lansen last year and expansion into solar installation services, which contributed RM97.4 million in revenue during the quarter.

Binastra declared a first interim dividend of four sen per share, amounting to RM43.8 million, payable on Oct 16.

In a note today, RHB Research said the company’s revenue from DC and residential property jobs rose threefold to RM560.8 million in Q2.

It noted the management is aiming to secure more than RM2 billion worth of new jobs in FY2027 with year-to-date wins standing at RM819.5 million.

“After making a blockbuster debut down south during FY2026 by clinching RM2.5 billion worth of contracts in Johor Bahru, Binastra’s target for new jobs would now focus more on DC and renewable energy projects,” it said.

RHB maintained its “buy” call on the stock and raised its target price to RM3.38 per share from RM3.10 previously, a 35% upside from the current price.

The company has traditionally been strong in property-related construction as evidenced by its various high-rise residential property projects in the Klang Valley and Johor Bahru.

Almost unnoticed by many, Binastra has crept up to become the fifth-largest listed construction company in terms of market capitalisation behind industry leaders Gamuda Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd, Sunway Construction Group Bhd and Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd.

Its shares have surged 290% since the start of 2024 when it was trading around the 64 sen level.

The group is controlled by its managing director Jackson Tan who did a backdoor listing by taking over Comintel Corp Bhd in 2022.

Tan, 51, holds a combined 52.35% stake, according to the company’s latest annual report.

PETALING JAYA: A total of 68,177 workers lost their jobs from January to Sept 16, an increase of 15,196 over the same period last year, says economy minister Akmal Nasir.

Akmal said manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade were among the sectors most affected by the job losses.

However, he said the overall labour market remained resilient, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 3% as of July.

At a briefing following a National Economic Action Council meeting today, Akmal said the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) helped 143,653 workers secure jobs through the Employment Insurance System and MYFutureJobs during the period.

“This shows that the government’s intervention not only provides temporary support but also helps affected workers return to employment,” he said.

He said businesses were facing higher operating and working capital costs, with small and medium-sized enterprises particularly affected.

On the plus side, Bank Negara Malaysia found that most firms were still able to obtain the raw materials they needed despite disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict.

The Malaysian Investment Development Authority had also identified 52 proposed measures and economic opportunities in response to disruptions in West Asia.

The proposals included positioning Malaysia as a “World+1” destination for companies seeking to reduce supply chain risks.

The initiative would position Malaysia as a stable, neutral and safe investment and trade base, particularly for the semiconductor, aerospace, medical devices, automation, green energy, and critical minerals sectors.

Akmal said Malaysia was also looking to strengthen its role as an air and multimodal logistics hub for the semiconductor industry, with potential air cargo centres in Penang, Senai and KLIA Aeropolis.

He said 36 potential export markets had been identified, including 23 new markets, while opportunities were also being explored in the oil and gas and construction sectors, as well as in reconstruction projects in West Asia.

He said the relevant ministries had been asked to assess the proposals based on their priority, feasibility and suitability.

BRUSSELS: New Belgium coach Mark van Bommel on Friday named his first squad for their four Nations League matches, retaining the core of the World Cup selection.

Van Bommel, who has replaced Rudi Garcia, added eight players who did not take part in the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US as he named a 28-man squad for matches against Italy, France (twice), and Turkey between Sept 25 and Oct 5.

Belgium must do without first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who asked to be excused from the Nations League campaign to regulate his playing time.

Jeremy Doku, who was seen as a key player for the World Cup campaign but had a disappointing tournament, misses out due to injury, as does Amadou Onana.

Attacker Alexis Saelemaekers and veteran defender Thomas Meunier have been dropped while Axel Witsel has retired from international football.

The uncapped players in the squad include goalkeepers Jari De Busser, Mike Penders and Maarten Vandevoordt and 21-year-old fullback Kyriani Sabbe.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Jari De Busser (AZ Alkmaar), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Chelsea), Maarten Vandevoordt (RB Leipzig)

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Kyriani Sabbe, Joaquin Seys (both Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Bologna)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Mandela Keita (Parma), Romeo Lavia (Chelsea), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Manchester United), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge)

Forwards: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Newcastle United), Malick Fofana (Sunderland), Mika Godts (Paris St Germain), Romelu Lukaku (Fenerbahce), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (AC Milan), Lois Openda (Olympique Lyonnais), Leandro Trossard (Besiktas).

GENEVA: At least 112,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen within the last two weeks as fighting continues along the country's west coast amid a renewed ​conflict, while nearly 3,000 have fled by sea to Djibouti, the United Nations migration agency said on Friday.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi cities and energy infrastructure while advancing along Yemen's Red Sea coast towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route.

Responding to the Houthi offensive, the Saudi and Yemeni air forces have bombarded Houthi targets.

Nearly 3,000 people have crossed the Gulf of Aden to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa in less than a week as escalating violence have forced more families to flee, Sandrine Desamours, the representative for the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, told reporters in Geneva via video link from Djibouti.

"The government of Djibouti is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees - which will add acute pressure on the country’s healthcare and education services," she said.

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said people are fleeing on overcrowded boats and arriving with very limited food and water.

Most fleeing are Yemeni families seeking refuge in Djibouti, but IOM is also beginning to see a small number of migrants, mainly from Ethiopia, heading in the same direction.

"Additionally, authorities in Somaliland and Puntland have also reported increased arrivals from Yemen, including Yemeni refugees and Somali refugee returnees, though numbers remain in the hundreds for now," UNHCR said.

UN agencies described the latest fighting as being a crisis on top of multiple crises, as the country’s health services and economy have been shattered amid a long civil war between ​forces of the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed administration and the Houthis, creating one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises.

The Houthi advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast is bolstering Tehran’s hand in its conflict with the US, as the group tightens its control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic chokepoint for global oil and commodities shipping, more than six months after US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

NAGOYA: Asian Games organisers played the North Korean national anthem for the South Korean men's hockey team on Friday, later apologising for the blunder.

South Korean officials were left angered by the latest mishap to hit the Games ahead of Saturday's opening ceremony in Nagoya.

South Korea thrashed Bangladesh 5-0 but beforehand, instead of their national anthem, the song belonging to North Korea rang out.

The players from South Korea, who had lined up to listen to their anthem, looked at each other bemused.

Organisers then played Bangladesh's anthem, before playing the South Korean anthem later, the South's Yonhap news agency said.

However, the referee ordered players on both sides to shake hands with each other and to start getting ready to play before the anthem ended, it reported.

A stadium announcer apologised for the blunder but Min Tae-seok, coach of South Korea, was deeply unimpressed.

"This is a really serious problem. When we protested, they said, 'We're sorry. It wasn't that it wasn't prepared, there was a mistake on the part of those responsible for playing it'," he said.

"But this is something that simply should never happen."

An official from South Korea's Olympic committee said they were trying to find out what happened.

"We are currently looking into the matter to verify the exact facts," the official told AFP.

The build-up to the Games has been overshadowed by complaints from teams about the quality and amount of accommodation.

Some teams were also stranded at the airport for up to six hours when they landed this week.

