Venezuela accuses US of kidnapping 18 migrant children
Rodriguez asserted that the children were unlawfully taken by the US government and confirmed ongoing discussions with the Trump administration for their repatriation. 'These children have committed no crime, nor have their parents, who now suffer the cruel punishment of separation,' he said.
Venezuela severed diplomatic ties with the US in 2019 but has continued accepting deportation flights. The latest accusation follows an April incident where Caracas claimed Washington abducted a toddler whose parents were deported separately—her mother to Venezuela and her father to a high-security prison in El Salvador.
The US Department of Homeland Security defended its actions, stating the child was placed in foster care due to alleged parental ties to Venezuela's Tren de Aragua crime gang. The toddler was later returned in May.
Additionally, Venezuela is advocating for over 200 migrants expelled from the US to El Salvador's CECOT prison, further straining bilateral relations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Anwar warns against exploiting deaths of Zara Qairina and other alleged bully victims for politics
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reminded Malaysians not to take advantage of the deaths of Zara Qairina Mahathir and Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman for political or personal interests. Speaking at the Prime Minister's Department monthly assembly, he said speculation and false information on social media following the incidents had unnecessarily heightened public unease. 'Social media, especially when emotions are high, can exacerbate the spread of misinformation. I have spoken in Parliament to caution against membina mahligai di pusara,' New Straits Times quoted him saying, using a Malay idiom for exploiting tragedies for gain. Anwar admitted that it is hard to control public sentiment on the social media. He cited a recent case where a person posing as a pathologist misled millions and stirred fear among families, friends, and colleagues. 'We must not exploit someone's death for political purposes or mislead the public,' he added. This comes after tens of thousands rallied nationwide over the weekend in a show of solidarity over the unsolved death of Zara Qairina. The death of 13-year-old, a SMKA Tun Mustapha student in Papar, Sabah, after an alleged bullying incident has sparked public outrage nationwide and renewed calls for safer schools. Zara Qairina was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17 after being found severely injured and unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4am on July 16. The inquest into her death begins at the Kota Kinabalu Coroner's Court in Sabah today. Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Faris Wan Abdul Rahman was found dead in the school toilet in Kok Lanas, Kelantan 12 years ago. Also under the spotlight was Syamsul Haris Shamsudin, a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia student who died during basic army training as a cadet in the Reserve Officers Training Unit (Palapes) in Ulu Tiram, Johor, on July 28.
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Refine Urban Renewal Act bill, experts tell govt
KUALA LUMPUR: With the proposed Urban Renewal Act set to be tabled in Parliament this month, experts have called for the government to refine the bill, cautioning that a one-size-fits-all approach risks undermining its effectiveness. They said the bill, which aims to revitalise deteriorated urban areas in the country, must ultimately strike a balance between the valid concerns of homeowners and the government's efforts to address urban decay. It aims to allow redevelopment, revitalisation and rejuvenation projects to proceed without the consent of all homeowners involved. First announced in 2023 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a draft of the bill was published by the Town and Country Planning Department (PLANMalaysia) on Feb 21 for public consultation through the Unified Public Consultation (UPC) website. According to the draft, renewal needs 80 per cent consent from homeowners for 30-year-old buildings, 75 per cent for those older than 30, and 51 per cent for abandoned or unsafe buildings. Currently, for strata titles, developers must acquire 100 per cent consent to terminate a strata scheme for redevelopment, as stipulated under the Strata Titles Act 1985. For landed titles, there are no such statute and consent that must be obtained from each individual landowner for their respective lot. The draft bill states that the government would ensure homeowners who have consented will receive an offer "no less favourable" than what they currently enjoy, appointing a mediation committee to reach an "amicable agreement" with them. Anwar said the government's move to introduce the urban renewal law was rooted in the need to provide better living conditions for Malaysians long trapped in dilapidated housing. He said the legal status of land involved in the urban renewal projects would remain unchanged, regardless of whether it was privately owned, under state authority, or located on Malay reserve land. CLEARER SAFEGUARDS NEEDED Henry Butcher Malaysia director and founding partner Lim Eng Chong said clearer safeguards, a transparent tender process and greater fairness to property owners were crucial. He said there should be a proper transparent tender process to receive proposals, review and awards. He raised concern over the clause allowing compulsory acquisition of land or buildings approved for renewal, which makes no clear mention of how fair compensation will be determined. "Yes, such mechanism can be found in the Land Acquisition Act itself, but I think it should be clearly spelt out here to ensure fairness to proprietors," he said. Lim also called the bill's thresholds of consent for affected properties "arbitrary", questioning the rationale behind them He said the engineer's recommendation mentioned in the draft bill, and as provided in the Street, Drainage and Building Act, to determine whether a property is derelict is key in preventing negligence or abuse of the bill and its role should be expanded. EMPLOY TARGETED APPROACH Universiti Kebang-saan Malaysia (UKM) provost Professor Emeritus Dr Barjoyai Bardai said the bill should include exem-ptions and nuanced