Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz, including end to regional war

Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz, including end to regional war


The conditions include ending the regional war, lifting US sanctions and compensation among the measures cited by Iranian officials

Updated 1 hour ago · Published on 28 Aug 2026 9:32AM

Iran is drawing up conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after mediators asked Tehran to set out its demands - August 28, 2026



IRAN is preparing a list of conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after mediators asked Tehran to set out its demands, according to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.


Rezaei said ending the regional war would be among Iran’s conditions, while Tehran had also agreed with Oman on a shipping corridor through the strategic waterway.

Under the proposed arrangement, parts of the corridor would pass through Omani waters and others through Iranian waters, he said in an interview with Al Manar TV.

Rezaei said ships would be able to use a designated central channel if the United States agreed to Iran’s conditions.

The development comes as Tehran and Muscat continue negotiations over the details of an agreement governing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior source said on Aug 26 that Iran and Oman were still working on the terms of the proposed arrangement, after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the two countries had reached an understanding on sharing control of the waterway and its revenues.

Reuters cited an IRGC spokesperson saying Iran would not permit the strait to reopen unless Washington lifted what Tehran describes as a blockade of Iranian ports, paid compensation and removed sanctions.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important energy corridors. Before the war began in February, the waterway carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Shipping through the strait has largely halted since the conflict began, raising concerns over energy supplies and contributing to volatility in global oil markets.

Ceasefire agreements announced by Washington and Tehran in April and June were intended to restore maritime traffic, but both failed to hold.

The latest negotiations with Oman could therefore determine whether the crucial shipping route can gradually reopen, although Iran's conditions suggest that any restoration of normal traffic remains closely tied to broader efforts to end the regional conflict and resolve its dispute with Washington. - August 28, 2026

US to deploy new aircraft carrier to Middle East as Iran conflict drags on

US to deploy new aircraft carrier to Middle East as Iran conflict drags on


Washington maintains a heavy naval presence in the region amid the prolonged conflict with Iran


Updated 35 seconds ago · Published on 28 Aug 2026 10:20AM

The United States is preparing to send the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group to the Middle East to replace the USS George Washington (Photo from navy.mil) - August 28, 2026



THE United States is preparing to deploy a new aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East in the coming weeks, replacing an existing carrier as the conflict with Iran continues, according to the US Naval Institute (USNI).


The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group is expected to depart San Diego within several weeks for a deployment lasting more than seven months, USNI reported.

AFP reported on Friday that the carrier will replace the USS George Washington, which left Japan and arrived in the Middle East last week after taking over from the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The deployment of the USS George Washington comes amid reports of mounting pressure and suicide attempts among the USS Abraham Lincoln's crew, which has been at sea since November 2025.

The acting US Secretary of the Navy has previously dismissed concerns over the condition of the crew.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to make a port call in Thailand next week, allowing its approximately 5,000 sailors to rest and replenish supplies.

The United States has maintained an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea to conduct strike missions against Iran since Washington and Israel launched attacks in late February. The carrier was later also used to enforce a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

USNI, a private military association that publishes research and analysis on national security issues, quoted senior officials, including US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle, as saying the Navy was seeking to reduce pressure on sailors and their families following some of the longest deployments in decades.

The US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment on Thursday.

The movement of the USS George Washington from Japan also means the United States currently has no aircraft carrier in the Pacific, where such assets are typically deployed as part of Washington's efforts to counter China.

The USS Abraham Lincoln left California in November 2025 for operations in the South China Sea but was later redirected to the Middle East ahead of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

The planned deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt underscores the continuing strain on the US Navy as Washington seeks to sustain its military presence in the Middle East while maintaining its strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific. - August 28, 2026

Neo Nazi State

From the FB page of:

JT Tan

 

Saravanan claims trial to three corruption charges involving RM1.097m, granted RM450,000 bail

Saravanan claims trial to three corruption charges involving RM1.097m, granted RM450,000 bail



MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan arrives at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex, August 28, 2026. The 58-year-old Tapah MP pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi. — Picture by Raymond Manuel


Summary

• Former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan claimed trial to three charges of receiving RM1.097 million in bribes for approving foreign-worker quotas.
• The charges allege Saravanan received bribes through intermediaries for approving a company's application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas.
• Judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM450,000 with conditions including reporting to the MACC and not contacting witnesses, with the case mention set for September 29.

By R. Loheswar
First Published: Friday, 28 Aug 2026 10:03 AM MYT
Last Modified: Friday, 28 Aug 2026 10:07 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan today claimed trial to three charges of corruptly receiving RM1.097 million in bribes linked to the approval of 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for a company.