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit strengthened against the US dollar and other major currencies at today's close, buoyed by improved market sentiment following easing concerns over crude oil supply, an analyst said. 

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said Brent crude prices fell on expectations of improving conditions in the Strait of Hormuz.

“This followed Saudi Arabia’s move to restore the damaged East-West pipeline. At the same time, some tankers have continued to traverse the Strait of Hormuz,” he told Bernama.

At 6pm, the local currency rose to 4.0795/4.0840 against the greenback from yesterday’s close of 4.0965/4.1010.

At the close, the ringgit gained against the euro to 4.6849/4.6901 from yesterday’s close of 4.7003/4.7055, rose versus the Japanese yen to 2.5829/2.5860 from 2.6305/2.6336, and advanced vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.4543/5.4603 from 5.4877/5.4937 previously.

The local note also traded higher against its Asean peers.

The ringgit inched up versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1933/3.1971 from 3.2099/3.2137 at yesterday’s close and improved against the Thai baht to 12.2383/12.2562 from 12.2734/12.2917 previously.

It also appreciated vis-à-vis the Philippine peso to 6.50/6.51 from 6.53/6.54 and climbed versus the Indonesian rupiah to 229.7/230 from 230.7/231.1.

PETALING JAYA: Two civil society organisations have raised concerns about accountability, equal treatment, and public confidence in Malaysia’s fight against corruption after former prime minister Najib Razak was granted a conditional pardon to serve the rest of his prison sentence under house arrest.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) said while it respected the constitutional power of clemency under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution, “exceptional treatment” could reinforce perceptions that politically influential individuals face different consequences from ordinary offenders.

"It may also set expectations for similar treatment in future cases involving grand corruption and financial crime, potentially weakening the deterrent effect of Malaysia's anti-corruption framework," its president, Raymon Ram, said.

Raymon said while no single decision determines a country’s score in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, high-profile cases could affect the wider perceptions on which the index is based.

“The country has invested significant effort in strengthening governance and rebuilding institutional confidence.

"That progress must not be undermined by perceptions of preferential treatment in cases that have come to symbolise Malaysia’s fight against grand corruption,” he said in a statement.

Election watchdog Bersih said today's decision sent a "deeply confusing message" to the public, given the government's stated commitment to fighting corruption.

"On the one hand, we fight against corruption and abuse of power; on the other hand, those who are implicated and sentenced for corruption and abuse of power can be released," the group's steering committee said in a separate statement.

Bersih stressed that opposition to the decision should not be construed as disrespect towards the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, but said it was concerned the decision would set a precedent for future pardons involving other convicted former leaders.

It said it would convene with civil society, youth and student groups to determine its next course of action.

Najib was granted a conditional pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, today allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of his RM50 million fine and other conditions.

The legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department said the former prime minister must comply with all the conditions imposed, failing which the conditional pardon would be revoked. It did not provide details of the conditions.

Najib was imprisoned in August 2022 after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for abuse of power and misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International.

He had been serving a reduced six-year prison sentence at Kajang prison after the Federal Territories Pardons Board halved his original 12-year sentence in February 2024. The initial RM210 million fine was also reduced to RM50 million.

CARACAS: The Venezuelan government and the opposition are close to an agreement to transfer the central bank's gold reserves, worth about US$4 billion, to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from the Bank of England (BoE), the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report, which cited four people familiar with the discussion.

Under the proposed deal, the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez would gain legal control of the gold but would be unable to sell the holdings immediately, the report said.

Instead, the reserve could be used as collateral for government borrowings, including for reconstruction following June’s twin earthquakes, the newspaper added.

A spokesman for the British foreign office said the government was "not a party in the legal case to determine who should have control of Venezuelan gold held in the Bank of England".

UK Courts and the Bank of England are independent of government, the spokesperson added.

In response to a Reuters' query, the Bank of England said it is not in a position to act until there is a further order from the UK Court on who has legal authority over the account.

"This requires the parties involved in the case to approach the UK Court to settle the dispute," the BoE said.

Gold could be used to try to counter inflation

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside regular business hours.

The Venezuelan government and the opposition could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Venezuela's National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez said the country was working on recovering gold ​reserves held in the Bank ‌of England's underground vaults, in an effort to counter surging inflation.

The Bank of England has withheld about 31 metric tonnes of Venezuelan gold for years, citing its non-recognition of the legitimacy of then-president Nicolas Maduro's government.

The BoE's refusal to release the gold goes back to early 2019 when the British government joined dozens of nations in backing then Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on the basis that Maduro's election win the previous year had been rigged.

The bullion has since been the subject of a prolonged legal dispute in British courts, and has not been released despite Maduro's capture by the US in January and a ​request by acting president Delcy Rodriguez to King Charles.

“The UK maintains its longstanding position of support for a democratic transition of power in Venezuela which reflects the will of the Venezuelan people,” the spokesman for the British foreign office said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) menggesa pihak penganjur dan mereka yang terlibat dalam sebuah pementasan teater yang tular kerana didakwa memperlekehkan Rukun Negara supaya memberikan penjelasan dan memohon maaf secara terbuka.

Presiden Abim Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin berkata, pementasan teater itu tidak seharusnya dianggap sebagai keberanian berkarya, sebaliknya mencerminkan kecuaian moral yang boleh merendahkan asas kehidupan bersama kalangan rakyat Malaysia.

"Rukun Negara bukan slogan kosong atau bahan lawak pentas. Rukun Negara merupakan ikrar kewarganegaraan yang dibentuk daripada pengalaman getir negara bagi memelihara kesatuan, keluhuran Perlembagaan, kedaulatan undang-undang serta kesopanan dalam masyarakat majmuk," katanya dalam kenyataan.

Beliau berkata, Abim sentiasa menghormati kebebasan seni namun kebebasan berkarya bukan bermakna seseorang bebas daripada tanggungjawab.

“Terdapat perbezaan antara mengkritik kegagalan kita menghayati Rukun Negara dengan menjadikan Rukun Negara itu sendiri bahan penghinaan," katanya.

“Pihak penganjur dan mereka yang terlibat mesti tampil memberikan penjelasan, memohon maaf secara terbuka serta bertanggungjawab terhadap pementasan tersebut. Pihak berkuasa pula perlu menyiasat perkara ini secara tegas, adil dan berasaskan undang-undang."

Ahmad Fahmi berkata, ketika negara berdepan polarisasi dan kemerosotan kepercayaan antara masyarakat, pentas seni seharusnya mencerdaskan pemikiran dan menyemai nilai kemanusiaan, bukannya menghakis asas yang menyatukan rakyat.

PETALING JAYA: Pengampunan bersyarat yang diberikan kepada bekas perdana menteri, Najib Razak, bukan keputusan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim atau Pakatan Harapan (PH), tegas Wanita PKR.

Ketuanya Fadhlina Sidek mengingatkan bahawa pengampunan adalah wewenang Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"Kita mesti jujur dengan fakta. Pengampunan adalah wewenang Yang di-Pertuan Agong sebagaimana diperuntukkan oleh Perlembagaan. Wanita PKR menghormati keputusan tersebut dan menjunjung institusi Raja Berperlembagaan."

