Latest News from Malay Mail
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Webb telescope stares deeper into space than ever, revealing warped light from galaxies born near the dawn of time
PARIS, May 28 — The James Webb space telescope's deepest view of a single target yet depicts spinning arcs of light that are galaxies from the universe's distant past, the European Space Agency said Tuesday. The new image took the world's most powerful telescope more than 120 hours to capture, making it the longest Webb has ever focused on a single target. It is also 'Webb's deepest gaze on a single target to date', the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a statement, making the image one of the deepest ever captured of the cosmos. At the bright centre of the image is a massive cluster of galaxies called Abell S1063, which is 4.5 billion light years from Earth. But it is not the true target. Such huge celestial objects can bend the light of things behind them, creating a kind of magnifying glass called a gravitational lens. Therefore the 'warped arcs' spinning around the Abell S1063 are what really interest scientists, the ESA said in a statement. Because looking into distant space also means looking back in time, scientists hope to learn how the first galaxies formed during a period known as the Cosmic Dawn, when the universe was only a few million years old. The image includes nine separate shots of different near-infrared wavelengths of light, the ESA said. Since coming online in 2022, the Webb telescope has ushered in a new era of scientific breakthroughs. It has also revealed that galaxies in the early universe are far bigger than scientists expected, leading some to suspect there might be something wrong with our understanding of the cosmos. — AFP
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Power over progress? Critics say ageing Democrats hurting party's future
WASHINGTON, May 28 — As a damning expose on Joe Biden's cognitive decline scandalises Washington, Democrats in Congress are facing their own reckoning over a seniority system that critics say is holding back younger talent. Six Democratic lawmakers have died in a little over a year — dispiriting bereaved colleagues but also leaving the rank-and-file critically under-resourced when it comes to opposing President Donald Trump. House Republicans passed Trump's sprawling tax relief and spending cuts by a solitary vote last week, approving a package that Democrats say will deprive more than eight million Americans of health care. Democrats did not have the numbers to cause problems for the bill because of three empty seats on their side — all recently vacated by lawmakers in their 70s who had died after battling cancer. 'Imagine if one of the older and sicker Dems would've retired instead of died in office and what that would've meant for millions of people,' political consultant Rebecca Katz posted on X. The complicated math means that even a full Democratic contingent would likely only have been able to delay rather than torpedo the bill. But it is being seen as a lost opportunity that has laid bare the party's problems with ageing members clinging to office despite ailing health — in a party desperate for new blood. One of the vacancies was the Virginia seat formerly held by Gerry Connolly, 75, who had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and died just a day earlier. Oldest president Democrats had just picked Connolly to be their leader on the powerful oversight committee, choosing his experience over the energy and social media savvy of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, 40 years his junior. 'By elevating someone who was more of a standard politician, they sort of lost out on getting into the culture,' left-leaning political commentator Molly Jong-Fast told MSNBC. 'And ultimately that was, I think, a miss for Democrats.' Age is a touchy subject among Democrats, with 82-year-old Biden's inner circle denying accusations in a new book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson of covering up his glaring infirmity. In the Senate the party is led by 74-year-old Chuck Schumer and in the House former speaker Nancy Pelosi, 85, still holds enormous sway two years after giving up the gavel. Democrats do not have a monopoly on ageing issues. Mitch McConnell, 83, was clearly ailing when he stepped down after 18 years as Republican leader in the Senate in January and Trump, 78, is set to become the oldest US president in history. But the so-called 'gerontocracy' has been more harmful to Washington's minority party, frustrating the agenda of Democratic White Houses and allowing Republicans in Congress to absorb more defections. At the heart of the problem is the Democrats' long-honoured seniority system, which prioritizes lawmakers based on experience when allocating plum committee assignments, leadership posts and office space. 