Iran says US bombed a wedding party in Sirik, killing five

Officials say at least 63 others wounded in attack on city of Kuhestak, including women and children.

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People gather at the site of a reported attack in Kuhistik, Sirik, Iran, on September 1, 2026 [Iranian Red Crescent Society/Handout via Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 2 Sep 20262 Sep 2026

Iran has accused the United States of bombing a house during a wedding celebration in the southern county of Sirik, killing at least five people, including a child.

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the “brutal” attack hit a residence in the city of Kuhestak early on Wednesday.

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The state-owned Press TV reported that at least five people were killed.

Reza Shahidiyan, the governor of Sirik county, later told the IRIB state broadcaster that 63 others were wounded, and that 50 of the victims were women and children. All of the wounded have been taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Minab and were “in stable condition,” he said.

The semi-official Fars news agency meanwhile published an account from a child who survived the blast.

The child said he heard fighter jets before he arrived at the venue.

“When we arrived there, an explosion occurred. It was very intense. Bricks, stones, and cement hit me in the face and head, and many others were injured,” he said. “Everyone was just ordinary civilians.”

The reports came as the US military announced a new wave of strikes against “Iranian military targets”, saying it followed attempted attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military said it had hit Iranian air defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.

The strikes follow a weekend exchange of fire and come amid a continuing standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blockaded since the start of the US and Israel’s war on the country on February 28

Baghaei, the Iranian spokesman, promised to respond to the US’s latest attacks.

“This cruelty cannot be separated from the chain of atrocities that preceded in it,” he said, pointing to attacks on the city of Minab and Lamerd on the first day of the war. In Minab, US forces struck an elementary school, killed more than 150 people, and in Lamerd, they hit a sport hall, killing at least 21 people.

In addition to Kuhestak, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported further explosions in the south of the country, including in Konarak, Bandar Abbas and on Qeshm Island.

Iran’s military said it retaliated by attacking US bases and assets in Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. Kuwait also reported intercepting drones.

 

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US launches new strikes on Iran, denies its bases hit in Jordan

The US launched new strikes on Iran's southern coast with explosions reported in several locations near the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran fired back targeting US bases in Jordan, with Washington denying claims of US casualties, as Kimberly Halkett reports from the White House.

Published On 2 Sep 20262 Sep 2026

Penang ferry crash: 21 injured in collision near Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal

Penang ferry crash: 21 injured in collision near Sultan Abdul Halim Terminal



A screen capture shows people reacting after a ferry and a ship collided near the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal.


Summary

• On September 2, a collision occurred between the ferry Teluk Bahang and the vessel MV Mekar Jaya near the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Penang Port, resulting in 21 injuries.
• The MV Mekar Jaya was traveling from the Butterworth Deep Water Wharves to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal at the time.
• Emergency services promptly responded, and all injured passengers were taken to the hospital.
• Despite the incident involving 92 people, ferry operations resumed without disruption.

First Published: Wednesday, 02 Sep 2026 8:44 AM MYT


BUTTERWORTH, Sept 2 — A ship collided with a Penang ferry near the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal (PSAH) last night, injuring 21 people.

Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin confirmed that a collision involving the ferry Teluk Bahang and the vessel MV Mekar Jaya occurred within the Penang Port limits at 8.40 pm.

He said initial information indicated that the MV Mekar Jaya was en route from the Butterworth Deep Water Wharves (BDWW) to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT).


“The collision occurred between the vessel and the ferry, which was heading to the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal. Initial reports say 21 people were injured.


“All injured passengers have been taken to hospital for treatment. No victims remain at PSAH. Ferry operations are running as usual and have not been affected by the incident,” he said in a statement last night.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations and fire division assistant director John Sagun Francis said the department received an emergency call about the incident at 9.58 pm. A team from the Butterworth Fire and Rescue Station was then dispatched to the scene.

“Upon arrival, officers found that the accident involved the passenger ferry Teluk Bahang and a ship. A total of 92 people, including passengers, were involved in the incident, and initial reports indicate that six suffered severe injuries and have been sent to hospital,” he said.

US, Iran trade strikes as Tehran retaliates after American attacks

US, Iran trade strikes as Tehran retaliates after American attacks



A man walks past a wall mural of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along a street in downtown of Tehran on August 31, 2026. The United States and Iran traded strikes after US forces attacked Iranian military targets, with Tehran saying it had launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against American bases in the region. — AFP pic


Summary

• The US and Iran exchanged strikes, with the US targeting Iran's Revolutionary Guard sites due to alleged threats to commercial shipping and US personnel.
• Iran claimed retaliatory attacks on US bases, but independent verification of these claims is lacking, with some missile interceptions reported by Jordan.
• Tensions escalated as Iran reported casualties from US strikes, including civilian deaths, and warned of extended disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

By Malay Mail
First Published: Wednesday, 02 Sep 2026 8:46 AM MYT


ISTANBUL, Sept 2 — The United States and Iran traded strikes after US forces attacked Iranian military targets, with Tehran saying it had launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against American bases in the region.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had completed a wave of strikes against targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including air defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities, according to reports by Bernama-Xinhua.