"Jangan kerana perbezaan politik, kita mengaburkan kedudukan Perlembagaan atau menggambarkan keputusan ini seolah-olah keputusan perdana menteri atau PH," katanya di Facebook.

Terdahulu, Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan (LPWP) membenarkan Najib menjalani baki hukuman penjara di bawah tahanan rumah sehingga 23 Ogos 2028 menerusi pengampunan bersyarat.

Keputusan itu tertakluk kepada pembayaran denda RM50 juta serta pematuhan terhadap syarat ditetapkan.

Perkembangan ini mendorong pemimpin Parti Bersama Malaysia, Rafizi Ramli, menggesa Anwar dan kepimpinan PH mendedahkan semua syarat yang dikenakan terhadap tahanan rumah Najib.

Fadhlina berkata pengampunan bersyarat Najib sudah tentu mengundang pelbagai reaksi, mengambil maklum kekecewaan dan kemarahan sesetengah pihak.

"Kita tidak harus berpura-pura bahawa perasaan itu tidak wujud. Rakyat berhak bersuara dan mendapatkan penjelasan.

"Kerajaan tetap mempunyai tanggungjawab untuk memberikan penjelasan kepada rakyat," katanya.

Najib kini menjalani hukuman penjara enam tahun yang telah dikurangkan daripada hukuman asal 12 tahun dalam kes SRC International.

Beliau dipenjarakan pada Ogos 2022 selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan menolak rayuan terakhirnya dalam kes SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Anwar dilaporkan berkata pengampunan hukuman Najib tidak menjejaskan prinsip kerajaan untuk terus mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap semua kes rasuah dan salah guna kuasa.

PETALING JAYA: Umno hopes the conditional pardon granted to former prime minister Najib Razak will give the party momentum ahead of the Melaka state election, says its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid said the development could have a positive impact on Umno as it navigates the current political landscape.

“I hope this will add value (to Umno) in the country’s current political landscape, insya-Allah,” Bernama quoted him as saying at a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, today.

Najib was granted a conditional pardon today allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of his RM50 million fine.

The legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department said the conditional pardon was granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, following the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board today.

Elaborating on the upcoming Melaka election, Zahid said he had given Melaka Barisan Nasional chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh the mandate to hold discussions with any political coalition.

He said Melaka BN would submit its list of candidates for consideration based on feedback from various quarters, with assemblymen who had performed well to be retained where possible.

“We adhere to the principle of having ‘winnable, acceptable and likeable’ candidates who will aid the blue wave currently sweeping across the country,” he said.

LONDON: Trent Alexander-Arnold was recalled to the England squad on Friday as manager Thomas Tuchel named his first selection since the World Cup.

England begin their Nations League campaign against world champions Spain at Wembley on Sept 26, the first of four matches they will play during the international break.

Real Madrid's Alexander-Arnold had not featured for England since June 2025 and returns after more than a year out of the international set-up, with Tuchel favouring other options at right back.

Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele and Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott were also included in the squad and could make their England debuts. Scott trained with England before the World Cup but did not play in their warm-up friendlies.

Tuchel made 10 changes from the 26-man squad that travelled to the US, Canada and Mexico. Cole Palmer and Lewis Hall return alongside Alexander-Arnold, while the experienced pair Jordan Henderson and John Stones miss out.

Arsenal winger Noni Madueke was left out, with Tuchel selecting Liverpool's 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who will hope to earn his second England cap after making his debut in June against New Zealand.

After hosting Spain, England visit the Czech Republic and Croatia before playing the Czechs again at home. The remaining two fixtures of the group will be completed in November.

SHAH ALAM: Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini menolak saman sivil RM1 juta difailkan seorang remaja perempuan yang menghidap 'cerebral palsy' bersama-sama ibu bapanya terhadap enam defendan, berhubung insiden dia terjatuh selepas seorang murid lain didakwa menarik kerusi ketika di sekolah pada 2023.

Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Anita Harun turut memerintahkan pihak plaintif membayar kos RM10,000.

Menurut penghakiman, beliau memutuskan pihak plaintif gagal membuktikan kecuaian dan perkaitan sebab akibat yang diperlukan antara dakwaan kelemahan dalam penyeliaan serta penjagaan, dengan kecederaan atau penderitaan tambahan yang didakwa.

Mengenai dakwaan kecuaian penyeliaan, Anita berkata, defendan pertama mengakui beliau merupakan satu-satunya guru yang ada pada masa itu dan perhatiannya terbahagi antara dua kumpulan murid dengan keperluan yang berbeza.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, keterangan tidak membuktikan bahawa susunan penyeliaan itu tidak munasabah atau sebarang langkah berjaga-jaga munasabah yang telah diabaikan akan dapat mengelakkan kejatuhan tersebut.

“Plaintif pertama sendiri mengakui bahawa ia berlaku dengan pantas, tanpa didahului sebarang pertengkaran. Kecuaian penyeliaan, bahawa kejatuhan itu (disebabkan olehnya) tidak dapat dibuktikan,” katanya menambah, ketika kejadian, plaintif pertama sedang mengikuti Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (PPKI) di sebuah sekolah di Shah Alam.

Anita berkata, keputusan itu tidak menafikan kecederaan plaintif pertama atau beban yang ditanggung oleh keluarganya, tetapi ia mencerminkan kegagalan membuktikan kecuaian dan perkaitan sebab akibat yang diperlukan oleh undang-undang bagi mewujudkan liabiliti.

Terdahulu, Peguam Kanan Persekutuan Afiq Nazrin Zaharinan yang mewakili kesemua enam defendan memohon kos sebanyak RM30,000, manakala peguam plaintif, Sofian Azmir memohon RM10,000, sebelum pesuruhjaya kehakiman memerintahkan pihak plaintif membayar kos RM10,000 kepada kesemua enam defendan.

Saman itu difailkan bapa remaja terbabit, Wan Amey Shahril Wan Ab Rahman, 39, bagi pihak dirinya, isterinya dan anak perempuan mereka, terhadap enam defendan iaitu tiga orang guru Ilyana Sari Ridzuan, Suhaida Abdul Rahman dan Aizam Naim Mohd Junid; guru besar Hamidah Shamsudin; Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM); dan kerajaan Malaysia.

Sementara itu, selepas prosiding, Sofian berkata, mereka tidak bersetuju dengan keputusan itu dan akan memfailkan rayuan tidak lama lagi.

“Kami tidak bersetuju dan kami percaya telah berlaku khilaf. Kami akan membuat rayuan secepat mungkin, atas sebab beberapa hujah tidak ditegaskan atau dinyatakan oleh Yang Arif.

“Kami mahu menegaskan bahawa kes ini membabitkan individu berkeperluan khas dan sepatutnya ada pemantauan,” katanya kepada media.

Pada Ogos 2024, media melaporkan bahawa remaja perempuan itu, yang ketika itu berusia 12 tahun, menderita selama hampir setahun akibat komplikasi daripada kecederaan tulang belakang, selepas beliau terjatuh apabila seorang rakan menarik kerusi yang baru hendak didudukinya.