guidelines to account for structural condition of properties or their historical value. "We need to have specific criteria for certain types of land or property, because the same standards can't be applied broadly as is currently being proposed," he said. Barjoyai noted that some flats over 30 years old, while still structurally sound, lacked modern amenities such as lifts, yet offered no incentive for private developers to invest in upgrades. "This might be where the government could instead focus on improvements and rejuvenation for these areas." He acknowledged that the concept of the proposed legislation mirrored Singapore's urban redevelopment model, where apartments are typically rebuilt every 25 to 30 years and owners are offered replacement homes in the same location. "So the question is: has the time come for Malaysia to follow what Singapore has done?" He added that although Malaysia did have older apartments, their concentration was only high in a handful of urban areas in the country, such as the Klang Valley. He urged policymakers to consider a more targeted approach. "Whether it's low-density or high-density housing, if there's a historical factor or the buildings are still in good condition, there could still be room for improvement rather than demolition." Centre for Market Education research fellow Dr Consilz Tan said the bill must ultimately strike a balance between the valid concerns of homeowners and the government's efforts to address urban decay. "Each urban renewal project must consist of members from the community and conduct needs-based analysis when redeveloping the area," she added, urging for clarity in the proposed legislation. At the same time, she believes the bill is able to address the issue of urban decay and infrastructure upgrades where we will be able to prevent urban slums and enhance the living standards. Tan said the Urban Renewal Bill provides a legal framework for revitalising these areas, ensuring modernised public utilities, better transport networks, and to improve safety measures. On Aug 8, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said he planned to table the the bill this month. In April, he said the bill was in its final stage, with the final draft submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers for final vetting. He said the ministry had undertaken extensive consultations during the drafting process, describing it as one of the most thorough exercises ever conducted for a piece of legislation. In March, National House Buyers Association said any law that enabled developers to enforce the will of a majority of homeowners to deprive a minority of their property without adequate compensation would contravene Article 13 of the Federal Constitution. In May, the Malaysian Institute of Planners called on the government to provide clearer include clearly defined mechanisms for resolving disputes among property owners.
Malaysiakini
a day ago
- Malaysiakini
Baseless suit against PM
LETTER | We register our strongest objection to the legal action initiated by P Waythamoorthy seeking to disqualify Anwar Ibrahim as Tambun MP and as the prime minister. This reckless litigation is not only legally untenable but also a gross abuse of judicial process. It undermines the Federal Constitution, the royal prerogative of pardon, and the democratic mandate of the people. 1. Royal pardon is final and binding Anwar received a full and unconditional royal pardon in 2018. Constitutionally, such a pardon has the effect of erasing all legal disqualifications. By challenging this, the plaintiff has shown blatant disrespect to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's prerogative powers under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution. 2. No AG's consent This suit purports to question matters of public right without obtaining the fiat (consent) of the attorney-general. Filing such an action without the AG's sanction is procedurally defective and could expose the plaintiff to penal consequences for frivolous and vexatious litigation. 3. Time-barred and incompetent Any challenge to the validity of an MP's election must be filed within 21 days under Article 118 of the Federal Constitution and Section 38 of the Election Offences Act 1954. Waytha's filing, more than two years after the Tambun election, is barred by law and amounts to a deliberate abuse of court process. 4. Lack of locus standi The plaintiff has no standing to maintain this suit. He is neither a voter of Tambun nor a person directly affected. Malaysian jurisprudence, particularly Government of Malaysia v Lim Kit Siang [1988] 2 MLJ 12, makes it clear that public interest litigation without locus standi or AG's fiat is not permitted. 5. Penal consequences for misuse of process Waytha's conduct may warrant sanctions under the law: Order 18 Rule 19 of the Rules of Court 2012 – permits striking out of actions that are scandalous, frivolous, or vexatious, with costs on an indemnity basis. Section 35, Legal Profession Act 1976 – as a lawyer, knowingly filing a baseless action could amount to professional misconduct. Contempt of court – Persisting in actions that scandalise the royal prerogative of pardon or abuse judicial process may amount to contempt, which carries imprisonment or fines. Penal Code, Section 177 – knowingly furnishing false information to a public servant in judicial proceedings may attract criminal liability. Such punitive measures exist to protect the dignity of the courts and to deter individuals from weaponising the judiciary for political theatrics. 6. Insult to democracy and monarchy This suit disrespects the will of the electorate in Tambun, the authority of Parliament, and the solemn decision of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in appointing the prime minister. To misuse the courts in this manner is not only irresponsible but borders on an attempt to destabilise the constitutional order. This legal charade must be struck down swiftly. The courts should not only dismiss the action but also consider penal sanctions to send a clear message that our judiciary cannot be misused for baseless political stunts. The Federal Constitution is supreme, not a means for personal ambition nor legal mischief. SELVAM SHANMUGAM is an advocate and solicitor at the High Court of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