'Contemptible little twerp' As a result, top Democrats on more than half of the House committees are aged 70 or over. The mean age of these 20 party grandees is 69, compared with a more youthful 62 for Republicans. And the problem is not confined to Congress. Mourning gave way to frustration over liberal Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who clung on until her death in 2020 at age 87 instead of retiring with Barack Obama in office, allowing Trump to fill the vacancy. There have been baby steps to address the gerontocracy but progress has been halting. Gun safety campaigner David Hogg, 25, was elected as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee in February and promptly called for primary challenges to 'out-of-touch, ineffective Democrats.' This did not go down well among the party's old guard, with 80-year-old strategist James Carville calling Hogg a 'contemptible little twerp.' But the revelations about Biden's deteriorating health, including a newly announced prostate cancer diagnosis, are an illustration for activists and analysts that the party needs to change course. 'If you are saying that democracy is on the ballot, if you are saying this the most important election of our lifetime, which they did say to the base, then the base expects you to act like it,' Jong-Fast added. 'They expect you to elevate the people who can speak better than the people who are your friends... And I think this is a sea change for the Democratic Party.' — AFP
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Sun, sand and suspects: How Spain seduces fugitive criminals
MADRID, May 28 — With its sun-drenched beaches and vibrant nightlife, Spain has long been a top destination — not just for tourists, but also for criminals looking to vanish. From drug traffickers to sex offenders and cybercriminals, fugitives from around the globe flock to Spain's coastal havens. That gamble rarely pays off: police stress that their chances of evading justice are slim. 'We're arresting new people every day,' said Fernando Gonzalez, the head of an elite Spanish police unit set up in 2004 to hunt down criminals on the run. 'Spain remains a very attractive place for traffickers,' he added. Last year, his unit arrested 460 fugitives — mostly foreigners — across Spain, up from 390 in 2023. The pace has not slowed this year. Recent high-profile arrests underscore the European country's ongoing appeal to fugitives. In October 2024, police in Barcelona arrested Serbian national Nikola Vusovic, a suspected leader of a major crime gang from Montenegro, the Kavac clan. At the start of this year, officers arrested the leader of a brutal Peruvian mafia group, Omar Luis Castaneda, near the Mediterranean city of Alicante over his suspected involvement in 16 murders in the Latin American country. And in February, police in southern Spain arrested one of the gunmen who in 2024 ambushed a prison van in France to free a drug lord, Mohamed Amra, killing two prison guards. The fugitive was living in a luxury villa at the time. 'We deal with a wide range of profiles,' from major criminals to petty offenders, as well as a wide range of nationalities, Gonzalez said as he scanned the latest list of arrests, which included Moroccans, French nationals and a growing number of Latin Americans. 'Blend in' Spain's role as a haven for those trying to evade justice is 'historic', a French investigator told AFP on condition of anonymity. 'It's not just a hideout for fugitives... it's also home to career criminals who operate between Morocco, Spain and France.' Spain is home to a large number of expatriates and is the world's second-most-visited country, having welcomed a record 94 million foreign tourists last year, which makes it easier for fugitives to go unnoticed. With its sun-drenched beaches and vibrant nightlife, Spain has long been a top destination — not just for tourists, but also for criminals looking to vanish. — AFP pic 'It's a place with a high quality of life. It's easy to rent quiet villas with swimming pools. People blend in,' the French investigator said. Criminal defence lawyer and former extradition judge Carlos Bautista said Spain's location 'at the crossroads' of Europe, the Americas and Africa makes it a natural hiding spot for runaway criminals. Gonzalez said fugitives can often easily find 'contacts who can help' them among the large community of foreigners who live in Spain. He cited as an example the case of a German woman who was arrested in the Balearic Islands where she had lived for years without speaking Spanish. 'Cat-and-mouse game' - Most fugitives are found along Spain's Mediterranean coast where expat communities are concentrated. Malaga and Marbella on the Costa del Sol, which has long been a popular destination for British expats and tourists, are top picks for criminals on the run, said Bautista. Laying low on the coast does not guarantee safety — these are regions with some of the highest arrest rates. Members of Spanish Guardia Civil, supported by Europol, arrest a man during an operation against drug trafficking in Mijas, near Malaga June 12, 2024. — AFP pic 'It's a cat-and-mouse game. But we usually find them. It just takes patience,' said Gonzalez. Police credit wiretaps, monitoring social media and, above all, close international cooperation for their success. Through ENFAST, a network of police officers from across Europe who work together to locate internationally wanted criminals, Spain has become a leader in cross-border arrests. 'Spain is extremely active in extraditions. Sooner or later, fugitives get caught,' said Bautista. The walls of Gonzalez's elite police unit are lined with mugshots and mementos from years of operations. 'There may be fugitives living quietly among us. But that doesn't mean they will escape forever,' he said. — AFP