Kejadian berlaku pada 12 Okt 2023 itu didedahkan oleh ibunya Azera Yazid, 38, di platform TikTok, sebelum keluarga tersebut mengambil tindakan undang-undang untuk menuntut pampasan atas kecederaan anak perempuan mereka dan kesan penderitaan yang dialaminya.

MOSCOW: Voting got underway on Friday in a three-day parliamentary election in Russia which president Vladimir Putin has framed as a barometer of support for Russia's war in Ukraine.

It is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, and the vote - which will determine the make-up of the 450-seat lower house of parliament, the State Duma - is widely expected to see the ruling pro-Putin United Russia party retain its dominance in what is a tightly controlled political system.

Most anti-war candidates have been excluded from the ballot after the Supreme Court ruled that the liberal Yabloko party - which wants a ceasefire - had breached electoral rules, though some Yabloko candidates are still running in individual constituencies.

In a televised address to the nation ahead of the vote, Putin said that casting a vote would help secure Russia's victory in Ukraine and demonstrate national resolve in the face of external pressure.

The Kremlin says national unity is vital because of what it says are increasingly dangerous efforts by Ukraine's intelligence services and other enemies to stir unrest inside Russia.

Voting is taking place at a time when opinion polls show some Russians have become more anxious about how the conflict affects them.

The economy is also under strain and the authorities are expected to use the vote to gauge the depth of society's war weariness as fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes roil some parts of the country and businesses grapple with high interest rates, a labour crunch and Western sanctions.

Initial and partial results are expected to begin trickling out at 6pm on Sunday and near-complete results to be available on Monday.

PETALING JAYA: Police seized 191kg of drugs worth RM17.2 million in two separate raids in Kuching and Limbang over the past week.

Sarawak police chief Zainal Abdullah said the seizures involved various types of drugs, including MDMA powder and liquid, ketamine, Erimin 5 and methamphetamine. The raids also led to the arrest of two men aged 39 and 23.

Zainal said the seized drugs could have been distributed to about 484,850 people, highlighting the scale of the drug trafficking threat in Sarawak, reported Berita Harian.

In the first case in Kuching on Sept 11, police seized 107.518kg of drugs, comprising 50.1kg of MDMA powder, 32.3kg of ketamine, 25kg of liquid MDMA and 0.118kg of Erimin 5 pills.

“The total value of the seizure was estimated at RM12.89 million, with the drugs believed to have been intended for distribution in Kuching,” he said at a press conference in Kuching.

Following that, police raided a house at Jalan Mendamit in Limbang on Sept 14, where they seized 84.07kg of drugs comprising 81.21kg of methamphetamine, 2.06kg of ketamine and 0.80kg of MDMA powder.

The total value of the drugs seized was estimated at RM4.3 million. A four-wheel-drive vehicle worth RM35,000 was also seized.

Zainal said both cases were being investigated for drug trafficking under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia’s main index closed lower on Friday after a choppy session, while buying interest shifted to smaller-cap stocks, particularly technology and construction counters.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 9.18 points, or 0.54%, to 1,665.56, from Thursday’s close of 1,674.74.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said major Asian indices trended higher as lower oil prices eased US inflation concerns, while a tech-led rebound on Wall Street lifted sentiment.

On the domestic front, Thong said the local market could not escape broader foreign selling across emerging Asean markets, as a hawkish Federal Reserve, elevated US Treasury yields and a stronger greenback encouraged investors to favour US dollar assets.

“Nevertheless, local investors have shifted their attention towards smaller-cap stocks, particularly in the technology and construction sectors, resulting in stronger broader-market breadth despite the FBM KLCI’s weakness.

“From a technical perspective, the FBM KLCI has slipped to 1,665, while its relative strength index (RSI) at just above 30 indicates that the benchmark is approaching oversold territory,” he told Bernama.

Thong said this could attract bargain hunters, but with momentum still fragile, the index must first reclaim the 1,670-1,675 level to signal easing selling pressure.

Otherwise, the next support lies around 1,650-1,655, he said.

The benchmark index opened 1.98 points higher at 1,676.72 and moved between 1,661.79 and 1,677.83 throughout the session.

Market breadth, however, remained positive, with 625 gainers against 564 decliners. A total of 505 counters were unchanged, 1,172 untraded, and 22 suspended.

Turnover surged to 4.91 billion units worth RM4.87 billion, from 3.60 billion units valued at RM3.25 billion on Thursday.

Heavyweight counters saw Maybank lose four sen to RM10.32, Public Bank eased three sen to RM4.77, CIMB fell six sen to RM7.63, Tenaga Nasional reduced 28 sen to RM13.04 and IHH Healthcare erased five sen to RM7.64.

Among the most active counters, Zetrix AI lost 4.5 sen to 20 sen, AirAsia rose 2.5 sen to 53 sen and FBSM shed four sen to 6.5 sen. Jaks Resources added 1.5 sen to 15.5 sen, while Top Glove slipped two sen to 77.5 sen.

Leading the gainers, Malaysian Pacific Industries rose RM2.70 to RM42.80, Sunway Construction jumped 76 sen to RM7.88 and Time Dotcom gained 49 sen to RM6.41. Petronas Gas advanced 34 sen to RM17.50, while QL Resources gained 33 sen to RM4.19.

On the losing side, Petronas Dagangan shed RM1 to RM20.08, Nestle fell 94 sen to RM89.58, Hong Leong Bank lost 56 sen to RM22.54, PPB slipped 35 sen to RM9.36 and KLCCP Stapled fell 28 sen to RM8.31.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 3.01 points to 12,411.72, while the FBM Top 100 Index lost 8.57 points to 12,210.37. The FBM ACE Index, however, advanced 48.15 points to 5,244.60.

The FBM Mid 70 Index jumped 236.78 points to 17,844.02, while the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 38.12 points to 12,311.99.

Sector-wise, the industrial products and services index edged up 0.38 of a point to 185.24, while the energy index gained 5.48 points to 820.62. The financial services index, however, fell 123.28 points to 19,412.63, while the plantation index shed 10.84 points to 9,496.44.

Main Market volume rose to 3.49 billion units worth RM4.55 billion, from 2.19 billion units valued at RM2.95 billion on Thursday.

Warrants turnover increased to 925.95 million units worth RM131.87 million, from 866.66 million units valued at RM108.88 million previously.

ACE Market volume fell to 498.28 million units valued at RM195.96 million, from 541.67 million units worth RM192.18 million on Thursday.

Meanwhile, trading on the Main Market was led by technology counters with 1.44 billion shares, followed by consumer products and services (527.84 million), construction (230.64 million), property (230.97 million), industrial products and services (317.88 million), healthcare (183.60 million), energy (112.55 million), financial services (129.61 million), utilities (90.51 million), real estate investment trusts (66.75 million), plantation (64.85 million), transportation and logistics (48.57 million), telecommunications and media (45.26 million), business trusts (67,900) and closed-end funds (38,200).

TEHRAN: Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA, as a British maritime agency also reported an attack.

Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic strait as Washington continues pressing its counterblockade of Iranian ports during the Middle East war.

