Malaysian politician, 10th prime minister since 2022
Malaysia has begun sending roughly 1,476 Myanmar nationals by ship to Yangon as the first phase of a planned repatriation of 5,000 people. The UN and rights groups have said the returns cannot be verified as voluntary and warn returnees, including possible Rohingya, face risks in a country consumed by civil war. Malaysia says detainees agreed to repatriation and that returns respond to rising local tensions.
Malaysia has reaffirmed its policy of not recognizing Israel and will continue to bar Israeli citizens from entering the country. The stance follows scrutiny of a digital nomad group with alleged Israeli ties and a wider debate in Washington over security and military ties. Eight US lawmakers have urged Washington to suspend IMET funding and reassess relations within 15 days.
Refugee-hosting states have tightened controls and pushed a limited repatriation plan while Rohingya camps in Bangladesh are reporting worsening conditions. Malaysia has begun screening Myanmar nationals for a 5,000-person return scheme and has detained and processed groups of Rohingya; rights groups warn returns could put people at risk. Cox's Bazar refugees are protesting and aid cuts are worsening hunger.
The US State Department has designated Myanmar scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained after Chinese authorities arrested him in Yunnan on June 3 while he attended a government‑invited conference. Washington has made his release a diplomatic priority ahead of a planned meeting between US and Chinese leaders and is publicly pressing Beijing to free him.
Ismail has pleaded not guilty in Kuala Lumpur to a charge under Malaysia’s anti-graft law, accusing him of failing to provide a complete declaration of assets. The case could carry up to five years in prison. He previously served as Malaysia’s prime minister for 15 months and is among several former leaders facing graft proceedings.
Rescue teams are clearing a key highway as Nepal and Tibet confront a rising flood threat from a glacier-induced lake upstream. Authorities warn of renewed flooding as water levels rise, with hundreds of missing and thousands displaced across the region.
A glacial collapse on 26 August has produced torrent floods that have killed more than 1,395 people and left over 5,600 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Rescue teams have been recovering bodies, searching buried hydropower tunnels and remote villages, and racing to control newly formed barrier lakes that are threatening further flooding and hampering access.
A BRICS summit under India’s presidency has endorsed the New Delhi Declaration, pledging resilience, cooperation and sustainable development. Leaders highlight Africa engagement and private-sector role, while Bilateral talks explore investment, technology transfer and regional integration.
Najib Razak has been granted a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until August 2028, contingent on paying a 50 million ringgit fine. The decision follows renewed consideration by Malaysia’s Pardons Board, chaired by King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, amid ongoing graft cases tied to the 1MDB scandal.