Resigned government ministers

By The Associated Press KYIV — Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has become the latest European leader to visit Ukraine. Marin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday in Kyiv. Finnish public broadcaster YLE says she also visited the towns of Bucha and Irpin where Russian soldiers are alleged to have killed civilians. Zelenskyy thanked Marin for Finland’s weapons deliveries and its support for sanctions against Russia. Jolted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland recently broke with its policy of non-alignment and applied for membership in NATO, together with neighboring Sweden. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: — As Ukraine war grinds on, world pushes for way to get grain out — Scars of war seem to be everywhere in Ukraine after 3 months — War Crimes Watch: Hard path to justice in Bucha atrocities — US aims to leverage Russia-Ukraine bloc against China — Russia takes steps to bolster army, offer some Ukrainians … [Read more...] about Live updates | Finland’s prime minister visits Ukraine

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei could still attend the Summit of the Americas next month, his foreign minister said Thursday, barely a week after the leader said he would not be going to the U.S.-hosted gathering in Los Angeles. Giammattei said on May 17 that he would not attend the June 6-10 summit, speaking a day after the United States criticized his government for reappointing its attorney general, who Washington has accused of corruption. However, Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro told Reuters the United States was not attempting to impose "conditions" over the appointment of judicial officials and that the government was still awaiting news on whether Giammattei would go. "The country will definitely be represented by the Guatemalan delegation ... but we're also awaiting confirmation from the president to see if he'll be able to attend," he said. Bucaro stressed that the Central American country had a good relationship with the United … [Read more...] about Guatemala president could still attend Americas Summit, minister says

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said his Ministry and the Ministry of Finance have yet to study the requests of telecommunication companies (telcos) on the shareholding structure of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), the special purpose vehicle set up for the nationwide rollout of the 5G network. However, he added that the government is firm on not allowing any telco having a higher stake in DNB. “We have received their request, but the government has not made any firm decision. Both Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and I were away,” Annuar told the media in a press conference at the offical launch of YES’ 5G service on Thursday (May 26). “I will sit down with the Minister of Finance, we will look at the request and the government will give our response as soon as possible,” he added. He confirmed that the big four telcos (Celcom Axiata Bhd, DiGi Telecommunications, Maxis Bhd, U Mobile Sdn Bhd) … [Read more...] about Government firm on telcos having equal stake in Digital Nasional Bhd

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): Malaysia is expected to fork out higher total subsidies in 2022 to the tune of RM71 billion, while petrol subsidies alone will touch RM30 billion amid the rise in crude oil prices. Speaking at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the higher subsidies had resulted in lower core inflation rate at 2.3%. Although inflation is on the rise, he said Malaysia is lucky because the country has commodity resources, unlike other countries in the region which do not have the opportunity to create revenue from the increase in commodity prices to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices. Tengku Zafrul was one of the panellists at a session entitled "Global Risks in an Era of Turbulence". Asked whether Asian governments were able to maintain or support the price of rice for the people, Tengku Zafrul said there is a lot of government assistance to ensure that … [Read more...] about Subsidies may touch RM71 bil in 2022, inflation contained, says Finance Minister

LONDON (Reuters) -Three lawmakers from Britain's governing Conservatives pulled their support for Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday over a damning report that detailed a series of alcohol-fuelled parties at 10 Downing Street that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules. A day after the report was published, describing a boozy culture at his Downing Street office during lockdowns, Conservative lawmakers John Baron, David Simmonds and Stephen Hammond said they could no longer support the prime minister. Their voices add to a growing list of Conservative lawmakers who have called for Johnson to resign over what has been dubbed 'partygate', despite the prime minister's repeated apologies, although there are still not enough to prompt a confidence vote. Baron, first elected in 2001, said he was withdrawing his support because he believed Johnson had "knowingly" misled parliament -- a charge the prime minister denies but which is being investigated by a parliamentary committee. "Given … [Read more...] about More UK Conservatives pull support from Boris Johnson over ‘partygate’