“US forces struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets including air defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine laying capabilities, and communications site,” Centcom said in a post on X.


It said the strikes followed “recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members”.


“More than 50,000 US service members are currently operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to continue executing operations directed by the Commander in Chief,” it added.


The IRGC said its retaliatory strikes had begun against US bases and assets in the region, including Camp Titin in Jordan and Shaikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, claiming that a large number of US troops were killed and key facilities and combat helicopters destroyed.

The claims could not be independently verified, while Jordan’s armed forces said its air defences intercepted 10 of 13 ballistic missiles that entered its airspace from Iran, with the remaining three falling in remote areas and causing no casualties.


Iranian media reported explosions in several southern provinces following the US strikes, including in Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Jask in Hormozgan, as well as Konarak, Chabahar, Jiroft and Asaluyeh.

Iran’s main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the armed forces would respond to the US “air aggression” with what it described as “crushing and shattering” blows.

Iranian officials said at least five people, including a four-year-old child and a woman, were killed and more than 50 others wounded in a US strike on a wedding ceremony in Sirik County, although the circumstances of the incident could not be independently verified.

The IRGC also said its air defence had shot down a “hostile” US MQ-9 Reaper drone and warned that the US strikes would prolong the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Centcom had earlier announced that US forces had launched attacks against IRGC targets in Iran, while the escalation comes amid heightened tensions over the strategically vital waterway.

Fighting Corruption or Playing Politics?

 

Dennis Ignatius

 

~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.

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Fighting Corruption or Playing Politics?

01TuesdaySep 2026

Posted by Dennis Ignatius in corruption, Politics

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Anwar Ibrahim, GE16, MACC

[1] There’s a newfound zeal in Putrajaya to go after those accused of corruption. After years of watching Malaysia’s anti-corruption machinery move with the urgency of a sedated tortoise, the MACC has suddenly found its legs. The Tabung Haji scandal has consumed August: the former TH chairman, the ex-Treasury Secretary-General, the former CEO, senior executives and a shipping company CEO have all been hauled in following the damning findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Former PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob was charged this month, with investigators having earlier carted off what was reported to be some RM177 million in cash and valuables from his home. Subsequently, P. Saravanan — former Human Resources Minister and MIC president — stood in the Kuala Lumpur courts to face charges of receiving RM1.097 million in bribes linked to foreign worker quotas. Others are reportedly in the crosshairs too.

[2] Many Malaysians are cheering, and they are right to cheer. This is precisely what they voted for — not DNAAs, NFAs or buat tak tahu but the law applied without fear or favour, corruption treated as the crime it is, the powerful made to answer in court like everyone else.

[3] The timing, of course, has raised questions. The MACC did not suddenly discover these cases. The case files have been sitting there for years. The sudden flurry of activity following UMNO’s decision to break from Anwar in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections is a correlation too obvious to ignore.

[4] But it is still a welcome turn of events. Crimes ought to be prosecuted regardless of the reason, the season or the person. Whatever the reason, action is justified and necessary if the evidence is there. And it goes to show that  when there’s political will, the system can work. 

[5] If this approach had been taken from Day One — if Anwar had walked into Putrajaya in November 2022 and set the MACC to work without conditions under a credible leader — we would be a different country today. Three years of sustained, fearless prosecution would have begun dismantling the culture of impunity that has turned our nation into a den of thieves. It is no small tragedy that the opportunity was missed. 

[6] There is still time. Every charge, every trial, and every conviction reminds voters what the UMNO era actually looked like: scandal after scandal; unbridled corruption involving defence and other government contracts; thievery on a grand scale; the appalling abuse of power; and the defilement of national institutions to cocoon the corrupt. Voters have short memories. A steady stream of accountability, pursued honestly, may do more to shape the next election than any speech on the campaign trail.

[7] But doubts remain, given Anwar’s shaky political position and all the manoeuvring that is going on as elections approach. Is the current anti-corruption crackdown a warning to UMNO-BN that challenging the prime minister could be costly especially when many UMNO-BN leaders are vulnerable? Could the musings about PH and Bersatu working together be part of a scheme to offer the Bersatu leader a way out of his legal troubles in exchange for support?  Could all that we are witnessing be part of a political game — pressure disguised as principle — as Anwar manoeuvres to strengthen his hand before the next general election?

