Indonesia — AFP Eruptions at a remote Indonesian volcano forced more than half a dozen airports to close with ash spreading as far as Malaysia, while authorities rushed to evacuate thousands due to tsunami fears. Mount Ruang has erupted three times, spewing lava and ash more than five kilometres (three miles) into the sky and […]
Meulaboh, Indonesia – AFP Dozens of Rohingya refugees stranded on the rusty hull of a capsized ship were rescued Thursday after the dehydrated and sunburnt group had drifted at sea for more than a day. Those rescued were 69 men, women and children, some of whom had been at sea for weeks on a rickety […]
ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak may seek a full royal pardon to end his six-year jail term, his legal team has said. It came after Najib’s jail term over corruption was reduced by half to six years last week. Najib’s lawyer Shafee Abdullah said the team “wanted to wait for the […]
ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysia has reduced by half the sentence of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was handed a 12-year imprisonment for corruption, state news agency Bernama reported. Najib, 70, was jailed in 2022 in cases related to 1MDB, a state fund he established to spur economic development. The Southeast Asian nation’s pardons bo...
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – AFP Malaysia installed an outspoken motorcycle-riding king on Wednesday in an elaborate ceremony steeped in centuries of tradition, with the billionaire determined to play a key role in ensuring political stability. Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s new position is largely ceremonial but has in recent years ...
ANKARA (AA) – Malaysia’s prime minister on Wednesday said his country has asked the UN chief to accept Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. In a statement, Anwar Ibrahim said the message was delivered to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by his Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan. “Alhamdulillah, the desire of the people and [&hell...
ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Cabinet ministers have signed special postcards addressed to the UN chief, urging the world body to recognize Palestinian nationhood. “This special postcard is to express the wishes of the people of Malaysia by urging the UN to accept Palestine as a member state and demanding [&hel...
Bireuen, Indonesia — AFP As a rickety wooden boat carrying Rohingya refugees approached the shores of western Indonesia, several desperate men swam ashore to plead that the vessel be allowed to land after weeks at sea. But the calls of the men — some of whom collapsed to the sand in exhaustion — fell on […]
ISTANBUL (AA) – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that EU lawmakers had proposed action against Malaysia because of its support to Palestine, according to state-run Bernama News. “There were European MPs who proposed this (action) against Malaysia,” said Anwar, suggesting his personal safety may be at risk. His comments came after he...
ANKARA (AA) – Malaysian veteran politician and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has called out US President Joe Biden for his comments about the bombing of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, dubbing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Pentagon as liars. Biden said on Wednesday that the hospital blast, which killed hund...