The Islamic republic wants to charge ships for passage, attacking vessels it accuses of attempting to circumvent its preferred route.

"The Togo-flagged oil tanker 'Trend' had been targeted and detained after a fire broke out on board" late on Thursday, the statement said, calling it an attempted "illegal passage".

Early on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a ship was hit by an "unknown projectile", causing a fire that was extinguished.

The monitoring agency had also reported a "security incident" in Hormuz late on Thursday, without giving details.

It was unclear if the IRGC and UKMTO reports referred to the same incident.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) has urged the organisers and individuals involved in a theatre production allegedly mocking the Rukun Negara to issue a public clarification and apology.

Abim president Ahmad Fahmi Samsudin said the performance should not be viewed as artistic boldness, but as a failure of moral judgment that risks undermining the foundations of peaceful coexistence among Malaysians.

"There is a difference between criticising our failure to embody the Rukun Negara and making the Rukun Negara itself an object of insult.

"The organisers and those involved must step forward to provide an explanation, apologise publicly, and take responsibility for the play,” Bernama reported him as saying in a statement.

Fahmi said while Abim respects artistic freedom, creative expression does not imply freedom from responsibility.

“The authorities must also investigate this firmly, fairly, and in accordance with the law," he said.

He said the Rukun Negara is not an empty slogan, or should be used as a joke, but is a pledge of citizenship forged from the country's "painful past experiences to preserve unity, the supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law, and courtesy in a pluralistic society".

At a time when the nation faces polarisation and an erosion of trust among communities, he said, the arts should enlighten minds and instil human values rather than erode the foundations that unite the people.

A video of the production that went viral on social media showed several actors telling one another to “go back” to China, India and Indonesia, with the punchline “This is Malaysia” repeated throughout the skit.

The actors then recited the Rukun Negara, with different characters adding mocking responses after each line.

One of the actors was clad only in red underwear, with red and white words painted on his body.

WASHINGTON: A former Syrian government official who ​headed the Damascus Central Prison under ousted president Bashar al-Assad and was convicted of ‌torture by a US federal jury has been sentenced to 60 years in prison by a US judge, federal prosecutors said.

Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, was charged in 2024 and convicted in March this year on three counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture for his involvement in the abuse of prisoners at Adra Prison in Damascus.

Alsheikh was also convicted of lying to US immigration authorities ​about his commission of the crimes, fraudulently obtaining a green card and attempting to naturalise as a US citizen, the US justice department said.

Thursday's sentence was handed down by US district judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles.

Prosecutors said Alsheikh ordered subordinates to inflict physical and ​mental pain on prisoners to deter opposition to Assad's government and was sometimes personally involved in such ​incidents.

The US justice department said Alsheikh, who held positions in the state security apparatus, was the highest-ranking former member of Assad's government to be tried and convicted in person outside Syria so far.

Alsheikh's legal team had asked for a five-year sentence. In March, they said they were "disappointed" by his conviction.

Alsheikh, who headed Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008, had previously pleaded not guilty.

Khaled Abdul Malek, a witness in the case who was detained and tortured at Adra prison, said in a written statement shared with reporters that the sentencing showed that "even when justice is delayed, it will always come".

"This trial is not the end, but the first step on the road toward accountability and justice for everyone whose hands have been stained with the blood of innocent people," he said.

Syrian rebels put an end to more than 50 years of rule by the Assad family in late 2024 following a lightning advance.

Hundreds of thousands died in a civil war that lasted more than a decade, ​unleashed a global refugee crisis and left cities across the country in ruins.

Syrian ​president Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, took over after Assad's ouster and has worked to improve ties with ​the West.

Last month, a Syrian court sentenced Assad, who resides in Russia, in absentia to death after convicting him of crimes including killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest ‌during the country's war.

PETALING JAYA: Operations at a quarry at Keramat Pulai in Simpang Pulai, Perak, have been temporarily halted after a lorry driver was killed on Monday when a boulder fell on his vehicle.

Executive councillor A Sivanesan said the state occupational safety and health department (DOSH) had issued a prohibition notice following the incident, which would remain in effect until it received an engineer’s report and determined the next course of action.

In the 4.40pm incident, the lorry driver was waiting to enter the quarry when a boulder fell from the hillside, crushing the front of the vehicle.

The driver was trapped in the lorry’s cabin, Kosmo quoted him as saying during a visit to the site today.

Sivanesan said the department was investigating the incident under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and would take legal action against the employer if they had breached any law.

He said blasting work had been carried out at the quarry earlier on Monday, but no movement was detected until the boulder fell about three hours later.

“Police will also investigate to determine the cause of the incident,” he said.

DUNGUN: Polis sedang menyiasat dengan lebih lanjut berhubung kes kematian seorang bayi perempuan berusia empat bulan di sebuah taman asuhan kanak-kanak (taska) di Bandar Al Muktafi Billah Shah, pada 7 Sept lepas.

Ketua Polis Dungun, Nik Ab Halim Nik Mat, berkata walaupun proses bedah siasat selesai, punca sebenar kematian bayi berkenaan masih memerlukan pengesahan lanjut berdasarkan analisis dan laporan perubatan.

"Pihak polis memahami kebimbangan keluarga mangsa dan menghormati hak ibu serta keluarga untuk mendapatkan penjelasan dan mencari keadilan melalui saluran undang-undang sewajarnya," menurut kenyataan.

Beliau berkata demikian susulan tindakan ibu mangsa, Nurul Sahuda Rosli, 30, yang membuat laporan di Balai Polis Dungun semalam berhubung kematian bayinya dan menuntut siasatan dijalankan secara menyeluruh.

Nik Ab Halim berkata polis sedang mengambil tindakan sewajarnya termasuk merakam percakapan pihak berkaitan dan mendapatkan serta meneliti rakaman kamera litar tertutup bagi membantu siasatan.

Polis juga akan meneliti sebarang maklumat tambahan yang dikemukakan oleh keluarga mangsa dan pihak berkaitan.

"Polis menegaskan tiada kesimpulan awal dibuat berhubung punca kematian atau sebarang unsur kecuaian sehingga semua hasil siasatan dan laporan berkaitan diperoleh serta diteliti," katanya.

Polis meminta semua pihak supaya tidak membuat spekulasi atau kesimpulan berdasarkan maklumat yang belum disahkan kerana perkara itu boleh menjejaskan siasatan.

Pada 7 Sept, media melaporkan Nur Helena Safya Mohamad Hazrin disahkan meninggal dunia di Hospital Dungun kira-kira 12.45 tengah hari.

Berdasarkan siasatan awal, ibu mangsa menghantar bayi berkenaan pada 8 pagi hari sama dalam keadaan sihat dan baik, sebelum pihak taska mendapati Nur Helena tidak sedarkan diri dipercayai selepas tidur dan diberikan susu.

NAGOYA: The Asian Games in Japan were facing more accusations of poor organisation with a world champion gymnast "totally exhausted", the public drafted in to rescue stranded athletes and South Korea lodging a complaint about a Japanese warlord.

The continent's premier sporting spectacle opens in Nagoya and Aichi prefecture on Saturday, but the build-up has been soured by several issues.

