Xi Jinping tells Blinken US and China must be ‘partners, not rivals’

BEIJING (Reuters): Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 26 told the United States’ top diplomat Antony Blinken that the world’s two biggest economies should be “partners, not rivals”, adding that there were a “number of issues” to be resolved in their relations. “The two countries should be partners, not rivals,” Xi said, according to state broadcaster...

Zoo, forced to close over animal cruelty, reborn as rehab centre

Before it was forced to close over its “intolerable” treatment of animals, the Islamabad Zoo was home to neglected elephants and underfed lions pacing back and forth behind the bars of their enclosures. Now, four years later, it is a rehabilitation centre for Pakistani wildlife, providing a refuge for motherless leopard cubs, tigers seized from owners...

Man nabbed for posing as Singapore Airlines pilot at Delhi airport

NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Police in India arrested a man at the New Delhi international airport on April 25 for impersonating a Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilot, after he was found walking around the airport dressed in full pilot gear. In a fashion not dissimilar to the semi-fictional Hollywood film Catch Me If You Can starring...

New York returns 30 pillaged relics to Cambodia and Indonesia

PHNOM PENH/NEW YORK (AFP): New York prosecutors said Friday they had returned to Cambodia and Indonesia 30 antiquities that were looted, sold or illegally transferred by networks of American dealers and traffickers. The antiquities were valued at a total of US$3 million, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. Bragg said in a statement that he had returned...

Kedah welfare home in viral elderly abuse videos not registered, says Nancy

KUCHING: The welfare home in Taman Desa Aman, Padang Serai, Kedah, seen in viral videos of an old man being beaten by a woman believed to be an employee at the centre, is not registered with the Social Welfare Department (JKM), says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said this was...

Thaksin-linked Thai TV broadcaster to shut down after 15 years

BANGKOK (Bloomberg): Voice TV, a Thai media company owned by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family, said it will cease operations next month and lay off about 200 employees including journalists. Voice TV is known for its television channel with programs reaching about 22 million households nationwide through digital terrestrial, satellite, and cable TV, according to...

Man arrested, yaba pills worth over RM12,000 seized

KOTA BARU: Police have arrested a man and seized 823 yaba pills, estimated to be worth RM12,345 in Kampung Taman Wira, Kampung Kedap, Rantau Panjang. Pasir Mas district police chief Kama Azural Mohamed said the man was detained during a midnight raid on a wooden shed in the village. "The police also seized a car and a...

Education institutions founded by MCA to collaborate with more Chinese universities

PETALING JAYA: Education institutions founded by MCA will begin new collaborations with more Chinese universities following a bilateral dialogue with the Chinese Education Minister last night (April 26), says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. The MCA president said UTAR and Xidian University will jointly establish the China-Malaysia Institute of Science and Technology Innovation (CM-ISTI) while...

Over 200 illegals nabbed in Johor raids

JOHOR BARU: A total of 206 foreign individuals were arrested by the Immigration Department for allegedly violating the terms of their pass. Johor Immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said the arrest was made during a raid dubbed ‘Ops Mahir’ at a construction site in Pasir Gudang at 10.20am on Friday (April 26). “The operation was conducted based on...

Malaysia looking into legal roadmap to improve child protection, says Azalina

KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia is looking into coming up with a roadmap to improve laws pertaining to child protection, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) said an international symposium, gathering experts on child protection from all around the world, will be held in Kuala Lumpur next...