[Meg O’Neill] 00:08 Hello and welcome to the Berkeley Technology Law Journal podcast. My name is Meg O’Neill and I am one of the editors of the podcast. Today we are excited to share with you a conversation between Berkeley Law LLM student Franco Dellafiori, and Professor Bertrall Ross. Professor ...

The post Berkeley Technology Law Journal Podcast: Will ChatGPT Tell Me How to Vote? Democracy & AI with Professor Bertrall Ross appeared first on Berkeley Technology Law Journal.

COVID-19 created a surge in e-commerce usage, leading to fierce channel competition between the manufacturer's online sales and the offline retailer. Hence, the imperative need for effective and innovative optimisation strategies to mitigate channel competition. Manufacturer-coupons are widely practiced in market, yet research on the importance they play in coordinating channel competition to achieve optimisation in channel distributions is scarce. This research addresses this gap by examining the effectiveness of manufacturer-coupons on the coordination of the manufacturer's online sales and offline retailer's sales. The findings indicate that issuing a manufacturer-coupon to the customers who buy from the offline retailer reduces the competition in the different channel distributions, but cost sharing of the retailer coupon is a better strategy. We thus examine if profit sharing is an effective strategy to facilitate the use of manufacturer-coupon in the market. After comparing different scenarios, we conclude that advanced profit-sharing can be effective in making manufacturer-coupon prevalent in the market and thus alleviate channel competition effectively.

This paper studies a dual-channel supply chain consisting of one risk-averse manufacturer and one risk-averse retailer with stochastic demand. Herein, the manufacturer provides value-added services to enhance channel demand. First, the optimal pricing and service decisions of the channel members are investigated under different settings, i.e., the cooperative game, Bertrand game, and manufacturer Stackelberg (MS) game models. Second, the effects of channel members' risk aversion on optimal channel prices and expected utilities are analysed under the assumption that the manufacturer service is a decision variable and an exogenous variable, respectively. Third, sensitivity analysis and numerical simulation are performed to verify our propositions consistently and seek more managerial implications. The findings suggest that the manufacturer's value-added services in their direct channel will improve the direct price while decreasing the retail price. Consumers' channel loyalty degree has a great influence on the optimal price decisions and the performance of the channel members. The direct price increases while the retail price decreases in the manufacturer's value-added services. The retailer's risk aversion has a greater influence on price decisions than that of the manufacturer.

Nan WU,Xiaocong LAI,Mei CHEN,Ying PAN, Vol.E107-D, No.11, pp.1433-1443
With the development of the Semantic Web, an increasing number of researchers are utilizing ontology technology to construct domain ontology. Since there is no unified construction standard, ontology heterogeneity occurs. The ontology matching method can fuse heterogeneous ontologies, which realizes the interoperability between knowledge and associates to more relevant semantic information. In the case of differences between ontologies, how to reduce false matching and unsuccessful matching is a critical problem to be solved. Moreover, as the number of ontologies increases, the semantic relationship between ontologies becomes increasingly complex. Nevertheless, the current methods that solely find the similarity of names between concepts are no longer sufficient. Consequently, this paper proposes an ontology matching method based on semantic association. Accurate matching pairs are discovered by existing semantic knowledge, and then the potential semantic associations between concepts are mined according to the characteristics of the contextual structure. The matching method can better carry out matching work based on reliable knowledge. In addition, this paper introduces a probabilistic logic repair method, which can detect and repair the conflict of matching results, to enhance the availability and reliability of matching results. The experimental results show that the proposed method effectively improves the quality of matching between ontologies and saves time on repairing incorrect matching pairs. Besides, compared with the existing ontology matching systems, the proposed method has better stability.
Publication Date: 2024/11/01

Zhigang WU,Yaohui ZHU, Vol.E107-D, No.11, pp.1385-1395
This article focuses on improving the BiSeNet v2 bilateral branch image segmentation network structure, enhancing its learning ability for spatial details and overall image segmentation accuracy. A modified network called “BiconvNet” is proposed. Firstly, to extract shallow spatial details more effectively, a parallel concatenated strip and dilated (PCSD) convolution module is proposed and used to extract local features and surrounding contextual features in the detail branch. Continuing on, the semantic branch is reconstructed using the lightweight capability of depth separable convolution and high performance of ConvNet, in order to enable more efficient learning of deep advanced semantic features. Finally, fine-tuning is performed on the bilateral guidance aggregation layer of BiSeNet v2, enabling better fusion of the feature maps output by the detail branch and semantic branch. The experimental part discusses the contribution of stripe convolution and different sizes of empty convolution to image segmentation accuracy, and compares them with common convolutions such as Conv2d convolution, CG convolution and CCA convolution. The experiment proves that the PCSD convolution module proposed in this paper has the highest segmentation accuracy in all categories of the Cityscapes dataset compared with common convolutions. BiConvNet achieved a 9.39% accuracy improvement over the BiSeNet v2 network, with only a slight increase of 1.18M in model parameters. A mIoU accuracy of 68.75% was achieved on the validation set. Furthermore, through comparative experiments with commonly used autonomous driving image segmentation algorithms in recent years, BiConvNet demonstrates strong competitive advantages in segmentation accuracy on the Cityscapes and BDD100K datasets.
Publication Date: 2024/11/01

A new paper describing a system integrating a GDPR Ontology with blockchain to support checking data operations for compliance.

The post paper: Automating GDPR Compliance using Policy Integrated Blockchain appeared first on UMBC ebiquity.

VAST vs. VPAID Wondering whether to use a Video Player Ad Interface Definition (VPAID) or Video Ad Serving Template (VAST) for your next video ad campaign? The answer lies in their distinct features: VPAID offers interactive ad experiences and granular insights into user data, whereas VAST is all about compatibility and efficient ad [...]

AI in Programmatic Advertising AI in programmatic advertising automates and optimizes ad buying using advanced technology. This article explains how AI improves targeting, reduces costs, and boosts efficiency. You’ll learn about current trends, benefits, and real-world examples. Dive in to see how AI can transform your advertising strategies. Key Takeaways AI significantly enhances [...]

Programmatic Ad Mediation Explained Programmatic ad mediation allows publishers to manage multiple ad networks from a single platform, maximizing revenue and efficiency. This article explores how it works, its benefits, and tips for selecting the right platform. Key Takeaways Programmatic ad mediation streamlines the management of multiple ad networks through a unified platform, [...]

Do firms learn from their failed innovation attempts? Answering this question is important because failure is an integral part of exploratory learning. In this study, we explore whether and under what circumstances firms learn from their small failures in experimentation. Building on organizational learning literature, we examine the conditions under which prior failures influence firms' R&D output amount and quality. An empirical analysis of voluntary patent expirations (i.e., patents that firms give up by not paying renewal fees) in 97 pharmaceutical firms between 1980 and 2002 shows that the number, importance, and timing of small failures are associated with a decrease in R&D output (patent count) but an increase in the quality of the R&D output (forward citations to patents). Exploratory interviews suggest that the results are driven by a multi-level learning process from failures in pharmaceutical R&D. The findings contribute to the organizational learning literature by providing a nuanced view of learning from failures in experimentation.

Theories of status rarely address unearned status gain—an unexpected and unsolicited increase in relative standing, prestige or worth, attained not through individual effort or achievement, but from a shift in organizationally valued characteristics. We build theory about unearned status gain drawing from a qualitative study of 90 U.S.-based employees of a Japanese organization following a company-wide English language mandate. These native English-speaking employees believed that the mandate elevated their worth in the organization, a status gain they attributed to chance, hence deeming it unearned. They also reported a heightened sense of belonging, optimism about career advancement, and access to expanded networks. Yet among those who interacted regularly with Japanese counterparts, narratives also revealed discomfort, which manifested in at least two ways. These informants engaged in "status rationalization," emphasizing the benefits Japanese employees might obtain by learning English, and prevaricated on whether the change was temporary or durable, a process we call "status stability appraisal." The fact that these narratives were present only among those working closely with Japanese employees highlights intergroup contact as a factor in shaping the unearned status gain experience. Supplemental analysis of data gathered from 66 Japanese employees provided the broader organizational context and the nonnative speakers' perspective of the language shift. These findings expand our overall understanding of status dynamics in organizations, and show how status gains can yield both positive and negative outcomes.

Drawing on expectancy violation theory, we explore the effects of anticipatory impression management in the context of acquisitions. We introduce impression offsetting, an anticipatory impression management technique organizational leaders employ when they expect a focal event will negatively violate the expectations of external stakeholders. Accordingly, in these situations, organizational leaders will announce the focal event contemporaneously with positive, but unrelated information. We predict impression offsetting will generally occur in the context of acquisitions, but also more frequently for specific acquiring firms and acquisitions that are more likely to lead to an expectancy violation. We also posit that offsetting will effectively inhibit observers' perceptions of events as negative expectancy violations by positively influencing shareholder reactions to acquisition announcements. Consistent with our hypotheses, in a sample of publicly traded acquisition targets, we find evidence for impression offsetting, in which characteristics of both acquirers and their announced acquisitions predict its frequency of use. We also find evidence that impression offsetting is efficacious; on average, it reduces the negative market reaction to acquisition announcements by over 40 percent, which translates into approximately $246 million in market capitalization.

If partnering with local firms is an intuitive strategy with which to mitigate uncertainty in foreign ventures, then why don't organizations always partner with local firms, especially in uncertain settings? We address this question by unbundling the effects of uncertainty in foreign ventures at the venture and country levels. We contend that, while both levels increase the need for partnering with local firms in foreign ventures, country-level uncertainty increases the difficulty of partnering with local firms and decreases the likelihood of such partnerships. We also posit that experiential learning helps firms manage the two types of uncertainty, and thereby reduces the need for partnering—yet, experience in the host country makes partnering more feasible and increases the likelihood of such partnerships. To test our hypotheses, we conceptualize the decision to partner with a local firm in a foreign venture as a multilayered decision, and model it accordingly. Using a global sample of venture capital investments made between 1984 and 2011, we find support for the distinct effects of venture- and country-level uncertainty as well as for corresponding levels of experiential learning. These findings have implications for the literature on cross-border venture capital investment and international business in general.

We develop and test a theoretical model that explores how individuals appraise different types of stressful job demands and how these cognitive appraisals impact job performance. The model also explores how charismatic leaders influence such appraisal and reaction processes, and by virtue of these effects, how leaders can influence the impact of stressful demands on their followers' job performance. In Study 1 (n = 74 U.S. Marines), our model was largely supported in hierarchical linear modeling analyses. Marines whose leaders were judged by superiors to exhibit charismatic leader behaviors appraised challenge stressors as being more challenging, and were more likely to respond to this appraisal with higher performance. Although charismatic leader behaviors did not influence how hindrance stressors were appraised, they negated the strong negative effect of hindrance appraisals on job performance. In Study 2 (n = 270 U.S. Marines) charismatic leader behaviors were measured through the eyes of the focal Marines, and the interactions found in Study 1 were replicated. Results from multilevel structural equation modeling analyses also indicate that charismatic leader behaviors moderate both the mediating role of challenge appraisals in transmitting the effect of challenge stressors to job performance, and the mediating role of hindrance appraisals in transmitting the effect of hindrance stressors to job performance. Implications of our results to theory and practice are discussed. Keywords: stress, leadership, job performance, multilevel modeling

How does the presence of domain experts on a corporate board—directors whose primary professional experience is within the focal firm's industry—affect organizational outcomes? We argue that under conditions of significant decision uncertainty, a higher proportion of domain experts on a board may detract from effective decision making and thus increase the probability of organizational failure. Building on exploratory interviews with board members and CEOs, we derive hypotheses from this argument in the context of local banks in the United States. We predict that the greater the level of decision uncertainty—due to rapid asset growth or operation in less predictable markets—the stronger the relationship between the proportion of banking expert directors and the probability of bank failure. Longitudinal analyses of 1,307 banks between 1996 and 2012 support this prediction, even after accounting for both the overall level of professional diversity among directors and banks' different propensities to have an expert-heavy board. We discuss implications for the key dimensions of board composition, the conditions under which the professional background of directors is more or less consequential, and the mechanisms whereby board composition affects organizational outcomes.

This essay presents a comprehensive briefing on the past and present of a business educational culture that is significantly different in ethos and structure to the widely known systems in the US and UK. That is the history and culture of the French Grandes Ecoles de Commerce. A brief reminder of extant literature on the utility of business education and its seeming misalignment with the competencies and skills as specified by practitioners is then given. Key pressures and trends on and within this system - such as internationalisation, accreditation and a greater emphasis on publications are identified and discussed. These threads are then combined in a partial replication of the work of Dierdorff and Rubin (2006; 2009). Specifically, information on 1582 classes from 542 programmes at the top Grandes Ecoles de Commerce is presented alongside further secondary data and then analysed in respect of alignment with Rubin and Dierdorff's identified behavioural competencies. We argue that whilst well intentioned, the outcome of these pressures may well be that inherent and historical strengths of great value are being discarded, and that the degree of irrelevance and misalignment between educational provision and required managerial competence will stay the same or even get worse.

Evidence-based management has been widely advocated in management studies. It has great ambition: all manner of organizational problems are held to be amenable to an evidence-based approach. With such ambition, however, has come a certain narrowness which risks restricting our ability to understand the diversity of problems in management studies. Indeed, in the longer term, such narrowness may limit our capacity to engage with many real-life issues in organizations. Having repeatedly heard the case for evidence-based management, we invite readers to weigh up the case against. We also set out an alternative direction - one that promotes intellectual pluralism and flexibility, the value of multiple perspectives, openness, dialogue, and the questioning of basic assumptions. These considerations are the antithesis of an evidence-based approach, but central to a fully rounded management education.

Drawing on resource drain theory, we introduce self-regulatory resource (ego) depletion stemming from family-to-work conflict (FWC) as an alternative theoretical perspective on why supervisors behave abusively toward subordinates. Our two-study examination of a cross-domain antecedent of abusive supervision stands in contrast to prior research, which has focused primarily on work-related factors that influence abusive supervision. Further, our investigation shows how ego depletion is proximally related to abusive supervision. In the first study, conducted at a Fortune 500 company and designed as a lagged survey study, we found that after controlling for alternative theoretical mechanisms, supervisors who experience FWC display more abusive behaviors toward subordinates, and that this relationship was stronger for female supervisors and for supervisors who operate in environments with greater situation-control. These results were then replicated and expanded in an experience sampling study using a multi-organization sample of supervisors. This allowed us to study the FWC-abusive supervision relationship as it emerges on a day-to-day basis and to examine ego depletion as an explanatory mechanism. Consistent with our hypotheses, we found that FWC is associated with abusive supervision, ego depletion acts as a mediator of the FWC-abusive supervision relationship, and that gender and situation-control serve as moderators.

In Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (3rd edition) (SCSR), David Chandler and William B. Werther Jr. advance the view that the ability of firms to create value for a range of stakeholders over the medium- and long-term requires that they embed CSR into their strategies and operations. Its focus on the integration of CSR into strategic planning and implementation distinguishes SCSR from competing business and society textbooks, which tend to survey the field or focus on the management of the firm's relationships with stakeholders and society.

Research suggests that the structure of trainee reactions is captured with as few as one or as many as eleven dimensions. It is commonly understood that reactions contain both affective and cognitive components. To date, however, training research focuses largely on affective reactions that range from pleasant to unpleasant (i.e., valence). Here, we expand and further refine the construct of affective trainee reactions by including reactions that are more and less activating versions of pleasantness (e.g., excitement and calm, respectively) and unpleasantness (e.g., stress and boredom, respectively). We develop and validate a new measure based on this model and argue that the structure of affective reactions has implications for better understanding learning and course reputation outcomes. Results from a short online training indicate that reactions were best explained by four factors: pleasant activation (e.g., excitement), pleasant deactivation (e.g., calm), unpleasant activation (e.g., stress), and unpleasant deactivation (e.g., boredom). The relationships between these reactions and training outcomes suggest what is most beneficial for course reputation outcomes (i.e., pleasant activating reactions) may not benefit learning; what is most beneficial for learning (i.e., pleasant deactivating reactions) may benefit course reputation outcomes but slightly less so.

Understanding the free and open-source software (FOSS) movement has, since its beginning, implied crossing many disciplinary boundaries. This article describes FOSS’s history, explaining its undeniable success throughout the 1990s, and why the

A penalty awarded to West Ham during Erik ten Hag's final match in charge of Man Utd was a 'misread', according to refereeing boss Howard Webb.

Jonathan Edge was caught selling reprogrammed Firestick devices after advertising on Facebook.

Spain's Civil Protection Agency sent a mass alert to phones warning of an "extreme risk of rainfall".

LaToya claimed self-defense, but Manassas, Virginia Prosecutor D. Burke Walker had other ideas and charged the woman with second-degree murder.

Magtech 9mm 115 Grain FMJ Ammo, 1000 Rounds for $250.00 FREE Shipping options. That is $0.25 for each round.

If you have read any of the NRA’s magazines, watch American Rifleman, or have seen some shows on The Outdoor Channel or The History Channel, you have seen Mark Keefe for years.

THIS Hari Raya, The Gardens Mall is bringing the comfort of home and the memories of celebrations with loved ones to its mall decor. With many unable to travel back to their kampung to visit grandparents and other loved ones, the Mall decided to bring elements of grandma’s eclectic home to the mall for all to enjoy this year.

Step into the mall and be greeted by a burst of colour and patterns with traditional woven pandanus ware and hand-sewn patchwork fabric. Snap photos with friends and family at the various vignettes set-up along the Ground Floor. Much like atok’s garden, there is much greenery around
to coax nostalgia for the simple kampung life.

Not forgetting the underprivileged this season, over at the South Palm on the Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall is collecting your unwanted denim to donate to the single mothers of SURI. SURI is a social enterprise that employs single mothers from low-income communities to turn unwanted denim material into fashionable apparel and other household items. SURI also believes in protecting the environment through upcycling.

As part of the partnership during Hari Raya, The Gardens Mall has pledged RM10,000 to SURI for its efforts in helping these single mothers gain financial independence.

IN celebration of Earth Month, global prestige skincare brand, Origins, proudly announces the establishment of the Origins Green The Planet Fund and its inaugural non-profit partner, One Tree Planted, upholding the brand’s longstanding commitment to the well-being of people and our planet.

As a brand rooted in nature, Origins believes it is its responsibility to give back to the earth while also striving to make decisions that help limit our impact on the planet. Which is why, for over a decade, Origins has partnered with various environmental non-profit organisations to Green The Planet, planting one tree at a time to aid global reforestation initiatives and helping combat the effects of climate change.

In celebration of Earth Month 2021, Origins designed a limited-edition Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion to help Green The Planet and support future tree-planting projects. One US dollar has been donated for every limited-edition Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion available at Origins stores and online at Lazada Origins Flagship Store which allows one tree to be planted and cared for in partnership with Origins Green The Planet Fund.

CLOSE to one million youths have successfully claimed their eBelia credit via ShopeePay. As of June 7, the programme has succeeded in generating sales amounting to 120% of the total amount disbursed by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) through ShopeePay. Additionally, some 140,000 sellers and traders that accept ShopeePay have already benefited from the eBelia programme.

Head of ShopeePay Malaysia Alain Yee said: ”As one of the newest mobile wallets to enter a crowded space, it is indeed humbling to receive the resounding support from eligible eBelia participants. When compared against MOF’s announcement, the bulk of the 1.7 million successful applicants have chosen ShopeePay. This is possibly because our e-wallet can be used both online and offline nationwide, with a reach as far and wide as Semporna, Sabah; Miri, Sarawak; Kemaman and Gong Badak in Terengganu and Bachok, Kelantan.”

Yee added that based on the preliminary data from June 1 till 7, user behaviour amongst eBelia recipients suggest that the programme has driven adoption of e-wallets and is likely going to lead to long term usage.

“Of the total successful eBelia applicants via our mobile wallet, about 40% are new ShopeePay users that activated their e-wallet just for eBelia. Additionally, we are positive that customer retention rate amongst these new users will be high as over 20% have already topped up their e-wallet at least once within the first week of using ShopeePay,” he explained.

On what the recipients have been spending on, Yee shared that many were seen to be using the eBelia credit on very practical purchases: daily necessities, food and beverages, books, as well as home and living items, among others. A closer look into the spending pattern of these eBelia youths for the past week reveals the following (Observations are made based on top 100 merchants by transactions recorded offline, online (merchants’ webstores and Apps), and on Shopee.

THERE is good news for close to 15,000 University Malaya [UM] undergraduates returning to campus this October – homegrown retailer MR DIY will be distributing RM300 to each student to help them purchase essential supplies to facilitate their return to campus.

Dubbed #DIY4UM, the RM4.5 million cash aid distribution programme is being implemented in partnership with Touch ‘n Go via its eWallet platform.

The cash aid will be made to students on their Touch ‘n Go eWallets in three equal payments of RM100 each on Nov 1 and 30, and Dec 30.

Announcing the #DIY4UM aid programme, MR DIY CEO Adrian Ong said the programme was aimed at helping students make the back-to-campus transition as smooth and worry-free as possible.

He said: “The reopening of campuses is a major milestone for university students. After many months of lockdown, they will finally be able to reconvene on campus to fully benefit from the in-person learning experience and enjoy the academic social interaction with lecturers and fellow students alike.

“We believe it’s important that they are well equipped with protective and learning essentials to keep themselves safe while staying focused on their studies, which is why we are distributing this cash aid to undergraduates at University Malaya.”

He said students will be able to easily equip themselves with everyday student essentials, Covid-19 protective equipment and a wide range of stationery items at MR DIY retail stores as well as its online platform using the cash credit given.

In addition, the first 11,000 students who utilise the funds will be entitled to RM10 cashback when they spend a minimum of RM20 using the Touch ‘n Go Wallet.

The promotion applies at MR DIY Group stores, MR DIY Online, as well as the MR DIY mini programme available on Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

The programme is part of a strategic collaboration between MR DIY and Touch ‘n Go which was inked in July this year.

Commenting on the aid programme, Touch ‘n Go group chief executive officer Effendy Shahul Hamid said: “We are extremely pleased that the partnership between our companies has been extended into a benefit for society, in this case, students of University Malaya.

“We stand ready to support this initiative and we commend MR DIY for stepping up during these challenging times.”

All active Malaysian undergraduates at University Malaya are eligible for the aid. They are required to register online via Portal Maya UM by Oct 3, and ensure they have a valid Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

The initiative was lauded by Universiti Malaya’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr Mohd Hamdi Abd Syukor who said: “We are confident this initiative will be of great help to students as they return to campus.”

The #DIY4UM initiative is the latest in a series of collaborations between MR DIY and University Malaysia. MR DIY has for the past four years joined hands with UM and the Ministry of Education to organise the “DIY Made Simple” competition for schools with UM’s Community and Sustainability Center (UMCares).

The competition is a CSR initiative to cultivate awareness of sustainability among schoolchildren.

Visit MR DIY’s website at www.mrdiy.com, e-commerce platform at www.mrdiy.com.my, and social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.

DURING my visit in 1985, I had met the management staff at the plantation in Ghana. The one I remember most was Al Doku.

He was the chief accountant, about 45 years old, working for the managing director, Bill Morrison.

At the meeting in Morrison’s office, he could remember the figures well, and I was impressed. It was just that he was quiet for most of the time, and I could see that his eyes were sad.

At that time, there were many reasons to feel that way. The cedi was devaluing every week, and to go for dinner in town was a major decision for it would involve bringing your money in big wads to pay for it.

This is despite the income from gold that Ghana was blessed with as well as cocoa, which has a flavour that commands a premium. The country also produces shea nut, the fruit of massive trees that grow in the north. The oil is like cocoa butter.

However, that year the food shortage was bad, even potatoes were hard to find. They had to be imported.

Morrison had helped with giving breakfast to the workers, and they would line up for the palm oil, tapioca and fish cooked in large pots in front of them before they started work for the day.

Due to the shortage of hard currency, the plantation too had to make do without many things, and building of workers’ houses was one of them as no imported material was used.

At the housing project for workers, I had no time to ask about Al Doku.

I watched Bill giving instructions to the building supervisor. He was using earth to make a thick wall to build a house, and when it was dry after a few days, he added another level, until the building had a coat of cement and more walls for the rooms. I had not seen a building made in that way before. Bill was thorough.

“Saves a lot of money,” he said, as we had breakfast back in his bungalow. I had fried eggs and a lot of tapioca done very well that they looked like baked potatoes.

I knew that in London Leslie Davidson had advocated using raw materials for buildings, and even for expatriates, he said they could save by eating what is available in the local market and eat like what the locals do, but as usual Bill did not do anything by halves.

“We should be leaving soon to see the country, first to the slave castle at Cape Coast.”

It was in the car that he talked about Al Doku.

“He is going to London on a course that I had arranged for him. But the other reason is it gives him a chance to take his daughter there for treatment. She is losing her eyesight and probably it could be saved by the doctors there.”

“Let him know that I will be in London. I will take him to my house and have lunch with him. He impresses me.”

At the slave castle in Cape Coast, Bill had paid a guide to take us through the full tour. I saw the high white walls and the dark cellars made for the incarceration of human captives. The guide said they were standing in human waste until the time the ship arrived, and they were whipped and pushed through a small exit that all would call the “door of no return”.

We climbed into bright sunlight again to the chapel and the quarters of the commandant. The castle had been fought over by the Swedes, the Norwegians, the Danes and the Dutch before it fell to the English. They traded the slaves in the New World, coming home with cotton and sugar, and out again with cloth and guns to the Gold Coast, and the cycle went on for years.

I was tired after the tour. Bill said to me: “Now I will take you to Elmina castle.”

I did not expect that. It was more or less the same, tiring, as I walked on the hot open yard with rusted cannons lined over the thick stone walls facing the Atlantic below. Coconut trees leaned by the shore where lazy waves lapped away at the sand.

But where our car was parked, we were stopped by many hawkers, who made a brisk business selling handicraft, and what interested me most was the colourful cloth weaved in bright red, yellow and green that I knew was the work of skilled people. The pattern attracted me.

“Fine kente cloth, but tourist prices,” Bill said.

“Can you ask Al Doku if he can bring back a piece and I will pay him in London.”

That was how Al Doku met me again and on a weekend. I invited him for lunch with my family in Surrey and he brought the piece of cloth. It must have cost him a lot of money, and I did not mind paying him a premium for his effort, and it was very beautiful, and probably fit for a minor chief to wear in Ghana.

His daughter was getting medical treatment at a hospital.

I did not hear of Al Doku for many years after I left Unilever, but I still thought of his visit and the lunch like it was yesterday. I had always wondered how he got on after all these years. I remembered him warmly.

By chance, I met him again when he was attending an oil palm conference in Kuala Lumpur. It was just before the conference dinner. I was delighted to see him again and hugged him. I felt a glow of old friendship.

“But I don’t remember you,” he said.

I drew back and explained that he was my guest for lunch in England, and I had bought the kente cloth. I asked him how his daughter was.

But he still could not remember me. Long years had passed but surely he could not have forgotten.

I was told by then he was the managing director of the plantation business. I was upset through the courses of the dinner.

It was at the dessert stage that Al Doku walked up to my table and said with a smile.

“I am so sorry I could not remember you. I think I can remember you now.”

He tried to smile again.

“That’s all right,” I said returning to my dessert.

He tried to be nice to me but the glow of friendship was gone.

The writer has extensive experience in the management of oil palm plantations. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

I WRITE this letter with a heavy heart. After nearly three decades of loyalty to Malaysia Airlines (MAS), it pains me to say that our national carrier, once a symbol of pride and prestige, is rapidly losing its appeal.

As a frequent traveller since my 30s and 40s – flying MAS monthly for work across the globe – my commitment to our national airline has remained steadfast. Even in the face of criticisms, I stood by MAS, altering flights and routes just to support it.

Today, in my late 50s, I still travel monthly to Sarawak and take an annual trip abroad to Mecca. However, I now find myself questioning whether this loyalty is justified.

Sarawak is a gem waiting to be discovered, with immense tourism potential. However, with the current airfares, especially on MAS, many potential travellers are priced out, severely hampering the state’s tourism growth.

The recent prices to Kuching are, to put it plainly, shocking. Last-minute bookings are unavoidable at times, but I was appalled to be charged nearly RM4,700 for a return business ticket to Kuching. Even my staff, flying economy, paid close to RM3,000 for the same route.

Planning ahead does not seem to help much either; even when booked a month in advance, return tickets are close to RM3,000 for business class and over RM1,300 for economy. This level of pricing is absurd, especially for a domestic route.

I believe, as many do, that with premium prices should come a premium experience. Unfortunately, MAS no longer delivers on this. The business lounge, once a place to relax before flights, has deteriorated.

As I write this on Oct 30, the restrooms in the lounge are still under renovation – a situation I encountered throughout September as well.

The dining experience in the lounge has lost its lustre.

Recently, while attempting to enjoy a simple nasi lemak, I was served boiled eggs still in their shell. When I requested help to remove the shell, the response from the staff was, “we don’t do that”, which was disappointing and telling of how far standards have dropped.

Onboard, the situation does not improve. In business class, we now deal with seats that do not recline properly.

The food, an essential part of any long-haul experience, has worsened. On two recent occasions, the in-flight meals were barely edible, bordering on “off”. In one instance, the lack of quality even made me hesitate to eat.

The lack of comfort in facilities and amenities makes each flight less enjoyable than the last. Even my annual long-haul flights to Mecca on MAS, which I look forward to each year, have not been immune to these setbacks.

Travelling such distances should bring an experience that feels seamless and comfortable, but MAS has started to fall short even here.

Adding to this is the cumbersome process of booking tickets online. With ticket sales exclusively digital, resolving booking issues becomes frustratingly difficult.

Customer service, once a proud element of MAS’s offering, is increasingly subpar, with representatives often unable to assist adequately.

The only saving grace, as many loyal customers like myself would agree, are the cabin crew. Their friendliness and dedication are a testament to the heart and spirit MAS was once known for – they are MAS’s real assets.

If MAS continues along this trajectory, it will lose the loyalty of not only long-standing customers like myself but also the new generation of travellers.

Competing airlines like Emirates and Saudi Airlines are waiting in the wings, ready to welcome disillusioned MAS customers with open arms.

As I reluctantly contemplate flying with them, I realise how close MAS is to losing the competitive edge it once had. My hope is that MAS’s management and its owners take heed of these issues
and recognise the urgent need for improvement.

This is not just about ticket prices or outdated lounges; it is about restoring pride in our national airline and ensuring it represents Malaysia as it once did – with quality, excellence and care.

MAS has a legacy worth fighting
for, but only if the commitment to improvement is genuine. For the sake of all who continue to fly MAS out of loyalty and pride, I urge the airline’s leadership to act swiftly and decisively to bring MAS back to its roots as a serious and reliable airline worthy of our national identity.

Prof (Haji) Said Bani CM Din

Loyal (but concerned)
MAS traveller

MY state, Johor, is seeing a big rise in data centres. Many well-known companies from the United States, China and Singapore are choosing to set up their facilities here.

As a Johorean, I am proud to see the state becoming a bigger part of the digital economy. This did not happen by accident. Thanks to the efforts by leaders like Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who understands our local needs, Johor and Malaysia are becoming a key part of the digital economy.

This growth is bringing more businesses, improving infrastructure and offering new job opportunities, with benefits that can reach places like Segamat and Jementah too. Based on feedback from my constituents, they are excited with these developments.

Big gains, big potential

This is because data centres clearly bring benefits to Johor and the country. They are boosting our economy with big investments, which reached RM31 billion last year, funding new facilities, improving infrastructure.

The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, including its Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong, who is also Iskandar Puteri MP, has played a key role in bringing in these investments to Johor.

These projects do not just benefit greater Johor Bahru; smaller towns like Segamat and Jementah have also seen gains through improved infrastructure, new business opportunities and enhanced social benefits.

When big companies such as Microsoft and others start major projects in Johor, it helps put our state and the nation on the map as a global tech hub. This can attract more savvy investments and businesses in the future, creating more growth that reaches different parts of the state.

Challenges to consider

However, we cannot ignore the downsides. Data centres consume a lot of energy and water, potentially straining our resources, especially since Johor has faced water shortages before. We need to grow in a way that does not harm the environment or local communities.

We must also balance land use carefully. Data centres take up a lot of space, and over-allocating land to them could limit growth in other sectors like agriculture or housing. It may also result in lower revenue and fewer job opportunities compared to if the land had been used for other economic activities.

As we know, data centres do not create as many jobs as we hope. Once they are built, they usually do not require too many staff on site.

We need to make sure that these centres generate as many good-paying jobs for the locals, whether directly or otherwise.

Mitigating drawbacks

To make sure this data centre boom benefits the people in the long-run, the government needs to take action. I am gratified to learn that the Finance Ministry and Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry are coming up with plans to make sure data centre investments bring long-term benefits.

The Finance Ministry has suggested the introduction of a “scorecard” to push companies to create good jobs, support local businesses and prioritise sustainability.

The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry’s guidelines for energy and water use are another positive step toward our zero-carbon goal for 2050.

Programmes like the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme will help data centres use more renewable energy, making operations cheaper in the long run. These are all good efforts.

Learning from our neighbour

As we move forward, we can look to Singapore’s experience with data centres, as our neighbour has had a head start in the sector.

It has leveraged technology transfer to build a strong, knowledge-based workforce, boosting its digital economy. By setting robust environmental standards, such as energy and water usage guidelines, Singapore has also pushed for greener practices in the industry.

Our current data centre boom should be a reminder for us to keep investing in our people and infrastructure for long-term growth.

We need to equip our youth with skills in cloud computing, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, and upgrade infrastructure like high-speed internet and reliable power supply. This will lay the foundation for lasting success.

For now, let us embrace this boom in data centre opportunities, but stay aware of the challenges. With careful planning, we can make Malaysia and Johor a tech hub that benefits everyone, and build a better future for our children.

Ng Kor Sim

State Assemblywoman for Jementah

Johor

TAIPEI: A state-funded English-language broadcaster in Taiwan removed a video of one of its journalists calling US President-elect Donald Trump a “convicted felon”, after the Taipei government said the incident was “very serious”.

Taiwan has publicly congratulated Trump on his victory, joining other governments around the world in trying to get onside with the next US administration.

Washington has long been Taipei’s most important supporter, but Trump raised concerns on the campaign trail by suggesting Taiwan should pay the United States for its defence and accusing it of stealing the US semiconductor industry.

TaiwanPlus correspondent Louise Watt was speaking on camera in the United States last week when she said “the US is either going to vote in its first female president or its first convicted felon”.

“Well America looks like it’s chosen the felon,“ Watt said, in a clip shared by Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS and seen by AFP.

Taiwan Culture Minister Li Yuan told local media on Saturday that TaiwanPlus took down the video after he told the broadcaster “that this issue is very serious”.

Public Television Service Foundation, which manages TaiwanPlus, said Monday the broadcaster had “humbly reviewed its operational procedures” following the report.

The foundation said it will convene a “self-discipline” committee this week to “discuss the matter”.

TaiwanPlus broadcasts videos on its website, YouTube and cable television.

More than 90 percent of its viewers are overseas, the foundation said.

In 2023, TaiwanPlus began showing in US hotels in “key cities frequented by political and economic elites, such as Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle”, the foundation said.

ALSO READ:

Trump makes new appointments including new ‘border czar’

Source says Trump told Putin not to escalate in Ukraine, Kremlin denies they spoke

MOSCOW: Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused European leaders on Tuesday of seeking to dangerously escalate the Ukraine conflict following the re-election of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Medvedev, a senior security official, wrote on Telegram that European politicians were aiming to “push the conflict with Russia into an irreversible phase” while they could and warned against allowing Kyiv to use Western long-range missiles to fire at targets inside Russia.

Medvedev dismissed what he called “ultimatums” issued by German opposition leader and possible next chancellor Friedrich Merz about Ukraine’s use of such weapons as “electioneering in nature”.

“It is clear that these missiles are not capable of changing anything significantly in the course of military operations”, he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed their support for Kyiv during talks in Paris on Monday, while France’s foreign minister urged Ukraine’s allies not to prejudge how Trump will handle the conflict.

“Generally speaking, it is surprising to what extent the current generation of European politicians wants to drag the war into their territory”, Medvedev said.

Medvedev previously said that Trump’s win would likely be bad news for Ukraine. Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly criticised the scale of Western aid to Kyiv and has promised to end the conflict swiftly, without explaining how.

The Kremlin dismissed on Monday reports that Trump had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days as “pure fiction.”

BEIRUT: The Israeli military carried out at least five airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday, after Israel’s defence minister ruled out any ceasefire in Lebanon until Israel’s goals had been met.

Smoke rose over Beirut as blasts shook the capital around mid-morning. The explosions followed an Israeli military warning posted on social media identifying 12 sites in the southern suburbs and saying it would take action against them soon. It warned residents they were located near Hezbollah facilities.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the latest strikes. Residents have largely fled the southern suburbs since Israel began bombing the area in September.

In Israel, air raid sirens sounded in parts of the north, sending residents running for shelter, and the military said a number of “suspicious aerial targets” were launched from Lebanon. There were no reports of injuries.

Ignited by the Gaza war, the conflict at the Lebanese-Israeli border had been rumbling on for a year before Israel went on the offensive in September, pounding wide areas of Lebanon with airstrikes and sending troops into the south.

Israel has dealt heavy blows to Hezbollah over the last seven weeks, killing many of its top leaders including Hassan Nasrallah, flattening parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, and causing vast destruction in border villages in south Lebanon.

Meeting with Israel’s general staff for the first time, Israel’s newly appointed Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon until Israel achieves its goals.

“Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meet the goals of the war in Lebanon - disarming Hezbollah and its withdrawal beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes.”

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar had said earlier on Monday there had been “a certain progress” in ceasefire talks, whilst adding the war against Hezbollah was not yet over.

The main challenge facing any ceasefire deal would be enforcement, he said.

Hezbollah has said it is ready for a long war against Israel and has kept up rocket fire.

SOUTH OF THE LITANI

The Lebanese government, which includes Hezbollah, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire based on the full implementation of a U.N. Resolution that ended a war between the group and Israel in 2006.

The resolution calls for the area south of the Litani to be free of all weapons other than those of the Lebanese state. Lebanon and Israel have accused each other of violating the resolution.

Israel’s offensive has driven more than 1 million people from their homes in Lebanon in the last seven weeks. Since hostilities erupted a year ago, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 3,243 people and injured 14,134, the Lebanese health ministry said. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Hezbollah attacks have killed roughly 100 civilians and soldiers in northern Israel, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon over the last year.

ZHUHAI: A hit-and-run attack at a sports centre in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai killed 35 people and severely injured 43, local police said on Tuesday.

The incident happened at 7:48 p.m. (1148 GMT) on Monday, when a small off-road vehicle was driven into a large group of people exercising outside the sports centre.

Zhuhai police said in a statement that the suspect, a 62-year-old man surnamed Fan, was being treated at a hospital after hurting himself with a knife in his car.

A Reuters reporter at the scene on Tuesday evening said people had begun leaving wreaths, counting 18 laid in front of a sign for the Zhuhai People’s Fitness Square. Others lit candles and incense. The police presence was low.

A video, verified by Reuters, of the scene on Monday following the attack had shown at least 20 people lying on the ground. Cries of “terrorist” could be heard as ambulances arrived to take the injured to hospital.

Hundreds of rescue personnel from Zhuhai city and Guangdong province were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media Beijing Daily reported.

Fan was apprehended by police at the scene after attempting to flee, police said, adding that he had self-harmed using a knife, causing severe neck injuries.

Police said their preliminary investigation suggested the incident was triggered by Fan’s discontent following a divorce.

President Xi Jinping, cited by Chinese state television CCTV, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said.

The attack sparked thousands of angry comments on Chinese social media, many of which were quickly censored after the police reported the high death toll.

“Zhuhai is one of the most relaxed, peaceful, and liveable cities in the country, and this tragic incident has left a painful memory that will be hard to erase for many years to come,“ one user of the Weibo platform said.

Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces.

In October, a knife attack in Beijing left five people wounded outside one of the city’s top primary schools. A month earlier, a Japanese student was fatally stabbed outside his school in Shenzhen.

Zhuhai is hosting China’s biggest annual air show this week where a new stealth jet fighter will be on display for the first time.

WASHINGTON: A federal jury on Tuesday ordered a US defense contractor to pay $42 million in damages to three Iraqi men who were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison, their lawyers said.

CACI Premier Technology Inc was found liable at the conclusion of a long-running trial for its role in the torture of the three men at the notorious prison in 2003 and 2004, the Center for Constitutional Rights said.

Suhail Al Shimari, a middle school principal, Asa’ad Zuba’e, a fruit vendor, and Salah Al-Ejaili, a journalist, were each awarded $14 million in damages, the center said in a statement.

The three men filed suit against CACI, a private company based in Arlington, Virginia, in 2008.

Abu Ghraib prison, west of Baghdad, became a potent negative symbol of the US occupation of Iraq after evidence emerged of detainee abuse by American soldiers at the facility.

Most of the abuse took place at the end of 2003, when CACI employees were working in the prison, according to the suit.

The company’s civilian employees were accused of having encouraged US soldiers to abuse the prisoners to prepare them for interrogation.

Criminal charges were brought against 11 low-ranking guards, including former army reserve specialist Lynndie England, who was shown smiling in photographs while posing next to naked prisoners.

The case against CACI was brought under a section of the US Code called the Alien Tort Statute, which allows non-US citizens to file suit in US courts for human rights violations for incidents that took place outside the United States.

CACI claimed that most of the alleged abuse was approved by the then-US defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and incorporated into rules of engagement by military commanders at the prison.

“Today is a big day for me and for justice,“ Al-Ejaili said in a statement.

“This victory is a shining light for everyone who has been oppressed and a strong warning to any company or contractor practicing different forms of torture and abuse.”

Katherine Gallagher, an attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, welcomed the jury’s verdict saying it “makes clear CACI’s role in this shameful part of our history.”

“Private military and security contractors are put on notice that they can and will be held accountable when they breach the most fundamental international law protections -- like the prohibition against torture,“ Gallagher said.

“For 20 years, CACI has refused to take responsibility for its role in torture at Abu Ghraib.”

MADRID: Schools in flood-hit towns in eastern Spain will be closed on Wednesday as the region braces for more torrential rains, officials said.

National weather office AEMET on Tuesday placed parts of Valencia as well as Catalonia in the northeast and Andalusia in the south and the Balearic Islands on orange alert -- the second highest level -- for strong or torrential rains until Thursday.

The alert comes two weeks after an exceptional Mediterranean storm caused Spain's deadliest floods in decades.

The October 29 storm killed 223 people, the bulk of them in the Valencia region, according to the latest official tally.

Dozens of town halls in Valencia, including Chiva, one of the worst-hit sites, suspended classes and closed public gyms because of the threats of more heavy rain.

“In response to the information provided by the emergency services, school and sports activities will be SUSPENDED from tomorrow until further notice,“ Chiva town hall wrote on X.

A military vehicle drove through towns in Valencia using a megaphone to warn of the expected storms and urge people not to make “unnecessary trips,“ images broadcast on Spanish public television TVE showed,

While the amount of rain that is forecast to fall in Valencia is less than what fell two weeks ago, local officials warned sewage systems are clogged with mud and could struggle to cope with significant precipitation making more flooding possible.

Outrage at the authorities for their perceived mismanagement before and after the floods triggered mass protests on Saturday, the largest in Valencia city which drew 130,000 people.

Classes were also suspended on Wednesday in parts of southern Catalonia as well as some towns and cities in Andalusia, inclusing Malaga.

JAKARTA: Airlines in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Singapore cancelled flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Wednesday, after a nearby volcano catapulted an ash tower miles into the sky.

Australia’s Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia all grounded flights after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores island spewed a nine-kilometre (5.6-mile) tower a day earlier.

Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, India’s IndiGo and Singapore’s Scoot also listed flights as cancelled on Wednesday, according to an AFP journalist at Bali’s international airport.

“Volcanic ash poses a significant threat to safe operations of the aircraft in the vicinity of volcanic clouds,“ said AirAsia as it announced several cancellations.

Multiple eruptions from the 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) twin-peaked volcano in recent weeks have killed nine people, with 31 injured and more than 11,000 evacuated, Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said Tuesday.

Eruptions can pose serious risks to flights, disgorging fine ash that can damage jet engines and scour a plane’s windscreen to the point of invisibility.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific also listed its flights as cancelled, rescheduling routes to and from Bali until Thursday.

“Virgin Australia has made some changes to its current flight schedule, due to the impacts of the volcano in Indonesia,“ the airline said, listing scrapped flights to Sydney and Melbourne.

Jetstar said all flights to and from Bali would be halted until noon on Thursday.

“Due to volcanic ash caused by the Mount Lewotobi eruption in Indonesia, it is currently not safe to operate flights to and from Bali,“ the company said in an advisory.

Qantas said “a number of flights to and from Denpasar Airport in Bali have been disrupted” due to volcanic ash from Lewotobi.

Malaysia Airlines said it had cancelled six flights Wednesday in a statement on its website.

The airlines said they would monitor the volcano’s status and provide updates.

Singapore’s Scoot and Malaysia’s AirAsia did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Singapore Airlines was still listing its flights as running on Wednesday.

refunds, rescheduling, re-routing

Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, general manager of Bali’s international airport, said 12 domestic and 22 international flights had been affected on Tuesday, without identifying the routes.

He did not provide details about affected flights on Wednesday’s schedule.

“Due to this natural event impacting flight operations, airlines are offering affected passengers the options of refunds, rescheduling, or re-routing,“ he added in a statement.

Bali’s international airport operator PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia said Wednesday it had conducted tests in its airspace and no volcanic ash was detected, saying the airport was “operating as normal”.

Lewotobi erupted again from midnight Wednesday until early morning, and a large ash column could be seen pouring from its crater, an AFP journalist nearby said.

Laki-Laki, which means “man” in Indonesian, is twinned with a calmer volcano named after the Indonesian word for “woman”.

The island’s economy is heavily reliant on tourism but Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth, straddling the Pacific Ring of Fire where tectonic plates collide.

Lombok, an island neighbouring Bali, was rocked by earthquakes in 2018 that killed more than 500 and sparked a mass exodus of foreigners from the tropical paradise.

BRUSSELS: US top diplomat Antony Blinken warned Wednesday that the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces fighting on the Ukrainian border demanded a “firm response”.

The secretary of state was speaking at the start of a day of Brussels talks with NATO and EU officials to urgently address ramping up support for Kyiv before Donald Trump reclaims the White House -- potentially jeopardising future aid.

Addressing reporters alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte, Blinken said they had discussed the fact North Korean forces have been “injected into the battle, and now, quite literally, in combat which demands and will get a firm response.”

The US State Department confirmed Tuesday that Pyongyang’s troops -- whose entry into the conflict marks a potentially major escalation -- have begun “engaging in combat operations” alongside Russian forces near the border with Ukraine.

A spokesman said that of the more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers sent to eastern Russia, “most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces”.

Rutte meanwhile stressed the crucial role played by China in helping Russia’s “war effort”, as well as Iranian weapons deliveries -- paid for with Russian funds that were in turn helping Tehran to “destabilize the Middle East”.

Blinken was taking part in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s decision-making body, before talks with European Union top diplomat Josep Borrell, his successor Kaja Kallas and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.

His emergency trip comes as Trump’s election victory, coupled with a political crisis in Germany, heightens fears about the future of assistance for Ukraine at a key point in the fight against Russia’s invasion.

Trump has in the past voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and scoffed at the $175 billion the United States committed for Ukraine since the start of the war in 2022.

The 78-year-old tycoon, who will be inaugurated on January 20, spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after winning re-election following a first stint as president between 2017 and 2021.

He has boasted he can end the war in a day, likely by forcing concessions from Ukraine, although his newly named national security advisor, Mike Waltz, said Trump may also pressure Putin.

The Washington Post reported the Republican leader also held a phone call with Putin and discouraged an escalation by Russia. The Kremlin denied the report.

US media reported Trump might pick Republican Senator Marco Rubio to replace Blinken as secretary of state.

Rubio is seen as supportive of Kyiv but has also said Washington should show “pragmatism” rather than sending billions of dollars more in weapons as the war hit a “stalemate”.

‘As long as it takes’

The Biden administration has made clear it plans in its remaining weeks to push through the more than $9 billion of remaining funding appropriated by Congress for weapons and other security assistance to Ukraine.

Mark Cancian, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expected the United States to focus in particular on sending vehicles, medical supplies and small-arms ammunition, which Ukraine needs and the United States can provide.

“Between now and the end of the administration, they’re going to try to ship everything they can that’s available,“ Cancian said.

Despite Kyiv’s pleas it seems unlikely, however, that Washington will lift its veto on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory.

Trump in his first term aggressively pushed Europe to step up defence spending and questioned the fairness of the NATO transatlantic alliance -- robustly defended by Biden.

“Whatever approach the US leadership takes towards Ukraine, Europe will have to step up, and we will have to take the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defence efforts and macro financial stability,“ said Olena Prokopenko of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“Unfortunately, Donald Trump’s win comes at arguably the worst possible time in terms of Europe’s political and economic shape and its ability to promptly coordinate”.

KUALA LUMPUR: A mother and her friend were sentenced to three years in prison by the Sessions Court today for confining a young boy in a cat cage in February.

Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin imposed the sentence on the 20-year-old fast food worker, who is also the victim’s mother, and 35-year-old housewife Adibah Mohd Zaini after they pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court ordered the prison sentences to begin immediately, placed them under a five-year good behaviour bond without surety, and required them to complete 240 hours of community service within six months of completing their sentences.

The duo were accused of abusing the three-and-a-half-year-old boy by locking him in a cat cage, which could cause both physical and emotional harm, at an apartment in Taman Danau Desa, Brickfields, at 8.16 pm on Feb 10.

They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of RM50,000 in fine, up to 20 years in prison, or both upon conviction.

The victim’s mother was also sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to another charge under the same Act and section, of abusing her son by wrapping him in adhesive tape at the same location at 3.58 pm on Feb 21.

Judge Siti Shakirah ordered both sentences to run concurrently.

Deputy public prosecutor Nidzuwan Abd Latip urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, emphasising that as the victim’s mother, she had a duty to protect her child from harm.

“The court should take into account the evidence, especially the photos of the child confined in a cat cage, which is clearly not meant for human use,“ he stated.

The mother, unrepresented, pleaded for a lighter sentence, expressing deep regret for her actions. Similarly, Adibah, also without legal representation, requested a reduced sentence on the basis she had to care for her two young children, aged one and eleven.

“I deeply regret my actions. Being in detention has made me realise my mistake, and I promise I will never repeat this,“ said Adibah, tearfully.

On Monday, Bernama reported that the victim’s mother, Adibah, and another accomplice Nor Azlin Fatin Najihah Lokman, 25, were each sentenced to 14 days in prison and fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court after pleading guilty to kicking the boy.

KOTA BHARU: Police have confirmed that the whistleblower who sent an open letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong regarding allegations of corruption in Sabah has received death threats.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the case is being investigated by the Bukit Aman Classified Crime Investigation Unit under Section 507 of the Penal Code, which addresses criminal intimidation through anonymous communication.

The 36-year-old male informant received a threatening call via WhatsApp from an unknown number.

“During the call, the suspect, believed to be a local man, threatened the informant in Mandarin, claiming to be from a hitman group and demanding the informant stay silent.

“The suspect warned that if the informant did not comply, he would be killed within 24 hours and called it a final warning,” Razarudin told Bernama today.

Razarudin said the suspect also sent two images, one of a pistol with ammunition and another showing a person shot in the street.

The informant expressed deep fear for his own safety and that of his family, he said.

“After receiving the WhatsApp message, the informant reported the incident and blocked the number. Since then, no further threats have been made,” Razarudin said, adding that the informant initially suspected that the phone number might belong to a scammer or was dialed incorrectly.

He said further checks revealed that the phone number was no longer in service and had no registered owner.

Razarudin added no other reports had been filed regarding this number, and the investigation returned no relevant records.

KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices for RON97 and RON95 petrol will remain unchanged, at RM3.19 and RM2.05 per litre respectively from Nov 14 to 20.

The Ministry of Finance, in a statement today, said that the retail price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia also remained at RM2.95 per litre, while in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the price remained at RM2.15 per litre during the same period.

It said the price settings were fixed based on the weekly retail prices of petroleum products, using the Automatic Price Mechanism (APM) formula.

“The Government will continue to monitor the trends of global crude oil prices and take appropriate measures to ensure the continued welfare and well-being of the people,” said the Ministry of Finance statement.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin was laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery 1 at 6.07 pm today.

The hearse carrying his remains arrived at the burial site at 5.16 pm.

Approximately 200 family members and friends were present for the burial, which took place under overcast skies following the rain.

Daim, 86, died at 8.21 am today while receiving treatment at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya.

His remains were brought to his residence in Persiaran Bukit Tunku at 11.30 am, before being taken to the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta, where the funeral prayer was performed led by the mosque’s grand imam Jamal Abdul Halim.

Among the prominent figures who paid their last respects at Daim’s residence were former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, former Senate president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Daim, whose full name is Che Abdul Daim Zainuddin, served as Finance Minister twice. His first term was from 1984 to 1991 under Dr Mahathir’s administration, where he played a key role in managing Malaysia’s economy and implementing structural adjustments.

He returned to the role of Finance Minister for a second term from 1999 to 2001, once again under Dr Mahathir, to tackle the economic challenges resulting from the Asian financial crisis.

Born on April 29, 1938, in Kedah, Daim served as a Member of Parliament for five terms between 1982 and 2004.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Daim Zainuddin’s passing has not only drawn condolences from federal leaders but also from state leaders who expressed their heartfelt sympathies to his family.

Among those offering their condolences were the Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

In posts shared on their respective Facebook pages, they prayed for Daim, who served as Finance Minister from 1984 to 1991 and again from 1999 to 2001, to be placed among the righteous.

Also offering condolences was Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan, who referred to the passing of the former minister as a significant loss due to his many contributions to the nation.

“On behalf of the state, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of Tun Daim. We have lost a figure who made remarkable contributions to the country,” he told reporters in Kota Bahru today.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang also expressed condolences on Facebook, praying that Daim’s soul will be blessed with mercy and divine grace from Allah SWT.

Daim, whose full name is Che Abdul Daim Zainuddin, 86, passed away at 8.21 am today at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya, where he was receiving treatment.

KUALA LUMPUR: The late Tun Daim Zainuddin made numerous contributions to the country, especially during the financial crisis in the 1980s, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.

He said as Finance Minister at the time, Daim successfully steered Malaysia back onto a stable economic path.

“At that time, I was still young and unaware of politics, but we cannot deny that during the 1980s and the ‘Asian Financial Crisis’, the late Daim, as Finance Minister, played a vital role in helping the government and his efforts contributed to Malaysia’s recovery,” he said after performing the funeral prayers for Daim at the Federal Territory Mosque here today.

Daim served as Finance Minister from 1984 to 1991, and again from 1999 to 2001.

Fahmi, who is also Lembah Pantai MP, expressed his gratitude to Daim, recalling how he had come forward to offer support during his campaign in the 14th General Election in 2018.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob expressed his condolences to Daim’s family, acknowledging the loss of a significant figure who had made numerous contributions to the country.

“The loss is not only felt by his family and friends but by the nation. We pray that his soul is blessed and placed among the righteous,” said the Bera MP.

Earlier, the vehicle carrying Daim’s remains arrived at the Federal Territory Mosque at 3.43 pm for the funeral prayers before being taken to the Raudhatul Sakinah Cemetery at Bukit Kiara 1 at 4.48 pm for burial.

Also present were former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Opposition Leader and Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and former Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.

Daim, whose full name is Che Abdul Daim Zainuddin, 86, passed away at 8.21 am today at Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya, where he was receiving treatment.