That includes a shortage of rooms for the more than 17,000 athletes and officials -- a bigger number than the Olympics.

Some teams have also criticised the quality of the accommodation, including beds that are too short.

To save money there is no athletes' village, organisers instead putting competitors in hotels, temporary cabins and on a cruise ship.

Organisers say the accommodation is safe, cost-effective and comfortable.

Chinese gymnast Zhang Boheng, who won two silver medals at the Paris Olympics and has two world championship titles to his name, said he and some of his team-mates were left waiting for six hours after landing on Wednesday.

"I'm totally exhausted," he said in a video published Thursday and shared widely on Chinese social media.

"I didn't expect that after breakfast at 7:00 am the next time I could eat would be close to 7:00 pm," the 26-year-old said.

He said the wait was caused by registration and paperwork, before heading to the cruise ship where 4,000 Games participants will be housed in Nagoya's port area.

But when they arrived at the ship, he said heavy rain prevented them from boarding.

"A whole day was basically wasted like this," added Zhang.

"In the end we really couldn't take it any more so we decided to book rooms at a hotel to rest."

The video has since been taken down but Chinese state media said that other Chinese athletes also faced travel delays upon arrival.

Beijing's consulate in Nagoya contacted Chinese citizens in the area to give the badminton team lifts after issues with a shuttle bus and a shortage of public transport tickets, Xinhua reported.

Chinese social media users applauded athletes, including table tennis star Sun Yingsha, for stretching and exercising at the airport.

The hashtag "Asian Games absurd" has since been viewed more than 94 million times on Weibo.

India's team had similar delays at the airport.

"There was an issue in getting accreditation for athletes at the airport during immigration. There were long queues with a lot of other nations there," India's chef de mission and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) treasurer Sahdev Yadav told AFP.

"But these things happen and we have got everything sorted."

Warlord controversy

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that some of the country's athletes waited at the airport for more than five hours on Thursday.

"We are aware of the situation including reports that athletes have had to wait for hours and we are doing our best to handle it," a Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) official told AFP.

Also on Friday, the KSOC said it had filed a complaint with Games organisers for featuring a Japanese warlord at a welcoming ceremony.

The event on Tuesday included a person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who led Japan's invasions of Korea in 1592-1598, and the ceremony prompted a backlash in South Korea.

Historical issues are sensitive between South Korea and Japan, with Hideyoshi's invasion a significant episode in Korean history and Korea under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.

Despite the mounting issues Asia's Olympic chief hinted that future editions of the multisport event could be even bigger.

"I am a supporter to increase the number of athletes, not to decrease athletes," said Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) director general Husain Al-Musallam.

He conceded that he wished there was an athletes' village -- like in previous editions -- but added: "We need to listen also to the organiser, to the host, how they would look for the future, after the Games, after the closing ceremony."

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s central executive committee will meet tomorrow to discuss and decide the party’s position and follow-up action after former prime minister Najib Razak was granted a conditional pardon today allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.

In a statement, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook stressed that the party respects the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s power to grant pardons, and said it has always upheld the principles of constitutional monarchy and the supremacy of the Federal Constitution.

Loke said DAP upholds the rule of law and opposes corruption, pointing out that public anger over 1MDB contributed to the change of government in GE14 in 2018.

He said the 1MDB scandal tarnished Malaysia’s image and eroded public and investor confidence in the country’s institutions.

He noted that the finance ministry had said on Sept 13 that the government’s total obligations related to 1MDB amounted to RM51.4 billion, comprising RM42.5 billion already paid by the government, and RM8.9 billion in outstanding debt.

“DAP has been consistent from the outset in demanding justice and accountability over the 1MDB scandal,” he said.

“We have fought for the misappropriation to be thoroughly investigated, and for those responsible to be brought through an independent and fair legal process.

“The people’s mandate to oppose corruption and abuse of power will continue to guide DAP.”

Loke also said federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh had conveyed a position consistent with the party’s principles while carrying out her responsibilities as a member of the Federal Territories Pardons Board (FTPB).

Yeoh is one of DAP's three assistant secretaries-general.

“As she has explained, those views were conveyed honestly and frankly in the interest of the country,” he said.

Earlier today, the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department announced that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, had granted Najib a conditional pardon following a FTPB meeting.

Under the conditional pardon, Najib will serve the remainder of his sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to the payment of his RM50 million fine.

Najib, 73, has been serving a six-year sentence at Kajang prison after the board halved his original 12-year sentence in February 2024. The original RM210 million fine was also reduced to RM50 million.

He was imprisoned in August 2022 after the Federal Court dismissed his final appeal in the case.

BANGKOK: An Australian accused of murdering a Thai teenager and stuffing her body in a suitcase pleaded not guilty Friday in a hearing in the seaside resort city of Pattaya, a court official said.

Simon Peter Carman, 45, was arrested at a Bangkok airport on June 26 as he prepared to take a flight back to Australia, after the 17-year-old victim's friend reported her missing.

Her body was found in a suitcase near a railway track in Pattaya, a city south of Bangkok, early the next day.

Police said she died of suffocation.

Carman appeared on Friday at Pattaya Provincial Court, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges, a court spokesperson told AFP.

He had been charged with murder, concealing a body and taking a minor for indecent purposes. The next court date was set for Oct 12.

Police previously said CCTV footage showed him entering a condominium in Pattaya with the girl in the early hours of June 25, and leaving that evening carrying a large black suitcase.

The case put the spotlight on Pattaya, which is popular with foreign tourists for its beaches and nightlife, but also has a reputation for sex tourism.

PETALING JAYA: Polis merampas pelbagai jenis dadah dianggarkan bernilai RM17.2 juta menerusi dua operasi berasingan di Sarawak sepanjang hujung minggu lepas.

Pesuruhjaya Polis Sarawak Zainal Abdullah berkata, rampasan itu hasil operasi bersama Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik (JSJN) Bukit Aman dan Sarawak.

Dalam operasi pertama pada 11 Sept di Kuching, sebanyak 107.518 kg dadah dianggarkan bernilai RM12.89 juta dirampas, terdiri daripada 50.1kg serbuk MDMA, 32.3 kg ketamin, 25 kg cecair MDMA dan 0.118 kg pil Erimin 5.

Selain itu, seorang lelaki tempatan berusia 39 tahun ditahan di sebuah rumah, menurut Zainal.

“Sindiket berkenaan dipercayai aktif sejak Julai 2026 dan menggunakan sebuah rumah teres sebagai lokasi memproses, membungkus serta menyimpan dadah sebelum diedarkan di sekitar Kuching,” katanya, lapor Bernama.

Zainal berkata, ujian saringan air kencing suspek didapati positif methamphetamine/amphetamine, dan lelaki itu direman tujuh hari bermula 12 Sept hingga esok, bagi membantu siasatan.

Sementara itu, dalam operasi kedua pada 14 Sept, katanya, seorang lelaki berusia 23 tahun ditahan di Jalan Mendamit, Limbang.

Dalam serbuan itu, polis merampas 84.07 kg dadah terdiri daripada 81.21 kg syabu, 2.06 kg ketamin dan 0.80 kg serbuk MDMA, dengan nilai keseluruhan dianggarkan RM4.3 juta.