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘This is our land': Indonesia's last forest tribe fights for survival as EV nickel rush devours their home
LELILEF SAWAI, May 28 — Sitting deep in east Indonesia's lush jungle, Bokum, one of the country's last isolated hunter-gatherers, has a simple message for the nickel miners threatening his home: 'This is our land.' He belongs to the Hongana Manyawa Indigenous tribe, which includes around 3,000 'contacted' members like him, and another 500 who reject contact with the modern world. Their home on Halmahera Island was once a breathtaking kaleidoscope of nature that provided sanctuary and sustenance. But it is being eaten away by the world's largest nickel mine, as Indonesia exploits vast reserves of the metal used in everything from electric vehicles to stainless steel. 'I'm worried if they keep destroying the forest,' Bokum told AFP in a clearing in central Halmahera. 'We have no idea how to survive without our home and food.' The plight of the Hongana Manyawa, or 'People of the Forest', started gaining attention in Indonesia last year after a video widely shared on Facebook showed emaciated, uncontacted members emerging from their rapidly changing forest home to beg for food. But the remote region — about 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometres) from capital Jakarta — mostly remains far from the public consciousness. AFP travelled into the Halmahera jungle to see how the sprawling Weda Bay Nickel concession has affected the once-pristine tribal lands that the Hongana Manyawa call home. During a three-day, 36-kilometre (22-mile) trek across parts of the 45,000-hectare concession, the mining operation's impacts were starkly clear. Booms from controlled explosions to expose nickel shook birds from trees, while helicopters buzzing overhead shared the skies with green parrots, Moluccan owls, hornbills and giant bees. Tree stumps provided evidence of logging, and off-duty mine guards were seen hunting tropical birds with air guns. Throughout the night, the sound of excavators scratching the topsoil penetrated the thick vegetation, competing with frog calls and the drone of insects. Mud that locals say is stirred up by mining has stained rivers copper, and the water leaves skin irritated. Ngigoro, 62, an elder of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe who left the forest and now lives in a village with his mother. — AFP pic In 22 river crossings, only a few fish were visible. Tribe members say they have mostly disappeared. AFP did not seek to meet uncontacted Hongana Manyawa. Bokum emerged from isolation earlier in his life, but still has very limited contact with the outside world. He and his wife Nawate agreed to meet AFP around 45 minutes from his home deeper in the jungle. But he could not stay long: en route, he spotted miners and wanted to return to ward them off. 'The company workers have been trying to map our territory,' he told AFP, wearing a black cowboy hat, shirt and rolled-up jeans. 'It's our home and we will not give it to them.' 'Prevent their annihilation' Indonesia's constitution enshrines Indigenous land rights, and a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling promised to give local communities greater control of their customary forests. But environmental groups say the law is not well enforced. With no land titles, the Hongana Manyawa have little chance of asserting their claims to stewardship of forest that overlaps with Weda Bay's concession. According to Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), its mine on Indonesia's Maluku islands accounted for 17 percent of global nickel production in 2023, making it the largest in the world. WBN is a joint venture of Indonesia's Antam and Singapore-based Strand Minerals, with shares divided between French mining giant Eramet and Chinese steel major Tsingshan. WBN told AFP it is 'committed to responsible mining and protecting the environment', and trains employees to 'respect local customs and traditions'. It said there is 'no evidence that uncontacted or isolated groups are being impacted by WBN's operations'. This photo taken on April 13, 2025 shows smoke rising from Weda Bay Industrial Park (WBIP), a major nickel processing and smelting hub, forming a manmade cloud in Central Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Eramet told AFP it has requested permission from WBN's majority shareholders for an independent review of 'engagement protocols' with Hongana Manyawa, expected this year. Further review of how the tribe uses the area's forests and rivers is also underway, it added, though it said there was currently 'no evidence' of members living in isolation in its concession. The Indonesian government, which acknowledges most of the concession was previously protected forest, told AFP otherwise. There is 'recognition of evidence of the existence of isolated tribes around Weda Bay', said the directorate general of coal and minerals at Indonesia's energy ministry. It said it was committed to 'protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring that mining activities do not damage their lives and environment'. Indigenous rights NGO Survival International said that was Jakarta's first acknowledgement of uncontacted, or 'isolated', Hongana Manyawa in the area. It called the admission a 'hammer blow' to Eramet's claims and said a no-go area to protect the tribe was 'the only way to prevent their annihilation'. Both WBN and Eramet said they work to minimise impact on the environment. Eramet's new CEO will be in Indonesia this week, seeking permission to expand the mine's capacity. Tsingshan and Antam did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Bokum said mining has driven away the wild pigs, deer and fish he once caught for food. Now, he looks for shrimp and frogs in less-affected smaller streams. 