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Myanmar hires US lobbyists for $3m yearly to mend US relations

Myanmar hires US lobbyists for $3m yearly to mend US relations

WASHINGTON : A Washington lobbying firm has signed an agreement worth $3 million a year with Myanmar’s Ministry of Information to help the long-time military-ruled country rebuild relations with the United States. According to documents submitted under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the DCI Group signed the agreement with the ministry on July 31, the day Myanmar’s military nominally transferred power to a civilian-led interim government ahead of a planned election. Myanmar’s leadership under military chief Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a 2021 coup and that year an Israeli-Canadian lobbyist they hired to represent them in Washington and other capitals said he had stopped his work because U.S. sanctions on the generals prevented him from being paid. The U.S. Treasury Department, the DCI Group, the U.S. State Department and Myanmar’s Washington embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment when asked if U.S. sanctions would affect the agreement between the Myanmar ministry and the DCI Group. The formation of an interim government signals no change to the status quo in Myanmar, with Min Aung Hlaing holding on to all major levers of power as acting president while retaining his position as chief of the armed forces. He has appeared eager to engage with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration after years of isolation. When Trump threatened new tariffs on Myanmar’s U.S.-bound exports this month as part of his global trade offensive, he did so in a signed letter addressed personally to Min Aung Hlaing. The general responded by lavishing praise on Trump for his “strong leadership” while asking for lower rates and the lifting of sanctions. He said he was ready to send a negotiating team to Washington, if needed. “TRADE, NATURAL RESOURCES” According to the FARA filing, the DCI Group “shall provide public affairs services to (the) client with respect to rebuilding relations between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the United States, with a focus on trade, natural resources, and humanitarian relief.” The filing was signed on August 1 by DCI managing partner Justin Peterson, who served in the previous Trump administration, and another managing partner, Brian McCabe. Reuters reported last year that the FBI has been investigating the DCI Group over its alleged role in a hack-and-leak operation that targeted hundreds of its client Exxon Mobil’s biggest critics. The DCI Group has said the allegations that it commissioned the hacking operation were false and that it directs all of its employees and consultants to comply with the law. In 2008, two top aides to then Republican presidential nominee John McCain resigned after work they did with the DCI Group for a previous military junta in Myanmar came to light. Jim Murphy, a former DCI president and managing partner, served as Trump’s national political director during his 2016 campaign. Myanmar’s state media reported on Thursday that Myint Swe, who became Myanmar’s president during the 2021 coup that saw the arrest of incumbent Win Myint and Nobel laureate and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, had died in hospital earlier in the day. Myint Swe, a 74-year-old former general, was placed on medical leave in July last year, with his duties passed to Min Aung Hlaing. Engaging the junta would be a sharp departure for the United States, given U.S. sanctions on the military leaders and the violence committed against the Rohingya minority that Washington calls genocide and crimes against humanity. Last month, the Trump administration lifted sanctions designations on several junta allies, but U.S. officials said this did not indicate any broader shift in U.S. policy toward Myanmar and was unrelated to the general’s letter. Last week Reuters reported that the administration had heard competing proposals on ways to divert Myanmar’s vast supplies of rare earth minerals away from strategic rival China, although nothing had been decided upon amid major logistical and geopolitical obstacles. Securing supplies of so-called heavy rare earths, used in high-tech weaponry, is a major focus of the administration in its competition with China, which is responsible for nearly 90% of global processing capacity. - Reuters

Masri Baharuddin dilantik Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Seremban

Masri Baharuddin dilantik Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Seremban

SEREMBAN : Pengarah Bahagian Pengurusan Korporat dan Strategik Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR), Datuk Ir. Ts. Masri Baharuddin dilantik sebagai Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Seremban (MBS) yang baharu bermula hari ini. Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun berkata, Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan bersetuju melantik Masri setelah semua proses pelantikan mendapat persetujuan daripada jabatan dan agensi ... Read more The post Masri Baharuddin dilantik Datuk Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Seremban appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