“Sindiket itu dipercayai aktif sejak November 2025 dan menggunakan kenderaan pacuan empat roda untuk membawa bekalan dadah dari Miri ke Sabah melalui jalan darat.

"Suspek direman tujuh hari bermula 15 hingga 22 Sep bagi membantu siasatan,” katanya.

Kedua-dua kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 39B Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952.

SAN FRANCISO: Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic said on Thursday that AI systems are increasingly capable of building future versions of themselves, adding to mounting concerns about the dangers of the powerful technology.

The debate over the risks of AI has intensified in recent months, fueled by several incidents and apocalyptic warnings from industry professionals.

Anthropic said its Claude chatbot now leads more than a quarter of its research and development work, and collaborates with human staff on more than 90% of tasks.

The company said it was publishing the information to give the public, third parties and governments "better visibility into the pace of AI development" as the world "considers slowing" its pace.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called this month for AI development to slow down, with rapid advances in the technology fueling concerns over job losses and the soaring energy demand and environmental impact of data centers.

Fears that designers of AI agents could lose control of their creations also mounted after several models from Anthropic and rival OpenAI reportedly broke out of their confined environments on their own, accessed the internet and intruded on websites and platforms.

"Models accelerating their own development could make it more challenging for humans to understand or control these systems," Anthropic said in a report.

"It is therefore important to share these metrics to understand how close the world is to reaching recursive self improvement (a model fully autonomously building its successor)."

As of August, Claude leads 26% of Anthropic's research and development, meaning it can complete most of a task from start to finish with human supervision.

Anthropic said Claude could not yet operate "fully autonomously."

The firm said it had about 30,000 AI agents doing research and engineering work, referring to bots that have the potential to carry out tasks.

Anthropic is expected to beat OpenAI to the public markets with a blockbuster IPO later this year, despite concerns around industry regulation.

SYDNEY: A shark killed a man as he swam off a popular beach near Perth in Western Australia on Friday, police said.

It was the fourth death from a shark attack in Australia this year.

"It was reported a male swimmer had been bitten by a shark while swimming along the coast," a Western Australia state police spokeswoman said in a statement.

"The swimmer died as a result of the attack."

Police helicopters and boats scoured waters off Sorrento Beach after emergency services were called to the beach in the morning, officials said.

Authorities closed beaches in the area until further notice.

Local media reported that witnesses had seen blood in the water.

"It was like a scene off Jaws where a body is flicked around like a rag doll," an unidentified male witness on the beach told local broadcaster Seven.

Surf Life Saving WA said in a social media post that an unidentified species of shark was involved in the incident about 50 metres (160 feet) offshore.

It was the second shark attack in Western Australia this week, after a man lost part of his leg when he was bitten at Glenfield Beach, north of Perth.

There have been multiple shark attack fatalities around the country this year.

A 12-year-old boy died after he was bitten by a shark while swimming in Sydney Harbour in January.

Three divers were fatally mauled in separate incidents between May and June -- two in Western Australia and the third in Queensland.

Also in June, a woman had to have part of her left arm amputated after she was mauled by a shark at one of Australia's most popular beaches, Coogee, in Sydney.

There have been around 1,300 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, of which more than 260 resulted in death, according to a database of their encounters with humans.

KARACHI: A Pakistan court blocked on Friday an order by the country's medical board for dozens of Afghans studying to be doctors to be expelled from colleges and universities and sent home.

"The Lahore High Court has extended the stay order preventing the expulsion of over a hundred Afghan medical students from medical colleges until the next hearing," a Lahore court decision seen by AFP said.

The judge, Justice Khalid Ishaq, did not fix a date for the next hearing.

A similar petition has already been rejected by a court in Balochistan province, while another is underway in Sindh.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) said in a letter to academic institutes that no "form of facilitation of Afghan nationals is permitted for the current academic session".

The order sparked dismay among Afghan students, one of whom told AFP: "It was like the death of my hopes to become a doctor".

The PMDC letter to college deans said: "Afghans previously enrolled in medical or dental programs in Pakistan are required to return to Afghanistan."

The letter, a copy of which was seen by AFP, did not say on whose authority the medical council was acting, but said: "The matter is of highest priority and relates to national policy directions".

Relations between neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan have plummeted since the Taliban government's return to power in Kabul in 2021, and escalated into weeks of war earlier this year.

More than 2.5 million Afghans - many who spent decades living as refugees in Pakistan - have been expelled or left voluntarily over the past three years, according to UN data, as part of a deportation drive by Islamabad.

Human Rights Watch urged authorities to reverse the PMDC order, highlighting the plight of women who are banned from studying in Afghanistan.

Amnesty International slammed the move as "discriminatory and arbitrary".

Among the Lahore petitioners is a 23-year-old who was just days away from finishing her second-year studies when she was told she must "go back and leave everything".

A judge suspended the expulsion order at the provincial level on Sept 11, but the student said her records have already been expunged from the university's online platform.

'Never give up'

The undergraduate, who requested anonymity for security reasons, was forced to end her medical studies in Afghanistan after Taliban authorities banned women from universities.

She said she was one of about 20 Afghan women, out of 30,000 applicants, to win a scholarship in Pakistan.

"I will never give up... I learned from this journey that sadness doesn't bring anything," she told an AFP journalist in Kabul by phone.

Asad Jamal, one of several lawyers representing the students in Lahore, criticised the PMDC orders, which he said failed to provide medics with "any opportunity to be heard".

The PMDC did not respond to AFP's request for comment.

Jamal said even if the students lose their Lahore petition, the case could still be taken to Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court.

Mubin Ulfati, a final-year student in Lahore, had just returned from a hospital shift when he was given 24 hours to leave the country.

"We are medical students; we know how to manage shocking news. But this wasn't something very manageable," the 24-year-old told AFP.

"We are clearly victims" of a political situation.

Some Afghan medics had been deported even before the PMDC order, such as a fourth-year student who tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to renew his visa.

"We are only students. We are not political people," said the medic, who was specialising in ophthalmology and requested anonymity.

The 33-year-old was pulled out of the operating theatre and expelled within two days.

"Please, let us finish our studies," he said. "We will finish, and we will go back to our country," he added.

PETALING JAYA: Jawatankuasa Eksekutif Pusat (CEC) DAP akan bermesyuarat esok bagi membincangkan pendirian dan tindakan susulan parti berhubung keputusan membenarkan bekas perdana menteri Najib Razak menjalani baki hukuman penjara di bawah tahanan rumah.

Setiausaha Agung DAP Loke Siew Fook mengumumkan perkara itu dalam kenyataan hari ini, sambil menegaskan pendirian parti terhadap isu rasuah dan akauntabiliti kekal tidak berubah.

“Sehubungan itu, satu mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Eksekutif Pusat (CEC) DAP akan diadakan esok untuk membincang dan memutuskan pendirian dan tindakan susulan parti,” katanya.

Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan (LPWP) hari ini membenarkan Najib menjalani baki hukuman penjara di bawah tahanan rumah sehingga 23 Ogos 2028.