Zuraida (Photo by Zahid Izzani Mohd Said/The Edge) - A + A PUTRAJAYA (May 26): Ampang Member of Parliament Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin has been stripped of her Bersatu supreme council (MPT) post with immediate effect after announcing that she is joining Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), said Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin. Hamzah said he took note of Zuraida’s statement and would refer the matter to the MPT for further action. “As of now, she has not yet resigned from Bersatu,” he told reporters at the Immigration Department’s Aidilfitri gathering here on Thursday (May 26). Hamzah said Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had two weeks ago agreed to replace Zuraida with another individual in the MPT . “This was after a show-cause letter was issued to Zuraida on May 9, asking her to reply to several questions on her involvement with activities organised by PBM. “However, in her letter of reply on May 23, Zuraida rejected claims that she … [Read more...] about Zuraida stripped of her seat in Bersatu supreme council, says party secretary-general

- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): Bersatu will submit the name of a person to the Prime Minister soon to be appointed as a Cabinet member to replace Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin, who announced her resignation from the party on Thursday. Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in a statement, said the party is doing this because Zuraida’s position as Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister is part of the party’s quota. According to Muhyiddin, Zuraida’s membership in Bersatu was discussed during a recent Supreme Council meeting following reports that she was directly involved in the setting up of Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) and had participated in its activities. As a result, a show-cause letter dated May 9, 2022 was sent to Zuraida and the Ampang Member of Parliament replied via a letter dated May 23, 2022, he said. “The next step was to refer her case to the party’s Disciplinary Board. “However, since she announced her decision to join PBM in a press … [Read more...] about Bersatu to submit name of person to replace Zuraida in Cabinet to PM

PATONG: More than 400 workers in Patong’s entertainment industry gathered on Saturday at Loma Park to vent their anger over government proposals to restrict the opening hours of entertainment venues to the period from 6 pm to midnight. The change, if approved, is likely to go into effect March 1. Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) president Somphet Moosopon urged the government to take into consideration Patong’s reliance on tourist income and called for the area to be declared a special entertainment district, exempting it from the proposed early closing. “Before, when Deputy Prime Minister Purachai Piemsomboon was Interior Minister, we accepted the government’s “Social Order” policy, which brought closing times forward from 4 am to 2 am,” he pointed out. He added that Deputy PM Purachai’s approach, which consisted of enforcing laws to keep minors out of nightclubs, was more realistic than closing them at midnight to everyone. “Today, we are informing everyone about the … [Read more...] about Patong protests early closings

By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The move to reopen the U.S. embassy in Ukraine has brought one American military officer back into the country as part of the diplomatic team. But the Pentagon said Thursday that no other troops are going into Ukraine at this point. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the defense attache, a colonel, has gone back to Kyiv with other embassy staff. The defense attache, while a military officer, reports to the chief of mission and is there for diplomatic work, not security. There have been ongoing questions about whether the U.S. will send a Marine security detachment back to the embassy. Kirby said that so far, the State Department is handling embassy protection with diplomatic security personnel and has not asked for Marines. “Nothing has changed about the president’s direction that US troops will not be fighting in this war in Ukraine,” Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon. He said active discussions about security are ongoing with … [Read more...] about Live updates | US military officer back at embassy in Kyiv

- A + A LONDON (May 26): Britain announced a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas producers' profits on Thursday, alongside a £15 billion (US$18.9 billion) package of support for households struggling to meet soaring energy bills. The move, which will give each UK household a £400 discount on their energy bill and more for lowest-income households, marks a change of heart for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, which had previously resisted windfall taxes, calling them a deterrent to investment. It is the second emergency policy intervention to help with rising bills this year. Facing intense political pressure to provide more support for people coping with what political opponents and campaigners have called a cost-of-living crisis, finance minister Rishi Sunak said energy firms were making extraordinary profits while Britons struggled. "We will introduce a temporary and targeted energy profits levy but we have built into the new levy a new investment … [Read more...] about UK imposes 25% energy windfall tax to help households as bills surge