'Since the company destroyed our home, our forest, we've been struggling to hunt, to find clean water,' he said in the Indigenous Tobelo language. 'If they keep destroying our forest we cannot drink clean water again.' 'Go away' Nickel is central to Indonesia's growth strategy. It banned ore exports in 2020 to capture more of the value chain. The country is both the world's largest producer, and home to the biggest-known reserves. This aerial photo taken on April 16, 2025 shows a general view of a nickel mining site and the edge of the forest where Bokum, a member of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, regularly patrols to monitor mining activity in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Mining — dominated by coal and nickel — represented nearly nine per cent of its GDP in the first quarter of 2025, government data shows. Nickel mined in the Halmahera concession is processed at the Weda Bay Industrial Park. Since operations began in 2019, the area has transformed rapidly, into what some call a 'Wild West'. At a checkpoint near the industrial park, men stopped AFP to demand cash and forced their vehicle to move elsewhere, before a local government official intervened. The towns on the mine edge — Lelilef Sawai, Gemaf and Sagea — form a chaotic frontier. Employees in hard hats crisscross muddy roads that back up with rush-hour traffic. Shops catering to labourers line the roadside, along with prostitutes looking for business in front of bed bug-infested hostels. The mining workforce has more than doubled since 2020 to nearly 30,000 people. Locals say these are mostly outsiders whose arrival has sparked tensions and coincided with rising cases of respiratory illness and HIV/AIDS. Smelter towers belch a manmade cloud visible from kilometres away. 'Mining companies have not implemented good practices, have violated human rights and there is rarely any evaluation,' said Adlun Fiqri, spokesman for the Save Sagea campaign group. Inside the jungle, a similar story is playing out, said Hongana Manyawa member Ngigoro, who emerged from the uncontacted as a child. 'Long before the mining, it was really quiet and good to live in the forest,' said the 62-year-old, as he marked his route by slicing pock-marks into trees with his machete. He remains at ease in the forest, using reeds for shade and bamboo shoots to boil water. 'There was no destruction. They were not afraid of anything,' he said. He climbed nimbly down a steep slope by clinging to tree roots before crossing a riverbed peppered with garnierite — green nickel ore. 'This land belongs to the Hongana Manyawa,' he said. 'They existed living in the rainforest before even the state existed. So go away.' That sentiment echoes elsewhere on Halmahera. At least 11 Indigenous people were recently arrested for protesting mining activity in the island's east, Amnesty International said Monday. 'We will not give our consent' Despite their 'contacted' status, Bokum and Nawate have rarely met outsiders. They approached haltingly, with Nawate refusing to speak at all, instead surveying her visitors with a cautious smile. Bokum described moving at least six times to outrun encroaching miners. Bokum and his wife Nawate, members of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, walking through their cassava field in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic NGOs fear the mine operation risks wiping out the tribe. 'They rely entirely on what nature provides for them to survive and as their rainforest is being devastated so too are they,' said Callum Russell, Asia research and advocacy officer at Survival International. 'Any contact with workers in the forest runs the risk of exposing them to deadly diseases to which they have little to no immunity.' The government told AFP it has 'conducted documentation' to understand isolated tribes near Weda Bay, and involved them 'in the decision-making process'. Activists say this is impossible given most of the group do not use modern technology and limit contact with outsiders. Amid growing scrutiny, there have been rumblings of support for the tribe, including from some senior politicians. Tesla, which has signed deals to invest in Indonesian nickel, has mooted no-go zones to protect Indigenous peoples. And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising 'uncontacted tribes' in its supply chain. For Bokum however, the problem is already on his doorstep. A 2.5-kilometre-long (1.5 miles) open pit lies just over the hill from a plot where he grows pineapple and cassava. Bokum and Nawate received mobile phones from mine workers—in an unsuccessful attempt to convince them to approve mining operations. They and other tribe members use numerical codes to identify contacts and make calls. They must approach the concession to pick up signal, but when mine workers near his home, Bokum wields his machete to scare them off. 'This is our land. Our home,' he said. 'We will not give our consent to destroy it.' — AFP