The 58-year-old Tapah MP pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

The three charges involve alleged bribes of RM150,000, RM350,000 and RM597,000, which the prosecution claims Saravanan received from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim through Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad.


According to the first charge, Saravanan allegedly received RM150,000 in cash from Tan through Syed Amirul on June 16, 2022, at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resorts.


The payment was allegedly an inducement for Saravanan, then the human resources minister, to approve an application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd.

For the second charge, Saravanan allegedly received RM350,000 in cash from Tan through Syed Amirul on July 7, 2022, at Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar.

The prosecution alleges the money was given as a reward for Saravanan approving the same application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for TYKB Engineering.


The third charge alleges that Saravanan received RM597,000 from Tan through Syed Amirul on the same day.

The money was allegedly paid through a Maybank Islamic cheque numbered 273704, which was deposited into a Maybank Islamic account belonging to Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd at the bank’s Jalan Klang Lama branch.

The prosecution again alleges the payment was a reward for Saravanan approving TYKB Engineering’s application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas.

All three charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and are punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

Upon conviction, the offence carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

When arguing for bail, the deputy public prosecutors, led by Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib, said the offences were non-bailable.

However they suggested bail at RM800,000 with one local surer.

Saravanan would also be required to surrender his passport, report to the closest MACC office once every three months and not be allowed to talk to the witnesses.

Saravanan’s lawyer, Geethan Ram Vincent, argued that his client had been cooperative throughout the process and was an MP who regularly attended Parliament.

He also said his client posed no flight risk and would not interfere with witnesses, and asked for bail to be set at RM300,000.

Judge Azura Alwi subsequently set bail at RM450,000 and ordered him to report to the nearest MACC office once every three months and refrain from contacting witnesses directly or indirectly.

The court set the next date for September 29.

Saravanan, who is also MIC deputy president, served as human resources minister from 2020 to 2022.

He has previously denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations and said he would defend himself in court.

Gambling licences in Kedah: No need to take aims and hurl insults — Hafiz Hassan

Gambling licences in Kedah: No need to take aims and hurl insults — Hafiz Hassan


Summary

• The Kedah State Government's attempt to cease issuing and renewing business licenses for pool betting operators was deemed unconstitutional by the Court of Appeal, a decision upheld by the Federal Court.
• The state's appeal was dismissed as it failed to meet the requisite legal threshold, leading to continued efforts by Kedah PAS to eliminate gambling despite the ruling.
• Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor expressed intentions to explore possible legal avenues to enforce a zero-gambling policy, while also engaging in public exchanges on the matter, including an invitation to DAP's Ramkarpal Singh to discuss the vices of gambling.
• The controversy underlines the significance of adhering to judicial guidance on legitimate grounds for license refusal.

First Published: Friday, 28 Aug 2026 9:53 AM MYT


AUGUST 28 — On August 15, I wrote that the Kedah State’s decision not to renew business licences for pool betting operators was ruled by the Court of Appeal as ‘ultra vires’ the Federal Constitution.

Three days earlier, the Federal Court had dismissed the Kedah State government’s application seeking leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling, that had quashed its decision to cease the issuance and renewal of business licences for pool betting operators in the state.

Federal Court Judge Rhodzariah Bujang, who delivered the apex court’s unanimous decision, said that the state government had failed to meet the threshold requirement under Section 96(a) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 for leave to be granted.


In an almost immediate reaction to the apex court decision, Kedah PAS vowed to continue its efforts to eliminate gambling in the state despite the Federal Court putting an end to the state government’s bid to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision.


There was no reaction from the Kedah State government until seven days later.


Speaking to reporters after a groundbreaking ceremony for a new student residential college at Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah International Islamic University (UniSHAMS) in Baling, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the Kedah government would examine whether it had any legal avenues left to pursue its so-called zero-gambling policy.

“The lawyers will explain what the implications are, what is binding on us, and what we can and cannot do. There may still be another way. God willing, there is a way,” Sanusi said.


It is mind-boggling, therefore, that another seven days later the menteri besar should take aim at DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh, pointedly inviting the MP to deliver a religious lecture to Muslims on the vices of gambling.



Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor delivers his speech during the Pidato 4 Menteri Besar in conjunction with the Muktamar PAS in Shah Alam on October 20, 2023. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon



Sanusi’s remarks followed comments from Ramkarpal, who urged the state government to focus on educating Muslims against gambling rather than seeking ways to bypass a Federal Court ruling on commercial gaming licences.

