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Trump says he will unveil list on Friday of 'Democrat programs' to be shut

Trump says he will unveil list on Friday of 'Democrat programs' to be shut

WASHINGTON : U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration planned to produce a list on Friday of “Democrat programs” that will be closed as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown. He did not specify the programs but indicated to reporters at the White House on Tuesday that the closures would be permanent. Meanwhile, the Senate failed in its eighth attempt to pass legislation approved last month by the House of Representatives that would end the shutdown by providing government funding through November 21. The Senate voted 49-45 to advance the bill, short of the 60 yes votes needed in the 100-member Senate controlled by Republicans. The government shutdown entered its third week with Republican and Democratic lawmakers continuing to blame each other for the impasse. “Only Democrats have made demands, and by the way, very expensive demands” in return for voting to reopen the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, said in a speech to the Senate on Tuesday. Senate Democrats are pushing to use their legislative leverage of withholding necessary votes for a stopgap funding bill to advocate for healthcare fixes. Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who represents many furloughed federal workers and military personnel, told NPR’s Morning Edition on Tuesday it will take Trump engaging with Democrats to end the shutdown. “If the president engages, we can solve this in 48 hours,“ Kaine said. Some federal workers and military personnel are facing the prospect of missing a paycheck for lack of funds. However, the Trump administration has said that it will redirect some money to avoid any interruptions of troops’ pay. Thune did not allow a vote this time on a Democratic alternative, which would reopen the government with temporary funding but also include money to permanently extend a federal healthcare tax credit, which Republicans are opposing. - Reuters

Kamera badan tingkat keupayaan JPJ depani operasi risiko tinggi

Kamera badan tingkat keupayaan JPJ depani operasi risiko tinggi

KUALA LANGAT - Anggota penguat kuasa Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) yang dilengkapi alat perakam badan (BWC) akan ditugaskan khususnya dalam operasi berisiko tinggi.Ketua Pengarah JPJ, Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli berkata, pengenalan teknologi kamera badan itu merupakan langkah besar dalam memodenkan penguatkuasaan, selain memastikan keselamatan pegawai serta menjadi bahan bukti sekiranya berlaku pertikaian ketika operasi lapangan."Ini menandakan permulaan kepada operasi JPJ menggunakan kamera badan."Teknologi ini membolehkan pegawai kami menjalankan tugas dengan lebih selamat sambil merakam bukti sekiranya berlaku sebarang perselisihan," katanya selepas melancarkan Op Khas ke atas kenderaan perdagangan di Stesen Penguatkuasaan Banting di sini pada Selasa.Beliau berkata, pelaksanaan awal melibatkan 100 unit kamera yang akan diagihkan secara berperingkat bermula Ibu Pejabat JPJ dan JPJ negeri.Tambahnya, menjelang tahun depan dijangkakan lebih banyak unit kamera badan akan diterima semua pegawai penguat kuasa."Penggunaan kamera badan ini akan diwajibkan ke atas semua pegawai penguat kuasa yang menjalankan rondaan dan pemeriksaan di jalan raya selain semasa penguatkuasaan ketika berdepan pemandu yang tidak memberi kerjasama," katanya.Sebelum itu, Menteri Pengangkutan, Anthony Loke berkata, sebanyak 100 unit kamera badan akan digunakan pada peringkat awal, melibatkan pegawai penguat kuasa di ibu pejabat dan JPJ negeri dengan peruntukan RM2.3 juta.Inisiatif ini merupakan langkah strategik Kementerian Pengangkutan dan JPJ dalam memperkukuh keberkesanan penguatkuasaan serta meningkatkan integriti dan ketelusan perkhidmatan awam.Kata Anthony, semua rakaman BWC akan diaktifkan sebaik sahaja anggota melapor tugas dan tidak boleh dimatikan sehingga tugasan selesai.Dalam isu berlainan, Aedy turut mengesahkan kerajaan telah meluluskan perolehan 60 pucuk pistol baharu tahun ini bagi meningkatkan kesiapsiagaan pegawainya semasa melaksanakan tugas."Selain kamera badan, kerajaan turut bersetuju menyediakan senjata api baharu memandangkan tugas pegawai JPJ di lapangan berdepan tahap risiko yang tinggi."Ketika ini kami telah memiliki lebih 400 senjata api di seluruh negara dan penambahan baharu ini akan meningkatkan keselamatan operasi," ujarnya.Aedy menegaskan, pelaksanaan kamera badan dan penambahan senjata api itu mencerminkan komitmen kerajaan dalam memperkukuh profesionalisme serta keselamatan penguatkuasaan JPJ yang kini giat memantau kenderaan perdagangan berat di seluruh negara sehingga akhir tahun ini.