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Vinfast showcases the VF 6 right-hand drive for the first time at IIMS Surabaya 2025
The right-hand drive VinFast VF 6 showcased for the first time at IIMS Surabaya 2025, priced from just 396,995,000 IDR. VinFast announces limited-time offers for VF 6 buyers and other EV models at the event. SURABAYA, INDONESIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 May 2025 - VinFast has announced its participation in the Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) Surabaya 2025, where it will feature the largest booth at the event. Significantly, the VF 6 B-segment SUV will be showcased for the first time in Indonesia, expanding VinFast's diverse product portfolio to better serve the country's varied mobility needs. This move marks an important milestone in VinFast's expansion strategy, underscoring its commitment to establishing a strong presence in the Indonesian the exhibition, VinFast will showcase its complete range of electric vehicle models currently available in the market, spanning the most popular segments: VF 3, VF 5, VF 6, and VF the heart of the display is the VF 6, a B-segment electric SUV officially opened for sales in early May 2025. The VF 6 has a modern, tech-savvy design that is well-suited for a wide range of mobility needs, especially in urban environment. This will be the first public showcase of the VF 6 right-hand drive version, offering visitors a firsthand and engaging VF 6 is available in two trims – Eco and Plus – with starting prices of 396,995,000 IDR and 451,600,000 IDR respectively (OTR East Java), offering flexible options that cater to the diverse needs and budgets of Indonesian continues to apply attractive sales policies for the VF 6, including free charging at VinFast stations (operated by V-GREEN) through March 1, 2028, and an accessory gift package valued at 13,345,000 IIMS Surabaya, VinFast is introducing additional limited benefits for VF 6 customers. These include cashback of up to 15,000,000 IDR, along with one year of complimentary comprehensive risk insurance provided by Tugu Insurance for all cash purchases made before June 30, collaboration with its trusted financial partner Adira Finance, VinFast is also offering flexible financing solutions across its entire vehicle lineup at IIMS Surabaya. Customers can drive home a VinFast car with an initial payment starting from just 28,020,000 IDR, monthly installments from 3,921,000 IDR, or opt for a 0% interest financing to the VinFast booth will have the opportunity to participate in a lucky draw for a chance to win special prizes, including a brand-new VF addition to special sales programs during the launch phase and at the event, VinFast continues to apply an attractive vehicle exchange and buy-back policy, offering up to 90% of the vehicle's value after 6 months and 70% after 3 years for all VinFast models in Indonesia. This policy provides customers with greater peace of mind when choosing a VinFast EV and the flexibility to upgrade their vehicle based on evolving the event, customers can also explore VinFast's comprehensive green mobility ecosystem, including home and public charging solutions, a smart vehicle management app, and exceptional after-sales Kariyanto Hardjosoemarto, CEO of VinFast Indonesia, shared:Surabaya, alongside Jakarta, is one of Indonesia's major economic hubs, with a large population and rising transportation demand. VinFast's presence at IIMS Surabaya is part of its broader strategy to expand its distribution and service network nationwide, bringing its electric vehicles closer to customers across the country. The company has already established 20 authorized service centers, 25 third-party workshop and 22 dealerships in Indonesia, including 7 locations in East expanding its product lineup, VinFast is steadily developing a comprehensive support ecosystem. In Indonesia, VinFast owners can already enjoy free charging at V-GREEN-operated stations nationwide, to enhance convenience and accessibility. Customers also benefit from industry-leading warranty and aftersales policies, demonstrating VinFast's long-term commitment to the Indonesian #vinfast The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About VinFast VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam's largest conglomerates, is a pure-play electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer with the mission of making EVs accessible to everyone. VinFast's product lineup today includes a wide range of electric SUVs, e-scooters, and e-buses. VinFast is currently embarking on its next growth phase through rapid expansion of its distribution and dealership network globally and increasing its manufacturing capacities with a focus on key markets across North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more at:
