Brits EU All Out To Sabotage Abu Dhabi Talks Tomorrow

 

OutSyed The Box

Monday, November 9, 2026

Brits EU All Out To Sabotage Abu Dhabi Talks Tomorrow

The Brits and the EU absolutely do not want the war in Ukraine to come to an end. The war has long become ridiculous. Russia has gained almost one third of Ukraine. More than 25% of the territory. The Russians advance, then at some places they pull back again. They do not hold all the ground they capture. The Russians want the Russian speaking Donbas (which they have already almost fully taken - about 90%). Plus they want security guarantees. 

For two days starting tomorrow 10–11 November 2026 there will be the Abu Dhabi talks between  Russia–Ukraine–United States.

1. Who will participate?

Country                                                                               Key representatives

United States                                                   Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner

Russia                                                     Vladimir Medinsky, leading the delegation

Ukraine                                                          Rustem Umerov and Kyrylo Budanov 

2. Latest Russian developments

On 7 November, the Kremlin confirmed the composition of its delegation:

- Vladimir Medinsky – head of delegation.
- Sergei Ryabkov – Deputy Foreign Minister.
- Mikhail Galuzin – Deputy Foreign Minister.
- Igor Kostyukov – head of Russian military intelligence (GRU).
- Yuri Zhigarlovsky – senior General Staff officer.

Putin personally met the delegation on 6 November to discuss preparations.  The Russian team is experienced and capable. They have had mock trials (dry runs) and detailed rehearsals of how the talks might proceed.

3. What will be discussed?

These major issues are expected:

1. Territory: Russia keeps the Donbas. 
2. Security guarantees: Arrangements to protect Russia against future NATO / EU aggression.
3. All sanctions against Russia to be removed. 

EU representatives will not participate in the Abu Dhabi negotiations at all.

The past few weeks the United States and Russia have been talking almost daily on various issues. Plenty horse trading is going on. Plenty quid pro quos. Both Ukraine and Iran have been discussed. Maybe there will be a package deal.

In Ukraine the United States calls the shots. The US has the power of not supporting the Ukraine war anymore. The US has cut off supplying Patriot missiles and Elon Musk has begun shutting down some of his Starlink services in Ukraine.

Elon Musk has imposed restrictions that disrupted Ukrainian military operations.

SpaceX restricted military-grade Starlink/Starshield terminals operating on moving platforms.  Terminals travelling faster than approximately 160 km/h (100 mph) lost connectivity.  This disrupted Ukrainian military drone operations, including interception of Russian drones.

That is a serious dent in the capabilities of the Ukraine military - which already faces crippling challenges. There are no more functioning air defenses (radar coverage) over Ukraine.

My view is the United States might end up imposing sanctions on the EU countries to pressure them to stop the war. The US and Russia will become allies. 

The Brits and the EU are going all out to sabotage the Abu Dhabi talks. We will know by 11th November, 2026. 

Maybe the Brits will blow up the venue. 

Rafizi: Lesson not learnt, PAS set to learn a bitter lesson from UMNO again

Rafizi: Lesson not learnt, PAS set to learn a bitter lesson from UMNO again

By Pragalath K
6 hours ago

PAS is set to learn a bitter lesson from UMNO for the third time in the upcoming 16th general election (16GE) since both would lead their coalitions to combine forces under the “perpaduan ummah” (Muslim unity) banner.

BERSAMA co-leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli pointed out that it is in UMNO’s DNA against being under other parties. The Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin never felt that it should share power. It was not formed to share power.

Both PAS and UMNO kickstarted their recent political cooperation in the Negeri Sembilan state election and are continuing it in the Melaka state polls.

Their collaboration was successful enough to throw out Pakatan Harapan out of power in Negeri Sembilan.

Speaking in a ceramah in Pengkalan Batu on Deepavali night, the former PKR deputy president pointed out that the UMNO-PAS collaboration had never lasted beyond three years.