[8] Some scepticism is warranted because we have seen this script before. Political cooperation in Malaysia almost invariably comes with compromises and trade-offs, and among the most common currencies of such deals is the quiet discontinuance of investigations and the dropping of corruption charges. There is no reason to expect anything different this time. If that is how this plays out, the current crackdown will fizzle as so many before it have, once the handshakes and shakedowns are done.

[9] And that is the sobering truth of the moment. In an environment of shifting alliances and fluid loyalties, political survival has a way of crowding out everything else — including the fight against corruption. The charges may be real, the evidence solid, the courts willing — but if the political calculus changes, so too will the appetite for justice. We have been here before: hope flickering briefly, the rhetoric soaring, and then the quiet retreat as old arrangements reassert themselves and the files go back into the drawer.

Dennis Ignatius | Kuala Lumpur | 01 September 2026

 

Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least five, including children

At least three killed and several wounded in an Israeli air attack in the al-Kateeba district west of Gaza City, medical source tells Al Jazeera.

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Residents attempt to extinguish a fire following an Israeli air strike on a vehicle in Gaza City [File: Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff and Anadolu

Published On 1 Sep 20261 Sep 2026

Israeli strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip have killed at least five people and wounded several, health officials have reported.

At least four people, including two children, were killed and eight wounded by a drone attack in the al-Kateeba district west of Gaza City in northern Gaza on Tuesday morning, a medical source at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera. A strike in central Gaza killed another person.

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Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said he counted at least 13 drones in the area at the time of the attack. Images shared online showed smoke rising and the sound of successive explosions.

“For 35 minutes there were nonstop attacks involving drones, three of them hovering at a dangerously low level,” Mahmoud said.

“Security personnel on the ground say they spotted a group of special forces who got into a direct exchange of fire. But the aerial coverage was so intense. The situation was very chaotic,” he added.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz later asserted that aerial strikes had been launched on the enclave in order to protect Israeli forces whose operation to arrest a member of Hamas was discovered.

According to unverified reports, the head of Hamas’s internal security service was detained.

Hamas official Ismail Al-Thawabta confirmed that an Israeli special force had been detected while conducting an operation in Gaza City.

In central Gaza, a separate Israeli attack in Deir el-Balah killed at least one person, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said in a statement, without providing further details.

The ⁠Israeli military ⁠said it ⁠had struck several targets across Gaza, insisting that ⁠the strikes were ⁠aimed at ⁠removing threats ⁠to ⁠its forces.

Israeli television station Channel 12 reported explosions were heard across the Strip. Palestinian news network Quds reported that missiles and quadcopter drones were used in the attacks.

The Israeli military has been striking Gaza on a daily basis despite a United States-backed “ceasefire” having taken effect in October.

Since that time, Israel has killed at least 1,320 Palestinians and injured more than 4,300.

Former minister detained over Tabung Haji hotel lease probe

Former minister detained over Tabung Haji hotel lease probe


Published: Sep 1, 2026 7:58 PM
Updated: 10:08 PM



The MACC has detained a former minister in connection with investigations arising from the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) report on Tabung Haji.

This marks the most senior former official arrested to date in the widening probe into irregularities in the fund.

According to an MACC social media post, the former minister was detained at about 4.30pm today over a case involving the leasing of hotels in Saudi Arabia.

The individual is expected to be brought to the Putrajaya Magistrates’ Court tomorrow for a remand application.

The MACC did not identify the former minister or provide further details on their alleged involvement.

The RCI had scrutinised Tabung Haji’s long-term leasing arrangements for four hotels in Makkah and Madinah between 2015 and 2017, involving about 1.43 billion Saudi riyals in upfront payments.


READ MORE: 'Sakau' or not? Five key takeaways from Tabung Haji RCI


It highlighted weaknesses in due diligence and risk controls, while rental payments later fell into arrears, prompting Tabung Haji to pursue legal action in Saudi Arabia.

Separately, a former Tabung Haji chairperson and a former Treasury secretary-general were released from MACC remand today after being detained for seven days to assist investigations into issues involving the fund.

Bernama reported that the two were released this morning after being remanded since Aug 27, with MACC investigating officers having completed the process of recording their statements to investigations linked to the Tabung Haji RCI findings.

The RCI’s scope covered issues involving Tabung Haji from 2014 to 2020, with reference to findings by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, and Roland Berger, excluding the restructuring and recovery plan that was being implemented at the time.

Jeju missing persons scandal: Police say South Korea cop closed missing persons cases to avoid work

Jeju missing persons scandal: Police say South Korea cop closed missing persons cases to avoid work



Jeju Island is known for its scenic views and reputation as a tourism draw. Four bodies were found over several days in August on Jeju, shaking the resort island and prompting calls for answers from the police.— hemis.fr pic via AFP


Summary

• A South Korean police officer falsely closed over two dozen missing persons cases to reduce workload, with two victims later found dead.
• President Lee Jae Myung ordered an investigation and police reform after the scandal involving officer Bu's misconduct was revealed.
• Despite falsely reporting many as safe, all 25 individuals from other cases were found unharmed after a thorough review.

First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 6:27 PM MYT


SEOUL, Sept 1 — A South Korean police officer lied in order to close over two dozen missing persons cases, including two people later found dead, so as to avoid additional work, authorities said today.

Two of the missing people were among four bodies found over several days in August on Jeju, shaking the resort island and prompting calls for answers from the police.


One case involved 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, whose body was discovered on August 24, months after her boyfriend reported her missing.


The resulting scandal prompted President Lee Jae Myung to order an investigation into the handling of Jang's case and to call for reforms within the police force.


Another case involved a man in his 60s who had also been reported missing.


The officer, surnamed Bu, was arrested last week, accused of recording Jang's death as a "traffic accident", while telling her family he had contacted her and she did not wish to be found.

Bu falsely closed the cases because he "was driven primarily by work-related negligence arising from accumulated workload pressures and fatigue associated with increased responsibilities", Jeju Police Agency detective Jung Tae-woon told reporters today.


"The suspect's evasive and irresponsible attitude is believed to have contributed to the offence," he added.

Police said they could not determine the cause of Jang's death because of the advanced decomposition of her body, a departure from their earlier assessment that there were no signs of foul play.

Police conducted a comprehensive review of around 300 missing persons cases handled by Bu over about 16 months.

They found that Bu falsely closed a further 25 cases without verifying the whereabouts of the missing or by deleting records after reporting the person dead.

All 25 individuals involved in those cases were eventually found safe, authorities said. — AFP

***

Not quite detective work as we have seen in K-dramas, wakakaka😂😂😂

Thailand braces for 5,000 US sailors as aircraft carrier arrives

Thailand braces for 5,000 US sailors as aircraft carrier arrives



This US Navy handout photograph released on April 17, 2026, by US Central Command Public Affairs shows USS Abraham Lincoln (left) conducting blockade operations in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026. The resort city of Pattaya, a rest-and-recreation destination for US troops since the Vietnam War, has stepped up security as it prepares to welcome the sailors and Marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln. — AFP pic


Summary

• The USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier, is set to dock in Thailand for its crew's first port call since November amid living condition concerns.
• Pattaya has increased security for the ship's 5,000 crew, prohibiting certain activities such as water sports and cannabis use for their five-day stay.
• The local economy anticipates a boost from the sailors' visit, with projections of up to 100 million Thai baht in spending, despite the restrictions in place.

First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 4:42 PM MYT


BANGKOK, Sept 1 — A US aircraft carrier at the centre of a political row over conditions on board was set to arrive in Thailand on Tuesday, the first port call for its 5,000 crew since November.

The resort city of Pattaya, a rest-and-recreation destination for US troops since the Vietnam War, has stepped up security as it prepares to welcome the sailors and Marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln.



“About 600 officials will provide security and other necessary assistance,” provincial Governor Narit Niramaiwong told AFP.


The nuclear-powered ship left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began six months ago.


Reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on board — including attempted suicides — have made headlines in the United States, provoking criticism of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.


Pattaya’s mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, said the massive carrier would dock just after midnight (around 1701 GMT on Tuesday) at Laem Chabang port.

Around 40 buses have been laid on to transport the sailors to Pattaya and back in staggered groups until the carrier departs on Sunday.


“They come to relax because it’s been almost 280 days since anyone came ashore,” Poramase said in a Facebook post.

“Our preparations will focus on safety and ensuring fair pricing, so we don’t take advantage of them.”

No jet skis or cannabis

Once a sleepy fishing village, Pattaya was transformed by the Vietnam War in the 1960s, when US soldiers on leave began coming for rest and recreation (R&R).

The city has since become hugely popular with foreign tourists, known for its beaches and a nightlife scene that has long drawn scrutiny over sex tourism.

Poramase told AFP there had been a recent crackdown on sex workers but denied it was linked to the US arrivals.

In his Facebook post, the mayor said he was hoping the soldiers could bring in up to 100 million Thai baht (RM12.1 million) during their stay — a boon to the city during low season.

They have been banned from water sports such as jet skis, and from taking advantage of Thailand’s lax cannabis laws, he added, encouraging them to take part in the city’s many other attractions, from malls to religious sites.

“We’re happy to get business from anybody,” Nicko, the French owner of a go-go bar in Pattaya, told AFP. “We’ll have to be careful because as we know, things can get out of hand with alcohol involved.” — AFP

***

Be devotedly thankful to the Heavens it's not Penang they are coming to - Alhamdulillah.