Addressing a briefing organised by the Kedah Information Secretariat on the legal hurdles facing the state's gambling ban, Sanusi reiterated that his administration would not abandon its push to eliminate gaming premises.

Hours later, he reportedly hurled insults at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the issue of gambling premises licences in the state, prompting the prime minister’s communications director Tunku Nashrul Abaidah to hit back at the Menteri Besar.

If only Sanusi had waited for the state government’s lawyers to explain what the implications of the Federal Court’s decision are, what is binding on the state government, and what the state government can and cannot do.

The following is what Court of Appeal Judge Faizah Jamaludin said about the unconstitutionality of the state’s government refusal of a premises licence to a pool betting operator in the state:

“This [decision] should not be overstated. It does not mean that every refusal of a premises licence to a pool betting operator is unconstitutional. A local authority may refuse a licence on legitimate premises-based grounds — planning, zoning, safety, public health, nuisance, traffic, building non-compliance, or other matters genuinely falling within local government competence.

“What it may not do is adopt a blanket policy whose object and effect are to prohibit throughout the state the operation of an activity licensed under a federal statute in a federal field.”

If only Sanusi had waited to be advised on “legitimate premises-based grounds”.

There is no need to take aims and hurl insults.

***

Fei-Lo thinks he is frigging clever and untouchable

Nepal police release names of 23 Malaysians missing in deadly flood disaster

Nepal police release names of 23 Malaysians missing in deadly flood disaster



A member of the security forces and his sniffer dog search for survivors following flash floods at Trishuli in Nepal’s Nuwakot district on August 27, 2026. — AFP pic


Summary

• The Nepal Police released names of individuals, including 23 Malaysian nationals, missing in the recent flood catastrophe.
• The list, available on their Facebook page, features names, birthdates, and nationalities.
• While the exact number of missing Malaysians remains unconfirmed, authorities are also providing a list and photographs of unidentified deceased individuals to aid families in identifying their loved ones.

First Published: Friday, 28 Aug 2026 8:56 AM MYT


HYDERABAD, Aug 28 — The Nepal Police on Thursday released the names of those missing in the flood catastrophe, including foreign nationals.

A partial list of the missing available on the Nepal Police’s Facebook page as of 1 pm local time has the names of eight females and 15 males from Malaysia.

It contains among others, their names, date of birth and their country.


The names are:


1. Mohd Fakhrul Munir Bin Mohd Isa, 44

2. Mangala Vanan Krishnasamy, 50

3. Malani M Vellu, 49


4. Lingam Samykanoo, 49

5. Letchumy Sinnappan, 47

6. Krishnan Vadivelu, 74

7. Komathi Rethinam, 48

8. Kirubanithi Alagappan, 38

9. Karunanithi Sundram, 65

10. Kannan Kerisna, 51

11. Kalaiselvi P Narayanasamy, 65

12. Kalai Mathe Karuppaiah, 57

13. Jason Ngeow, 56

14. Inthumathy Subramaniam, 54

15. Gunavathy Muthusamy, 60

16. Gunanesan Vellaisamy, 58

17. Eswary Maniraj, 35

18. Brabaakaran Krishnan, 47

19. Balasingam Kesavan, 71

20. Azman Bin Karim, 60

21. Arunasalam Karuppiah, 70

22. Appannah A Muthaloo, 56

23. A Ganesan Anandan, 52


Earlier, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the number of Malaysians who remain unaccounted for following the devastating floods in Nepal has yet to be confirmed by the authorities there.

Meanwhile, Nepal Police have also prepared a list and photographs of unidentified dead bodies who have lost their lives in the disaster to help families identify their loved ones. It can be accessed by scanning a QR code available on the Nepal Police Facebook page. — Bernama

WHEN FAIRY TALES BECOME ACADEMIA. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ANTI HISTERIA KIT?

 

OutSyed The Box

Thursday, August 27, 2026

WHEN FAIRY TALES BECOME ACADEMIA. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ANTI HISTERIA KIT?

 

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Published: 24 Aug 2026

A Malaysian Islamic university has formally distanced itself from an academic whose viral claims about ancient Malay civilisation – including that Malays could fly and taught the Chinese “flying kung fu” – have drawn ridicule from historians.

In a statement on Sunday, the Islamic University said S----ah Y----b, a former linguistics professor, had been terminated from academic service on April 27 and was no longer entitled to claim any affiliation with the institution.

The university’s Office for Communication, Advocacy and Promotion said S-----h was now barred from using any official title, position or association with the univ. 

MY COMMENTS:

The Quran says in Surah An-Nur (24:45):  

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِّن مَّاءٍ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ أَرْبَعٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“And Allah has created every living creature from water. Some of them walk on their stomach, some walk on two legs, and some walk on four. Allah creates whatever He wills. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.”

Some creatures like snakes crawl on their bellies. Some creatures like us humans walk on two legs. Some animals walk on four legs.  This has been fixed. Past tense. Humans walk on two legs. Humans cannot fly. 

I am not surprised at all that the university took some time to arrive at their decision. Why so long? I seriously hope they were not debating the issue. Some creatures like snakes crawl on their bellies. Some creatures like us humans walk on two legs. Some animals walk on four legs. What is there to debate about?

It also has to be noted that this issue came to light only AFTER it was highlighted in the media especially Social Media. The public is not aware of the university making any statements, issuing advisories or notices BEFORE this issue was highlighted in the media. 

To safeguard its own credibility the university should have had mechanisms to detect and deter its academics from “flying kung fu”   before they can take flight. This episode does not reflect too well on the university in general.

It is not too late for the university to relook its hiring procedures to ensure that the “flying kung fu” types are not taken under its wings. Otherwise things can fly off on a broomstick. 

Shoppee, Lazada Now Taobao, Pinduoduo

 

OutSyed The Box

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Shoppee, Lazada Now Taobao, Pinduoduo

Do listen to this video first.

We discovered Pinduoduo just a few weeks back. Since then we have been buying quite a few of our regular items from Pinduoduo. Regular items means detergents, tissues, utensils, multi use plastic bags (with good quality tie string), aluminium foil, baking paper, Bluetooth ear piece for my phone, stainless steel pastry cutter, stainless steel pouring funnel, mops,  phone charger,  coat hangers, computer tablet stand, large glass jars, glass bottles  and some more.  

You will not believe this but most of these items cost below RM4.00 (FOUR RINGGIT). The phone charger was RM15.00. The Bluetooth phone ear piece was by Lenovo which they sold for RM1.00 (special discount). 

Before this we used to buy stuff online from Lazada and Shoppee. Some things I still buy from Amazon. But now we buy from Taobao and Pinduoduo. As the video says the prices are super cheap.

Here is an example. I bought a glass food jar from Shoppee for about RM24.00. The price at the shops would be around RM100.00 but I could not find a shop selling the particular type jar. Now Pinduoduo sells the same item for RM6.50.  One quarter the price at Shoppee.  And maybe 1/15th the retail price at the shops. 

So Lazada and Shoppee have been outselling the wholesale and retail shops for a few years already. Now Pinduoduo and TaoBao are causing another massive massacre in the retail and wholesale industry in Malaysia.  Market talk says Pinduoduo brings in over 150 containers of goods each month.  If you order via sea delivery there are no delivery charges. 

TaoBao sells furniture sets like sofas for under RM50.00 a piece. 

Not only Malaysian and Singaporean retailers but the global retail and wholesale industry is going to take a huge hit. It began with Amazon, Ali Baba, Shoppee, Lazada and now the new players are TaoBao and Pinduoduo.

The guy in the video says that after a year or two things will stabilise. It will. But online retail now saves the global consumer huge chunks of change in their pockets. Plus it is delivered directly to your home. 

The world is changing. To the benefit of the consumers.

Situation Critical For Ukraine and Britain

 

OutSyed The Box

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Situation Critical For Ukraine and Britain.

The war situation is becoming more critical by the day for Ukraine. Russian forces are taking territory, villages and townships every day.  There is no air defense over Ukraine and it is open skies for the Russian Aerospace Forces. 

The war is being prosecuted on a daily basis by British generals located at GCHQ Cheltenham  (Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England). As I have repeated many times before this is a war being waged by Britain against Russia (directly) and against Germany (indirectly). The German economy has been wrecked as a result of this war.

The latest news is that Russia has threatened that they will retaliate directly against Britain. And today the Russians announced that they are removing their ambassador in London (HEADLINE ABOVE).  Russia has continuously had an ambassador in London for the past 102 years since 1924. This is the first time in 102 years that the Russian Embassy in London will be vacant. I think the Russians are going to hit the Brits. Exactly where and how is to be seen. 

Russia has been tolerating British commandos getting shot and killed in Ukraine. A few of them have been blown up. The British were also involved in the Nordstream gas pipeline explosion, the attack against the Kerch bridge (using drones), the sinking of the Moskva battle cruiser (the Brits provided targeting info), the attack against the Russian airbases and much more. 

Lately the Brits have begun supplying the Storm Shadow missile to Ukraine. The British Storm Shadow has a range of about 400 km and carries a payload of about 450 kg of high explosives. It is a subsonic missile - below the speed of sound. It flies very low and can avoid radar detection but not always. The Russians are still able to detect these missiles and shoot them down.  As I said before Russia is the largest country in the world, sitting on about 1/8th of the earth's land area and it has EIGHT time zones from Kaliningrad in the west to Vladivostok in Siberia. There is no way they are going to prosecute the war against Russia to any degree of success with an extremely limited quantity of missiles having a 400 km range. 

N'theless Londonistan is determined to poke the Russian bear.  The Iranians fired just one missile at a British base in Cyprus and the Brits withdrew their air and naval assets west. 

There are many other sitting ducks in the pond.  

Sanusi's gambling 'curse' on Anwar gets 22-special draw boomerang

Sanusi's gambling 'curse' on Anwar gets 22-special draw boomerang


Published: Aug 27, 2026 3:14 PM
Updated: 7:07 PM


Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s aide and the Finance Ministry have handed Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor a dose of his own medicine, recalling how the Perikatan Nasional government once gave 4D punters a shot in the arm.

Without mincing words, senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah accused the PAS leader of displaying a “two-faced and holier-than-thou attitude on this issue”, saying it clearly reflected his political hypocrisy.

“The reality is that when PAS was part of the PN government, the administration increased the number of special draws for gambling from eight to 22 times a year.

“In contrast, it was Anwar, whom Sanusi has now insulted, in his capacity as prime minister and finance minister, who reduced the number back to eight times a year,” he added in a statement issued in his capacity as Kedah PKR’s state leadership council communications director.

Nashrul said Sanusi’s (above, right) attempt to confuse the public by dragging in those who had nothing to do with the matter to cover up his shortcomings was shameful.

“Stop moving the goalposts. Answer based on facts and stop making the prime minister your target,” he added.

Tunku Nashrul Abaidah

The ministry later issued a statement that likewise panned PN for approving the 22 special draws, while noting that this was reversed when Anwar came to power.

The 22 special draws under the PN government were approved by then finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who is now a key confidant of Anwar’s.

Nashrul was commenting on Sanusi’s warning that Kedahans would “curse” (celakakan) Anwar if he allowed gambling activities to resume in the state.

‘Quit playing games’

Sanusi also courted flak from DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh after sarcastically inviting the Bukit Gelugor MP to give a ceramah to Muslims on the ills of gambling.

Urging him to “quit playing games”, Ramkarpal said the menteri besar had access to the entire machinery of the state government to educate the public about the dangers of gambling and tighten enforcement measures.

“If Sanusi believes there is a serious problem of gambling in Kedah, he should tell the public what his government has done about it instead of asking a DAP MP to do his job for him,” he added in a statement.

Ramkarpal stressed that, whether Sanusi liked it or not, he needed to accept the Federal Court’s decision to uphold a majority Court of Appeal ruling that found Kedah’s policy of refusing to renew gambling-related business licences unconstitutional for encroaching on federal powers.

Ramkarpal Singh

The decision ended the Kedah government’s legal bid to enforce a blanket ban on gambling and lottery outlets in the state.

Ramkarpal said Sanusi’s statement that the “ball is in the finance minister’s court” confirmed his acknowledgement that the regulation and licensing of such gambling activities fell within the federal sphere, which was precisely what the court had decided.

“Having acknowledged that the matter comes under federal purview, he cannot now find ways to circumvent that federal power.

“Sanusi should respect the courts, as it is not his business to question the wisdom of its judgments, particularly when those judgments are final. Going against such final judgments may amount to contempt of court,” he added.

Saravanan confirms he will be charged at KL court tomorrow

Saravanan confirms he will be charged at KL court tomorrow

By DIVYA THERESA RAVI

Thursday, 27 Aug 2026 | 7:35 PM MYT



PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has confirmed that he is the former minister who will be charged with corruption tomorrow.

The former human resources minister claimed that he would face charges linked to foreign workers' issues during the pandemic in 2022.


Saravanan, who is also MIC deputy president, claimed he was being charged after a statement was made by an individual linking him to the issue. The person who gave the statement died two months ago.

“Before he died, the person made a statutory declaration (SD) withdrawing the allegations because he felt that he had wrongly named me,” Saravanan claimed.