The first attempt was in 1974. It was the year BN was formed. PAS was invited to join. PAS was in BN for three years. In 1977, a political crisis happened that led to the federal government declaring emergency. In 1978, UMNO won in Kelantan election.

The second attempt Muafakat Nasional is a formal political cooperation charter for both the parties in 2019. By 2022, their relations strained as PAS preferred its then ally in Perikatan Nasional (PN).

The Muafakat Nasional collaboration coincided with the time the eighth and ninth prime ministers were in office – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Both the parties are also well known for using its race and religion card to solidify their support base.

The former economy minister added Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties cooperated with UMNO to form the present government without an alternative plan, resulting in parties such as DAP also resorting to the same fear mongering that UMNO and PAS used.

PH’s decision also revived UMNO and BN.

Elaborating further, the former PKR deputy president elaborated that both UMNO and PAS are using the narrative that the Chinese are uniting under DAP hence why Malays must unite UMNO and PAS.

This racial baiting however does not reflect the realities faced by voters from various communities.

As a result of that none of the parties dare to take a risk and resolve issues. This is why BERSAMA is opposing parties that are practising identity politics. —Nov 9, 2026

“Non-muslims with halal cert should be trusted more than muslim shops,” said fiery netizen

“Non-muslims with halal cert should be trusted more than muslim shops,” said fiery netizen

HALAL or haram has always been a very messy topic for discussion, especially in conservative peninsular Malaysia.

It has grown from its spiritual dimension, and into the realm of business since entities possessing the much coveted halal status enjoy a much larger share of the market.

Understandably, non-muslims will have to go the extra mile to convince their muslims customers.

But should muslim owned businesses pursue halal certification too?

The recent controversy surrounding the processing centre in Puchong certainly points towards that direction.

And it appears the clarion call is getting louder and louder on the cyberspace.

Take for example a post on Threads by netizen mirrrnana, stating that she placed more trust in non-muslim businesses that are halal certified, than the muslim ones that don’t.

“Let’s always support the shops that have the halal certificate irregardless of their religion and race,” she said.

Her remarks have since attracted a good deal of attention from netizens, who echoed her opinion.

“Agree, shops that have the halal certificate should be trusted more than the “Malay islam,” said elk.37856720.

Netizen ya.sai_ya further pointed towards the many famous Malay restaurants out there that have yet to apply for their certification.

Towards this topic, a netizen suggested people boycott the Malay shops that do not have the halal status.

Kasechsbt20 also came up to share an incident where he was having char koew teow, but the ketchup used for the meal was found to be not halal.

Extending from his comment was netizen tacaamin, pointing out a muslim who was processing noodles while sporting a long beard.

However, netizen aishidos said he was 99% confident that the Malay shops use halal products. However, he had reservations where cleanliness was considered.

Jasminekay189 further lamented about the difficulty for shops in the mall to get the halal certificate since the suppliers must all be halal too.

But ghad_dafy said people will still find excuses to attack these businesses even when they possess the halal status.

At the end of the day, halal certification should not be treated as a barrier for non-Muslim businesses, nor should Muslim-owned establishments assume that their ownership alone is enough to earn customers’ confidence.

Otherwise, consumers may have to go through all the trouble scrutinising not just the ingredients, but the entire kitchen, the supplier and possibly even the chef’s beard.—Nov 8, 2026

The America the world still wants to believe in

 

Dennis Ignatius

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

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The America the world still wants to believe in

07SaturdayNov 2026

Posted by Dennis Ignatius in Democracy, Multiculturalism, United States

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America, Donald Trump, justice, midterm elections, xenophobia

[1] When Americans went to the polls this week, the world watched closely. Could the United States still reject what it had become under Donald Trump? When the Republican Party was routed — a result Florida governor Ron DeSantis called “an extinction-level event” — relief travelled far beyond America’s borders. Around the world, people were not simply celebrating a victory; they were responding to the possibility that another America might yet prevail.

[2] No American president has been so broadly reviled abroad as Trump. He did not merely make America less popular; he made it look less recognisable to people who had once believed its ideals mattered. The spectacle of ICE agents killing people on American streets, and of families being torn apart with bureaucratic indifference horrified audiences abroad. Controlling the border was one thing; the cruelty and the contempt for human dignity that was on display was something else.

[3] They watched him disregard constitutional restraints, vulgarise the presidency and turn public humiliation into a governing method. Tariffs disrupted trade abroad. War spread misery far and wide. Longstanding alliances were treated as transactions; the international order as something to be bullied, not defended. Aid that kept some of the world’s poorest people alive was cut. The message was plain: only America mattered, the rest of the world did not.

[4] Trump did not invent America’s ugliest impulses but he gave them permission, a microphone and the authority of the presidency itself. He made xenophobia, racism, cruelty and self-absorption look like patriotism. What bewildered many abroad was that so many Americans rewarded him for saying these things. They laughed at his puerile jokes, applauded vindictive policies, and cheered when he threatened and demeaned those around him.

[5] Yet the world’s response to this election was not only relief at Trump’s defeat. It was relief that another America had shown itself. Voters looked past vicious, racist taunts to elect the country’s first Muslim senator. A descendent of a slave was elected governor of Georgia; a Native American woman was elected governor of New Mexico. These outcomes do not erase the ugliness that preceded them. They do something more important: they repudiate the accusation that ugliness is all America is.

[6] Pundits will insist that the election was really about the economy, corruption or affordable health care. Of course those things mattered. But that caveat should not obscure the moral meaning of the moment. At a time when racism, xenophobia and authoritarianism had been normalised, Americans chose candidates who represented a wider, more generous idea of the country. They chose decency over cruelty and pluralism over grievance. That is why the result resonated so deeply abroad.

[7] It is not that the countries watching America are themselves free of injustice, intolerance, racism or abuses of power. Many struggle with precisely the same failings. But they expect more of America. For generations, America held itself out as something better — a higher standard to aspire to, a reminder to their own governments of what democracy, liberty and human dignity ought to mean. When America falls short, it is not simply another country failing its people; it is the betrayal of an ideal that others, however imperfectly, have also tried to uphold.

[8] This aspiration is not uniquely American but no other nation embodies this ideal with quite the same force, because no other nation has made a multiracial democracy so central to its declared national purpose. In a world increasingly divided by race, religion and nationalism, people still want to believe there is a place where equality is more than a line in a founding document; where liberty and the pursuit of happiness are not privileges reserved for the powerful; where a person’s skin colour or faith matters less than the character of their service and the seriousness of their commitment to others. America has never consistently been that place. But the idea remains potent because it is larger than America’s failures.

[9] The world does not expect America to be perfect. It needs America to be honest about its failings and serious about its promise. Trump made the betrayal of that promise impossible to ignore. But if Americans can reject that betrayal — if they can keep choosing a democracy capacious enough for all of its people — then the country may yet deserve the faith so many outside it still place in it. At a moment when democracy is narrowing and xenophobia and intolerance are rising, the survival of that promise matters far beyond America’s borders.

[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur | 7 November 2026]

 

Rubio says war on Iran unpopular but ‘necessary’ to stop nuclear threat

US secretary of state says Iran’s negotiation demands are ‘outrageous and ridiculous, and really not realistic’.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida, on November 8, 2026 [Brendan Smialowski/AP]

By Al Jazeera Staff and AP

Published On 9 Nov 20269 Nov 2026

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said President Donald Trump launched the war against Iran to safeguard the world from Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Rubio told reporters in Florida on Sunday that Trump “identified a very real threat” in Iran and had worked to stop it from pursuing a nuclear weapon.

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Trump addressed “difficult challenges for the security of our country – doing it isn’t necessarily popular, but necessary”, Rubio added.