Empat suspek pecah rumah rempuh polis sehingga maut direman tujuh hari

Empat suspek pecah rumah rempuh polis sehingga maut direman tujuh hari

ALOR SETAR - Empat lelaki direman selama tujuh hari bermula Jumaat bagi membantu siasatan kematian seorang koperal polis yang maut dalam kejadian dirempuh sebuah kereta di Taman Golf di sini pada petang Khamis.Majistret Siti Nor Hasliza Md Ali membenarkan perintah reman berkenaan kepada suspek berusia 24 hingga 26 tahun itu hingga 14 Ogos ini.Reman dikeluarkan bagi membantu siasatan di bawah mengikut Seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan.Pada Khamis, Sinar Harian melaporkan, seorang anggota polis dari Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah (JSJ) Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Kedah maut selepas dirempuh suspek kes pecah rumah ketika menjalankan tugas.Mangsa, Koperal Mohd Hafizul Izham Mazlan, 35, disahkan meninggal dunia di lokasi kejadian selepas dilanggar sebuah kenderaan jenis Lexus yang dipandu suspek ketika cuba melarikan diri.Ketua Polis Kedah, Komisioner Adzli Abu Shah berkata, kejadian berlaku kira-kira jam 3.30 petang selepas pihaknya menerima maklumat awam berhubung aktiviti mencurigakan di sebuah rumah di kawasan berkenaan.Siasatan awal mendapati salah seorang daripada mereka mempunyai 77 rekod jenayah lampau, kebanyakannya membabitkan kes pecah rumah dan curi kenderaan.

India garment makers hit by Trump tariffs as US buyers shift production

India garment makers hit by Trump tariffs as US buyers shift production

MUMBAI/CHENNAI : Ever since Donald Trump’s tariff salvo on India this week, garment maker Pearl Global - whose U.S. client list includes Gap and Kohl’s - has been receiving midnight panic calls with an ultimatum: share the tariff hit or move production out of India. To calm U.S. customers’ nerves, Pearl Global has offered to shift production to its 17 factories in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam and Guatemala to bypass the steep U.S. levies on Indian imports. “All the customers are already calling me. They want us to ... shift from India to the other countries,“ Managing Director Pallab Banerjee told Reuters in an interview. Trump’s initial tariff proposals in April - which were lower for India than for the rival Asian garment hubs of Bangladesh, Vietnam and China - had been seen as an opportunity for India to rapidly expand in the $16 billion apparel exports market. But the tables have turned as relations between New Delhi and Washington have soured, with India now facing a 50% tariff, versus 20% for Bangladesh and Vietnam, and 30% for China. Pearl gets roughly half of its business from the United States. Some clients offered to continue taking products from India if it could share the tariff burden, but that is not viable, Banerjee said, without naming the customers. ‘IN THE DOLDRUMS’ The 50% U.S. tariff - comprising 25% that kicked in on Thursday and another 25% due to come into force on August 28 as a penalty for buying Russian oil - has stunned U.S. garment buyers and their Indian suppliers, who say they are considering taking their manufacturing operations beyond Indian shores, even to less-established garment hubs like Ethiopia and Nepal. Some exporters also say they have been asked by U.S. clients to put orders on hold. New Delhi has called Trump tariffs “extremely unfortunate”. India’s garment sector was already grappling with a labour crunch and limited production capacity. But the prospect of exporters shifting production outside India would also be a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” policy drive. While Pearl can use its foreign factories to meet U.S. orders, exporters that rely on domestic factories are set to be hit much harder. RichaCo Exports has shipped $111 million of garments to the U.S. this year, with clients such as J. Crew Group, customs data shows. All were made in its more than two dozen factories across India. Around 95% of its annual Indian revenues come from the United States, said general manager Dinesh Raheja. “We’re exploring setting up a manufacturing base in (Nepal’s capital) Kathmandu,“ he said. “The industry is in the doldrums.” ORDERS ON HOLD Earlier this week, India’s biggest jeweller and watchmaker Titan told Reuters it was looking at shifting some manufacturing to the Middle East to maintain low-tariff access to U.S. markets. Amit Agarwal, finance chief of top Indian garment maker Raymond, said he was pinning hopes on the company’s one factory in Ethiopia - which faces just a 10% U.S. tariff and could possibly add more production lines within three months to cater to U.S. clients. The tariff threat comes as India was emerging as a big alternative for U.S. garment buyers like Walmart, as Bangladesh faces a political crisis, and companies look to diversify supply chains beyond China. Indian garment hub Tiruppur in the south, considered the country’s knitwear capital and which accounts for nearly one-third of apparel exports, was bullish about the future earlier this year when Reuters visited and talked to exporters. Panic has now descended on the hub. Some factories in Tiruppur have been asked by customers to hold orders, while some plan to ship as many goods as possible before the full 50% tariff kicks in, said Naveen Micheal John, executive director at Cotton Blossom India. “An importer, which had placed orders for underwear, has come back saying that if you haven’t purchased yarns ... keep it on hold for now,“ he said. Some garments in Tiruppur cost U.S. clients as little as $1, while a women’s or men’s T-shirt can vary from about $3.5-$5, which could soon face 50% tariffs, said N. Thirukkumaran, general secretary of the Tiruppur Exporters Association. - Reuters