Malaysia receives RM20.71 billion in 1MDB settlements from three banks

Malaysia receives RM20.71 billion in 1MDB settlements from three banks

KUALA LUMPUR : The government and 1Malaysia Development Berhad have secured settlements totalling RM20.71 billion from three financial institutions to date. These settlements include US$3.9 billion from Goldman Sachs, RM2.83 billion from AmBank Group, and RM1.4 billion from JP Morgan (Switzerland) Ltd. The Finance Ministry confirmed all cash proceeds have been received in full and deposited into the Asset Recovery Trust Account it manages. Goldman Sachs Group Inc initiated arbitration proceedings at the London Court of International Arbitration on October 11, 2023. This arbitration claim arises from a dispute regarding obligations under the settlement agreement signed on August 18, 2020. The Government of Malaysia’s legal team is currently handling these arbitration proceedings. This legal team includes representatives from the Attorney General’s Chambers and appointed English lawyers known as King’s Counsel. Parties involved in the arbitration are bound by strict confidentiality obligations preventing detailed disclosure. The ministry provided this information in response to a parliamentary question from Yeo Bee Yin regarding 1MDB asset recovery status. – Bernama

MyCC gagal rayuan terakhir denda Grab RM86.77 juta

MyCC gagal rayuan terakhir denda Grab RM86.77 juta

PUTRAJAYA: Mahkamah Persekutuan semalam menolak permohonan Suruhanjaya Persaingan Malaysia (MyCC) untuk mendapatkan kebenaran mera­yu bagi mengembalikan cada­ngan denda RM86.77 juta terhadap Grab Inc dan dua anak syarikatnya, Grabcar Sdn. Bhd. serta Myteksi Sdn. Bhd. Keputusan sebulat suara itu dicapai panel tiga hakim diketuai Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais yang bersidang bersama Tan Sri ... Read more The post MyCC gagal rayuan terakhir denda Grab RM86.77 juta appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

Hamas hands over hostage bodies after Israel threatens aid cut

Hamas hands over hostage bodies after Israel threatens aid cut

HAMAS handed over more bodies of deceased hostages to Israel on Tuesday, one sign of progress after a number of apparent setbacks in the day since U.S. President Donald Trump touted his plan to end the Gaza war. The bodies were returned after Israel announced it would cut in half the number of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into Gaza in a move to punish Hamas for what Israel called the militant group's violation of its agreement to transfer remains under the ceasefire deal reached last week. Meanwhile, re-emergent Hamas fighters demonstrated they were reasserting control in Gaza by deploying hundreds of security forces in the streets and executing several people they accused of collaborating with Israel. The outlook for Trump's peace plan darkened further when the president threatened Hamas with military strikes unless the militant group disarmed. “If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,“ Trump said at the White House, one day after he spoke before the Knesset in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained the war cannot end until Hamas surrenders its weapons and cedes control of Gaza, a demand the fighters have rejected. On Monday, Trump proclaimed the “historic dawn of a new Middle East” to Israel’s parliament, as Israel and Hamas were exchanging the last 20 living Israeli hostages in Gaza for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. But the return of 28 dead hostages has remained one of the final details to be worked out in the deal to end more than two years of hostilities that began with Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas has now handed over eight coffins of dead hostages, leaving at least 19 presumed dead and one unaccounted for still in the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said it received four coffins from the Red Cross at a meeting point in northern Gaza Strip. Those coffins, escorted by Israeli forces, crossed the border into Israel shortly before midnight (2100 GMT) and were being taken for forensic identification, the Israeli military said. Hamas also confirmed the transfer was under way. “At this moment, the men are continuing to oversee the implementation of what was agreed upon regarding the handover of bodies as part of the agreement to end the war in Gaza,“ Hamas spokesperson in Gaza Hazem Qassem on Facebook. It was not immediately clear if the handing over of bodies was sufficient for Israel to restore a full complement of aid deliveries. Israeli officials said they had decided to restrict aid, allowing only half the agreed number of aid trucks into Gaza starting Wednesday, and to delay plans to open the southern border crossing to Egypt because Hamas had violated the ceasefire deal by failing to turn over bodies of hostages. Israel's two-year assault has left much of the enclave in ruins and Gaza City and surrounding areas are suffering from a famine that has afflicted more than half a million Palestinians, creating great need for an expected 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily during the ceasefire. Plans have yet to be implemented to open the crossing to Egypt to let some Gazans out, initially to evacuate the wounded for medical treatment. Hamas asserts control Hamas, which seized Gaza in a brief 2007 civil war, has swiftly reclaimed the streets of Gaza's urban areas following the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops last week. Gaza residents said Hamas fighters were increasingly visible on Tuesday, deploying along routes needed for aid deliveries. In a video circulated late on Monday, Hamas fighters dragged seven men with hands tied behind their backs into a Gaza City square, forced them to their knees and shot them from behind, as dozens of onlookers watched from nearby storefronts. A Hamas source confirmed that the video was taken on Monday and that Hamas fighters participated in the executions. Reuters was able to confirm the location by visible geographic features. Trump has previously given his blessing to Hamas to reassert some control of Gaza, at least temporarily. Israeli officials have so far refrained from commenting publicly on the re-emergence of the group's fighters. Palestinian security officials said dozens of people had been killed in clashes between Hamas fighters and rivals in recent days. In addition Israel, using aerial drones, killed five Palestinians as they went to check on houses in a suburb east of Gaza City, and an Israeli airstrike killed one person and injured another near Khan Younis, Gaza health authorities said. Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. The Israeli military said it had fired on people who crossed truce lines and approached its forces after ignoring calls to turn back. Hamas sources told Reuters on Tuesday the group would tolerate no more violations of order in Gaza and would target collaborators, armed looters and drug dealers. The ceasefire has stopped two years of devastating warfare in Gaza triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack in which Hamas-led gunmen killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's military has killed at least 67,000 people in Gaza according to local health authorities, with thousands more feared dead under the rubble. Gaza's Civil Defence Service said 250 bodies had been recovered since the truce began. - Reuters

Cklamovski praises Malaysia’s spirited comeback in Asian Cup qualifier

Cklamovski praises Malaysia’s spirited comeback in Asian Cup qualifier

NATIONAL head coach Peter Cklamovski praised his squad’s team spirit following their 5-1 victory over Laos in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. He acknowledged the team’s first half performance was rather blunt after conceding the opening goal to their opponents. The versatility in achieving a perfect finish was successfully executed by his players during the second half to stage an impressive comeback. Cklamovski described the match as a good challenge and gave full credit to his players for staying patient and believing in their game plan. Laos coach Ha Hyeokjun acknowledged the superior quality of the Malaysian squad across all aspects of the game. He noted his team played according to their plan in the first half but lost focus and mentality in the second period. The Laos coach believes his players are improving throughout the matches but recognized Malaysia’s advantage of having a higher quality league. Malaysia staged a stylish comeback in the second half before over 18,000 spectators at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. The victory maintains Malaysia’s unbeaten record after four matches in Group F of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Malaysia currently leads the group with 12 points, followed by Vietnam in second place with nine points. Laos sits in third position with three points while Nepal remains at the bottom with no points. The national team is scheduled to face Nepal in their next qualifying match on November 18. Malaysia will conclude their group stage campaign against Vietnam in Hanoi next March. – Bernama

Pengecualian bayaran PTPTN: Definisi ijazah kelas pertama disemak semula

Pengecualian bayaran PTPTN: Definisi ijazah kelas pertama disemak semula

PUTRAJAYA: Kerajaan akan menyemak semula kriteria penerima pengecualian bayaran balik pinjaman Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) bagi graduan ijazah pertama yang memperoleh keputusan cemerlang. Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir berkata, proses semakan semula itu penting bagi memastikan hanya pelajar layak, termasuk menepati definisi sebenar ‘kelas pertama’, diberikan pengecualian bayaran. Katanya, ... Read more The post Pengecualian bayaran PTPTN: Definisi ijazah kelas pertama disemak semula appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

Fomca against move to use EPF for insurance

Fomca against move to use EPF for insurance

PETALING JAYA : The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has urged the government against allowing the use of retirement savings to pay for medical insurance, adding that the move could have negative long-term effects. Its CEO Dr Saravanan Thambirajah said while expanding healthcare coverage is vital, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) must remain untouched. “Many Malaysians have insufficient EPF balances, and diverting funds to insurance would only worsen financial insecurity in old age,” he said, urging the government to reconsider the proposal and instead strengthen pooled health protection schemes or provide targeted subsidies. Saravanan, however, welcomed several consumer-friendly measures under Budget 2026, including the upcoming Consumer Credit Act, the Cybercrime Bill and the expansion of the National Scam Response Centre. He said the Budget reflected a “people-first” approach, with initiatives such as the Lemon Law, cost-of-living relief, affordable housing, improved public transport, stronger food security and faster progress towards sustainable energy. “Overall, this budget takes concrete steps to ease cost-of-living pressures, strengthen consumer protection and promote long-term sustainability.” The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) also hailed the Lemon Law, to be introduced through amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, as a major win for consumers. “We hope the Lemon Law would also cover new cars,” said its president Mohideen Abdul Kader. He welcomed the government’s plan to table the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025, calling for awareness campaigns and skills-building programmes to foster a long-term cultural shift against bullying. However, he expressed disappointment that excise duties on cigarettes were raised by only two sen per stick, while other tobacco products saw increases of RM20 to RM40 per kg “These are too low to reduce smoking rates.” He also said the RM46.5 billion allocation for the Health Ministry was up by only RM1.2 billion from last year, calling for greater investment in preventive healthcare and health-promotion programmes to lower long-term treatment costs. He added that CAP had hoped for stronger measures and higher allocations to combat pollution, prevent environmental crimes and support zero-waste community efforts, “but this is not reflected in this year’s Budget”. He also urged the government to ensure that targeted subsidies reach low-income groups directly, without leakages. Meanwhile, CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow described the tobacco tax hike as “good news, better than nothing”. “Smokers must realise they are consuming a deadly product. Please stop.” He also praised the alcohol tax increase as “very welcoming, healthy news”. “The revenue collected will support the Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat (campaign). This is what we want,” he said, adding that authorities must now act against cigarette and alcohol smuggling following the new tax measures.