 

On diplomatic efforts to end the war, Rubio said, “I wouldn’t say we’re at the verge of a breakthrough”. He added that although Trump prefers a diplomatic solution, Iranian demands are “not just unacceptable, but in some cases, outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic”.

Rubio comments came after Trump had said that “a lot of people didn’t like” Vice President JD Vance recent comments blaming the US-led war on Iran for the Republican Party’s crushing defeat in last week’s US midterm elections.

Trump said that although he mostly agreed with Vance, he did not regret the decision to go to war against Iran. It “will go down as one of the best things we ever did”, he said, adding that if Tehran were to have a nuclear weapon, “they would blow up the world”.

Trump also told CNN in a phone interview on Sunday that as long as Washington sees progress in negotiations with Tehran and they sign a “strong agreement”, it is “highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary” for the US to resume strikes.

US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at President Donald J Trump airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 8, 2026 [Jacquelyn Martin/AP]

For Iran’s part, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that it was “time for the White House to make its own” decision on the war.

“American voters have made their choice,” Araghchi wrote on X, referring to the midterm election results.

He added that Tehran’s “2-day proposal stands: meet the requirements, including end to war on all fronts, and you will see results”.

“Or choose war, and see our alert and battle-hardened Warriors rain down hell.”

Iran has offered to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping within two days if the United States meets its conditions.

Trump is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House on Monday, according to his official schedule.

Tehran is reviewing proposals presented by Qatar aimed at addressing differences with Washington, according to the Associated Press news agency.

In recent days, Rubio has also denied “unfounded” speculation that he was quitting as the top US diplomat to run for higher office in 2028.

Look at long-term value of the ECRL

Look at long-term value of the ECRL

Monday, 09 Nov 2026


I READ with interest the StarBiz7 article titled “ECRL – hardly a gravy train” (The Star, Nov 7), which frames the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) strictly through a narrow lens of direct commercial profitability and short-term debt recovery.

Judging mega-infrastructure projects primarily by line-item balance sheets fundamentally misinterprets the economic and social purpose of nation-building assets.


Globally, public transport infrastructure is treated as a public good – a driver of broad economic enablement rather than a standalone profit centre.

Evaluating transport projects strictly on direct financial returns (FIRR) fails to capture their true value to a nation.


> China’s high-speed railway (HSR) benchmark: Ex-post Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR) estimates for major transport projects in China consistently range between 8.5% and 10.9%, vastly outstripping their direct financial returns. The real return manifests in regional integration, reduced transaction costs and expanded productivity across entire economic corridors.

> Western nations: Transit networks across North America and Europe operate under public subsidies precisely because their economic dividends, reducing congestion, lowering logistics overhead and expanding labour pools far outweigh farebox revenues.

Studies sponsored by the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) highlight concrete growth trajectories for the East Coast.

> Regional GDP expansion: The ECRL is projected to add 1.5% to regional GDP. Based on 2025 baseline growth rates, Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu are positioned to achieve significantly higher growth rates than historical trends.

> Industrial migration and cost advantage: Operating and establishment costs on the East Coast are substantially lower than in the Klang Valley. The ECRL bridges these regions directly to Kuantan Port, making industrial relocation highly attractive for manufacturing and export-oriented firms.

> Tax incentives: Federal and regional tax breaks designed for companies setting up in the ECER further amplify this competitive edge, accelerating foreign direct investment (FDI) and industrial park utilisation.

The long-term value of the ECRL extends into spatial demographic balance and public safety.

> Permanent local employment: Industrial migration to the East Coast creates high-quality, permanent jobs in towns along the rail line. By allowing residents to secure meaningful employment in their home states, the project addresses the root driver of economic migration to the West Coast.

> Relieving LPT and Karak highways: Creating local jobs and offering an efficient rail alternative directly relieves severe traffic congestion along the East Coast Expressway (LPT) and Karak Highway, reducing travel time, fuel burn, road wear and holiday accident rates.

Evaluating the ECRL strictly as a commercial asset misses the forest for the trees.

Infrastructure is an enabler of structural regional transformation, economic equity and public welfare, not a short-term balance sheet play.

TENGKU AKBAR TENGKU ABDULLAH

Seri Kembangan, Selang

Flood mitigation systems in KL need an overhaul Monday, 09 Nov 2026

Flood mitigation systems in KL need an overhaul
Monday, 09 Nov 2026



THE recurring flash floods in Kuala Lumpur following just an hour or slightly more of heavy rainfall should warrant the serious attention of the authorities.

While heavy rainfall and changing weather patterns are contributing factors, we cannot overlook weaknesses in our urban drainage infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, clogged drains, accumulated silt and irresponsible construction activities.


The problem calls for more than temporary solutions or emergency drain-clearing exercises.

Kuala Lumpur needs a comprehensive and sustained overhaul of its drainage and flood mitigation systems.

I would like to propose the following measures.

First, undertake a comprehensive audit and upgrading of the entire drainage network in Kuala Lumpur. Ageing, undersized and inadequate drains must be identified and upgraded to cope with increasing rainfall intensity and rapid urban development.

The Kuala Lumpur Urban Drainage Master Plan must be reviewed and implemented effectively.

Second, strengthen regular maintenance and cleaning of drains, rivers and waterways. Clearing rubbish, removing accumulated silt and ensuring unobstructed water flow must become a systematic and continuous responsibility of the authorities.

Third, impose stricter enforcement on construction and development activities. Developers and contractors must ensure that adequate silt traps, sediment-control measures and proper drainage systems are installed and maintained.

Those who disregard these requirements must face substantial penalties, including stop-work orders where necessary.

Fourth, invest in more flood retention ponds, underground stormwater storage facilities, detention tanks and pumping stations. These facilities can help manage excessive rainwater and prevent sudden water surges from overwhelming the drainage network.

Fifth, adopt the Sponge City concept by preserving green spaces, increasing permeable surfaces and incorporating sustainable urban drainage solutions into new developments. Kuala Lumpur must be planned as a city that can absorb, retain and manage rainwater rather than simply channel it away.

Sixth, establish stronger coordination and accountability among KL City Hall, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage and other relevant agencies.

There must be clear implementation targets, timelines and regular public reporting on the progress of flood mitigation projects.

I also urge the authorities to strengthen early warning systems and emergency response arrangements to protect motorists, pedestrians and communities living in flood-prone areas.

Our objective must be to make Kuala Lumpur a flood-resilient city with a clear determination to achieve zero preventable flood-related deaths and minimise flood incidents and damage.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE

Chairman

Alliance For A Safe Community

Senator Nik Abduh: Paying RM50m to free Bossku ain’t abetting ‘sakau’ but an act containing ‘pahala’

Senator Nik Abduh: Paying RM50m to free Bossku ain’t abetting ‘sakau’ but an act containing ‘pahala’

MADANI backers have hit out at prominent PAS leader Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz for his apparent “personal fatwa” that Muslims who had contributed to the Najib Razak Solidarity Fund by raising RM50 mil to pay for the disgraced sixth premier’s fine have committed a meritorious act.

This follows two seemingly back-to-back social media posts which would be music to the ears of UMNO loyalists over the weekend by son of the much revered ate PAS spiritual leader and former Kelantan menteri besar the late Tan Sri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

“Muslim who chipped in with RM50 mil for DSNR (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) will reap pahala (religious merit),” he penned in a Facebook post.

Viral Media Kelate

on Friday

NIK ABDUH: BANTU RM50 JUTA NAJIB BERPAHALA, BUKAN SOKONG SAKAU

Senator Nik Abduh Nik Aziz menyifatkan sumbangan umat Islam kepada Tabung Solidariti Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebagai satu amalan berpahala dan bukannya tanda menyokong sebarang penyelewengan.

Menerusi kenyataan di Facebook, beliau berkata, sumbangan berkenaan perlu dilihat sebagai sokongan terhadap sistem pengampunan Yang di-Pertuan Agong yang diiktiraf oleh syarak.

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“Such act doesn’t constitute support for sakau (plundering of the nation’s wealth) but rather, it supports the Agong’s power of pardon which is recognised under the Sharia law.”

This was followed up with another FB post to re-assure the Bossku fanbase that “beyond mere donations, any action or effort taken to alleviate the difficulties DSNR faces in securing his rightful entitlements – within the bounds of what is permitted – is an act that earns spiritual merits”.

The second-term Dewan Negara member who is reputed for having a soft spot for Bossku – only for such sentiment to be lifted to an all-time high level following cementing of the UMNO-PAS electoral pact to foster ummah unity – has come under fire for his shallow view which misinterpreted Islamic justice.

“Imagine if PAS implemented the hudud law, ordinary rakyat who steal would have their hands cut off but politicians and their allies who steal receive spiritual rewards and are forgiven,” mocked millennial preacher Abu Ayyash (@zafkhuzaimah) on Threads.


Flip flop interpretation of Islamic justice

Delving on Nik Abduh’s political view, Malay language news portal Nadi Daily wondered what is the basis that the former PAS lawmaker for Pasir Mas and Bachok used to establish that Muslims would reap pahala by donating to the Bossku cause.

“What is the legal methodology and the evidentiary support for this? Acknowledging the power of granting pardon doesn’t necessarily mean that anyone who pays an offender’s fine is automatically rewarded with pahala,” justified the political and current affairs-centric publication.

Nadi Daily

on Saturday

Masyarakat makin keliru dengan hukum agama yang dibawa pemimpin PAS. Dulu bukan main lagi bercakap soal hudud, tetapi sekarang membantu membayar denda RM50 juta Najib pula dikatakan mendapat pahala.

Nik Abduh kata, umat Islam yang membantu membayar denda Najib mendapat pahala kerana menyokong sistem pengampunan Agong yang diakui syarak.

Persoalannya, apa dalil yang digunakan untuk menetapkan pahala itu? Apa kaedah dan sandaran hukumnya? Mengiktiraf kuasa pengampunan tidak sem...

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“In the past, PAS leaders were fond of citing a hadith of the holy Prophet which states that even if Fatimah binti Muhammad (youngest daughter of Prophet Muhammad) herself were to commit theft, he would still ensure the prescribed punishment is carried out. This signifies that justice recognises neither rank nor lineage.”

Pointing to China whereby those guilty of large-scale corruption face the death penalty with real life executions having been carried out, Nadi Daily highlighted the irony of DAP – a party deemed as kafir harbi (hostile infidel) during the hudud polemic – having its leaders offering to resign in protest against the prospect of Bossku serving his sentence under house arrest.

“Meanwhile, PAS – a party that champions an Islamic cause – has leaders who link the act of helping to pay Najib’s fine to the attainment of religious merit,” ridiculed the news portal.

“The public is not challenging the Agong’s prerogative of pardon. Rather, the question is how the act of helping to pay the fine of a convicted individual can be linked to religious reward without an adequate legal or theological explanation.”

In essence, has religion been compromised for political mileage given the former youth wing chief (June 2015-April 2017) hails from a party that has consistently and steadfastly portrayed itself as a champion of integrity, clean governance and being corruption-free in its political discourse. – Nov 9, 2026

Gemilang Daily

on Saturday

Senator PAS, Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz mencetuskan perhatian apabila menyifatkan tindakan umat Islam membantu membayar RM50 juta untuk Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebagai perbuatan berpahala dan bukannya menyokong amalan rasuah.

Menerusi satu hantaran di Facebook, beliau berpandangan bahawa sumbangan berkenaan tidak sepatutnya dilihat sebagai sokongan terhadap perbuatan salah atau penyelewengan yang dikaitkan dengan bekas Perdana Menteri itu.

Menurut Nik Abduh, tindakan mem...

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Main image credit: Suara Rakyat – SR/Facebook