Civil servants urged to fly Jalur Gemilang at home, workplace

Civil servants urged to fly Jalur Gemilang at home, workplace

KUALA LUMPUR : Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar today called on all civil servants to proudly display the Jalur Gemilang at their homes and workplaces in conjunction with the National Month celebration. “Show your patriotism and embrace the spirit of MERDEKA!” he said in a post on Facebook. Through a poster attached to the post, he said the spirit of MERDEKA should not be seasonal, but must be embraced everywhere and at all times. “I define the MERDEKA spirit with the acronym: M for manifesting loyalty, E for empathy for the people, R for relevance, D for dedication, E for emotion, K for ‘Karisma’ (charismatic) and A for ‘amanah’ (trustworthy),“ he said. On July 27, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil called on all Malaysians to support the 1 House 1 Jalur Gemilang Campaign to demonstrate love for the country and a symbol of unity ahead of the National Day and Malaysia Day 2025 celebrations. The 1 House 1 Jalur Gemilang Campaign was held to instil a sense of patriotism among the population, thus ensuring that patriotism is always at its highest level. - Bernama

Anggota polis maut dirempuh penjenayah: Kerajaan jamin kebajikan keluarga Koperal Hafizul Izham

Anggota polis maut dirempuh penjenayah: Kerajaan jamin kebajikan keluarga Koperal Hafizul Izham

SHAH ALAM - Kerajaan memberi jaminan kebajikan keluarga Allahyarham Koperal Mohd Hafizul Izham Mazlan yang maut ketika menjalankan tugas akan diberi perhatian sepenuhnya.Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasition Ismail berkata, pihaknya bersama Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) akan memastikan segala urusan termasuk pembayaran gratuiti, ex-gratia, ganjaran dan sumbangan kepada waris Allahyarham disalurkan dengan segera."Pengurusan jenazah dan pengebumian Allahyarham juga akan diuruskan oleh PDRM dengan penuh penghormatan sewajarnya dengan jasa bakti beliau kepada negara."Saya menzahirkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada Allahyarham Koperal Mohd Hafizul Izham atas khidmat bakti beliau yang tidak ternilai."Terima kasih juga kepada seluruh warga PDRM atas semangat setia dan pengorbanan mereka yang tidak pernah luntur dalam memastikan keselamatan negara terus terpelihara," katanya menerusi kenyataan pada Jumaat.Mohd Hafizul Izham, 35, yang merupakan anggota dari Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah (JSJ) Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Kedah dilaporkan maut selepas dirempuh suspek kes pecah rumah ketika menjalankan tugas di Taman Golf, pada Khamis.Mangsa disahkan meninggal dunia di lokasi kejadian selepas dilanggar sebuah kenderaan jenis Lexus yang dipandu suspek ketika cuba melarikan diri.Dalam pada itu, Saifuddin turut menyifatkan Allahyarham cerminan keberanian dan semangat juang tinggi seorang anggota barisan hadapan yang menjaga keselamatan dalam negara."Tindakan beliau yang tidak gentar berdepan risiko demi memastikan keselamatan awam terpelihara adalah sesuatu yang amat kami hargai dan sanjungi."Pengorbanan seperti ini menjadi inspirasi kepada semua barisan anggota keselamatan negara dan mencerminkan nilai-nilai luhur dalam perkhidmatan PDRM," ujarnya.

Negeri Sembilan JPJ seizes 10 luxury cars, issues over 10,400 saman this year for not having road tax – “lupa”

Negeri Sembilan JPJ seizes 10 luxury cars, issues over 10,400 saman this year for not having road tax – “lupa”

Much ado lately regarding un-road taxed and uninsured luxury cars (apparently it’s cheaper to be fined), and now, the Negeri Sembilan road transport department (JPJ) has said that so far this year, it has seized […] The post Negeri Sembilan JPJ seizes 10 luxury cars, issues over 10,400 <em>saman</em> this year for not having road tax – “lupa” appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News .

Pemergian Allahyarham Mohd. Hafizul kehilangan besar buat PDRM

Pemergian Allahyarham Mohd. Hafizul kehilangan besar buat PDRM

PETALING JAYA – Pemergian Allahyarham Koperal Mohd. Hafizul Izham Mazlan, 35, yang terkorban semasa menjalankan tugas petang semalam satu kehilangan besar buat pasukan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM). Menteri Dalam Negeri (KDN), Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail berkata, beliau berasa amat sedih menerima perkhabaran duka mengenai pemergian Allahyarham. “Pemergian beliau adalah satu kehilangan besar kepada pasukan ... Read more The post Pemergian Allahyarham Mohd. Hafizul kehilangan besar buat PDRM appeared first on Kosmo Digital .