He also claimed that the person and his family had been threatened and coerced into making the statement.

Saravanan also noted that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had closed the case as "No Further Action" (NFA) in 2023, without even calling him up.

“I had resolved this (workers') issue honestly and efficiently, by setting up an online portal where companies could obtain workers directly through the internet without needing to pay bribes,” he said in a video message.

“If I had done something wrong, MACC could have conducted an investigation or taken my statement. They did nothing, and in 2023, I wasn't even a minister anymore.

“The case was dismissed in 2023.

“Now, they are bringing this case to court again," he said, adding that he had never met the person who made the SD.

“However, I have faith in the legal system of this country. I am prepared to face this charge,” Saravanan added.

Today, the MACC issued a media invitation saying a former minister would be charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Friday (Aug 28).

The minister is expected to face charges under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009 relating to the act of soliciting, receiving, giving, promising or offering a bribe.

 

Israel continues attacks on Syria, Lebanon despite US push for diplomacy

Israeli artillery attacks, air raids and incursions continue as questions grow over US commitment to pressuring Israel to end strikes.

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Smoke rises following an Israeli strike on the village of Bayt al-Sayyad, Lebanon [Kawnat Haju / AFP]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 27 Aug 202627 Aug 2026

Israeli forces have carried out artillery attacks and ground raids in southern Syria, while conducting air strikes and demolitions across southern Lebanon, despite diplomatic efforts to end the fighting.

In Syria, Israeli forces shelled a hilltop near the town of Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside late on Wednesday, according to witnesses. Syria’s Alikhbariah TV reported separately that soldiers had also raided and searched a house in the village of Taranja in the Quneitra countryside.

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Al Jazeera’s Amr al-Halabi, reporting from Damascus, said the shelling of the strategic Bat al-Warda hill near Beit Jinn comes amid repeated Israeli attacks on the town in recent months.

These include an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in the town on Saturday. A ground raid in the town last year killed at least 13 people, including children.

The latest strikes came days after Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani met Israeli intelligence officials in Jordan for talks mediated by the United States in what Damascus described as a bid to end the continued Israeli “attacks, arrests and targeting operations” inside Syria.

Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syria since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. It has also deployed troops into a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone that for decades had separated Israeli and Syrian forces in the occupied Golan Heights.

Tensions have further escalated after Israel’s military bombed a Syrian airbase near the Turkish border, claiming that Turkiye had been seeking to establish a military presence there. Both Damascus and Ankara deny the allegations.

Marwan Kabalan, an analyst at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, said he did not expect the Syria-Israel talks to yield a breakthrough.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kabalan said, was “trying to escalate in more than one place” ahead of the country’s general election in October “in the hope that this will translate into more votes, especially among right-wing and far-right circles”.

2:38

In Lebanon, Israeli forces launched air attacks on the town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district late on Wednesday, as well as on the town of Sarbine in the Bint Jbeil district earlier in the day, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Israeli artillery fire also hit Wadi Zibqin in the Tyre district, while air strikes hit the towns of Beit Lif and Yater, the NNA reported. Israeli forces also continued to demolish property across southern Lebanon, including in Hula in the Marjayoun district, while large explosions were heard from the towns of Bayt al-Sayyad, Baraachit and Majdal Zoun.

Israeli drones were also observed flying at low altitude over the capital, Beirut, including over its southern suburbs.

The strikes come despite a US-brokered framework agreement to end hostilities following an escalation in March, when Israel bombarded Lebanon in response to renewed attacks by Hezbollah. The armed group said its actions were a response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran, as well as to the near-daily Israeli violations of an earlier ceasefire.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health says the Israeli campaign has killed 4,350 people and wounded 12,310 since March 2.

The continued strikes have renewed debate in Beirut over the “framework” agreement Lebanon signed with Israel in June, which envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of armed groups, a reference to Hezbollah.

President Joseph Aoun defended the negotiating track on Wednesday, saying it remained the option that would spare Lebanon “the horrors of war”, despite what he called delays and obstacles.

Political analyst Khaldoun Al-Sharif told Al Jazeera that Lebanon had met its commitments under the first ceasefire agreement reached with Israel in 2024. That agreement ended hostilities triggered by Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

But Al-Sharif said Israel has continued strikes on Lebanon and demolitions of Lebanese homes without any consequences from the US.

“More than 10,000 violations, and they haven’t lifted a finger,” he said, adding that it was Washington’s responsibility, not Hezbollah’s, to press Israel to scale back.