Keputusan itu tertakluk kepada pembayaran denda RM50 juta serta pematuhan terhadap syarat ditetapkan.

Pada masa sama, Loke berkata DAP menghormati kuasa pengampunan Yang di-Pertuan Agong seperti diperuntukkan Perlembagaan Persekutuan, selain terus menjunjung prinsip Raja Berperlembagaan, keluhuran Perlembagaan dan kedaulatan undang-undang.

Loke turut mempertahankan pendirian Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan) Hannah Yeoh ketika menjalankan tanggungjawabnya sebagai anggota Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan (LPWP).

Katanya, pandangan disampaikan Yeoh dalam lembaga itu selaras dengan prinsip perjuangan DAP serta dibuat secara jujur dan berterus terang demi kepentingan negara.

Dalam kenyataannya, Loke mengingatkan kesan kewangan skandal 1MDB masih ditanggung kerajaan dan rakyat.

"Kesan kewangan penyelewengan masih ditanggung oleh negara dan rakyat sehingga hari ini.

"Menurut kenyataan Kementerian Kewangan pada 13 Sept 2026, keseluruhan obligasi 1MDB yang ditanggung kerajaan berjumlah RM51.4 bilion, merangkumi RM42.5 bilion yang telah dibayar oleh Kerajaan serta baki hutang RM8.9 bilion," katanya.

PETALING JAYA: Pemimpin komponen Barisan Nasional (BN), MIC dan MCA, merakamkan penghargaan kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, atas pengampunan bersyarat yang diberikan kepada bekas perdana menteri, Najib Razak.

Timbalan Presiden MIC, M Saravanan, berkata beliau gembira dengan keputusan itu, sambil menyatakan Najib banyak berjasa kepada negara ketika menjadi perdana menteri, terutama kepada masyarakat India.

"Tiada siapa boleh menafikan banyak perkara baik dan inisiatif yang telah beliau lakukan untuk negara," katanya kepada FMT.

"Walau apa pun kekurangannya, beliau telah menjalani hukuman penjara untuk beberapa tahun. Bagi seseorang seperti Najib, pemenjaraan selama beberapa tahun sudah lebih daripada cukup. Beliau layak menjalani tahanan rumah."

Presiden MCA Wee Ka Siong menjunjung kasih titah Agong berhubung pengampunan bersyarat, sambil berkata proses kehakiman dan proses pengampunan perlu difahami sebagai dua proses yang berbeza.

"Justeru, menghormati keputusan lembaga pengampunan tidak bermaksud menafikan keputusan mahkamah, sebagaimana menghormati keputusan mahkamah tidak bermaksud mempertikaikan kuasa pengampunan yang diperuntukkan oleh Perlembagaan.

"Kedua-duanya merupakan sebahagian daripada sistem perundangan dan Perlembagaan negara yang perlu dihormati," katanya di Facebook.

Terdahulu, Lembaga Pengampunan Wilayah Persekutuan (LPWP) membenarkan Najib menjalani baki hukuman penjara di bawah tahanan rumah sehingga 23 Ogos 2028 menerusi pengampunan bersyarat.

Keputusan itu tertakluk kepada pembayaran denda RM50 juta serta pematuhan terhadap syarat ditetapkan.

Najib kini menjalani hukuman penjara enam tahun yang telah dikurangkan daripada hukuman asal 12 tahun dalam kes SRC International.

Beliau dipenjarakan pada Ogos 2022 selepas Mahkamah Persekutuan menolak rayuan terakhirnya dalam kes SRC International Sdn Bhd.

JAKARTA: Umno berharap keputusan Lembaga Pengampunan terhadap bekas perdana menteri Najib Razak dapat memberikan momentum kepada parti itu menjelang PRN Melaka.

Presiden Zahid Hamidi berkata, perkembangan itu dilihat mampu menjadi faktor positif bagi Umno dalam mengharungi landskap politik semasa.

“Saya harap sebegitu, menjadi faktor nilai tambah kepada geopolitik yang sedang berada di persada halaman politik ataupun landskap politik di negara kita, insyaAllah,” katanya pada sidang media selepas Sidang Kemuncak Halal 20 kelima di sini hari ini.

Terdahulu, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim berkenan memberikan pengampunan bersyarat kepada Najib dengan membenarkan beliau menjalani baki hukuman secara tahanan di rumah hingga 23 Ogos 2028.

Menurut Bahagian Hal Ehwal Undang-Undang Jabatan Perdana Menteri, pengampunan bersyarat yang diputuskan dalam Mesyuarat Lembaga Pengampunan Ke-64 bagi Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Labuan dan Putrajaya di Istana Negara, tertakluk kepada pembayaran denda RM50 juta serta pematuhan syarat ditetapkan sepanjang tempoh tahanan di rumah.

Mengenai persiapan PRN Melaka, Zahid juga berkata, beliau telah memberikan mandat kepada Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) Melaka Ab Rauf Yusoh untuk mengadakan perbincangan dengan mana-mana gabungan parti politik.

Mengulas mengenai calon yang akan diketengahkan pada PRN itu, beliau berkata, senarai nama akan dikemukakan BN Melaka sebelum diteliti berdasarkan laporan daripada pelbagai pihak, manakala Adun yang menunjukkan prestasi baik seboleh-bolehnya akan dikekalkan.

“Kita mempunyai prinsip WALI, 'winnable, acceptable and likeable candidate', supaya boleh menang, memihak kepada gelombang biru yang sedang melanda di seluruh negara bermula di Johor dan Negeri Sembilan,” katanya.

Pada PRN Melaka 2021, BN memenangi 21 daripada 28 kerusi DUN, Pakatan Harapan (PH) memperoleh lima kerusi, manakala Perikatan Nasional (PN) dua kerusi.

PETALING JAYA: Leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties MIC and MCA have expressed their gratitude to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, for the conditional pardon granted to former prime minister Najib Razak.

MIC deputy president M Saravanan said he was happy, as Najib had contributed significantly to the nation during his time as prime minister, especially for the Indian community.

“No one can deny the amount of good things and initiatives the man has done for the nation.

“And, despite his shortfalls, he has served his sentence in prison for some time. For a character like Najib, being in prison for a few years is more than enough. He deserves house arrest,” he told FMT.

MCA president Wee Ka Siong expressed the party’s “utmost gratitude” for the decision, saying that the judicial and pardon processes must be understood as separate constitutional processes.

“Respecting the decision of the pardons board does not mean denying the court's decision, just as respecting the court's decision does not mean questioning the power of pardon provided by the constitution.

“Both form integral parts of the country’s legal and constitutional system and must be respected,” he said in a Facebook post.

Earlier today, the legal affairs division of the Prime Minister’s Department said Najib had been granted a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to payment of his RM50 million fine.

The division said the conditional pardon was granted by Sultan Ibrahim following the 64th meeting of the Federal Territories Pardons Board today.

Najib, 73, has been serving a six-year sentence at Kajang prison after the board halved his original 12-year sentence in February 2024. The original RM210 million fine was also reduced to RM50 million.

He was imprisoned in August 2022 after the Federal Court dismissed his final appeal in the case.